Can I appeal if I lose a civil court case in Ontario?

Yes, in most cases you have a right to appeal a civil court decision in Ontario, but there are important limitations. Appeals from Small Claims Court decisions go to the Divisional Court. Appeals from the Superior Court of Justice on final orders generally go to the Court of Appeal for Ontario.

An appeal is not a new trial — you are asking a higher court to review whether the trial judge made a legal error, an error in the application of legal principles, or a palpable and overriding error in their findings of fact. You generally cannot introduce new evidence on appeal, and courts are reluctant to overturn factual findings simply because they might have seen the evidence differently.

There are strict deadlines for filing a notice of appeal — missing these deadlines can result in losing your right to appeal, though extensions can sometimes be obtained. Appeals can be expensive and time-consuming. Before pursuing an appeal, discuss with a litigation lawyer whether there are genuine appealable errors, what the realistic prospects of success are, and whether the cost is proportionate to what you stand to gain.