To which court is a judicial review application typically brought?

A judicial review application is typically brought before the Divisional Court in Ontario. This court is part of the Superior Court of Justice and has jurisdiction to review the decisions of various administrative bodies and tribunals. The process of judicial review is meant to ensure that these bodies exercise their powers in accordance with the law, adhere to principles of procedural fairness, and do not exceed their jurisdiction.

The Divisional Court has the specific mandate to hear applications for judicial review, allowing it to decide whether a decision made by a lower tribunal was reasonable, lawful, and procedurally fair. This is distinct from other courts, which have different focuses or areas of jurisdiction. For instance, the Superior Court primarily handles serious civil and criminal matters, while the Court of Appeal is tasked with hearing appeals from decisions made in lower courts, and Small Claims Court deals with minor civil disputes. Thus, for matters concerning judicial review, the Divisional Court is the appropriate venue to ensure that decisions from administrative bodies are held to account.