New Law Commission of Ontario Releases First Report on Government Cheque Cashing Fees

The Law Commission of Ontario, launched in September 2007, has released its first final report entitled Fees For Cashing Government Cheques:

"The Law Commission of Ontario (LCO) initiated a Project on fees for cashing government cheques in response to concerns regarding the impact of cheque cashing fees on low-income communities and on remote Northern communities without access to mainstream financial institutions such as banks or credit unions. Recipients of government benefits generally have very low incomes, and as a result, the fees for cashing their government benefit cheques can have a very significant impact on their finances."

The Commission is a partnership between the Attorney General of Ontario, the Law Foundation of Ontario, the Law Society of Upper Canada, and Ontario's six law schools. It replaces the former Ontario Law Reform Commission that was terminated in 1995.