The defendant brought a motion to permanently or temporarily stay the Ontario action in favour of proceedings in Florida.
The plaintiff, a Florida mortgage lender, commenced the Ontario action to enforce a personal guarantee signed by the defendant in Toronto.
The defendant argued that Florida was the more appropriate forum due to ongoing foreclosure and deficiency proceedings against his company in Florida, as well as a separate action he commenced there alleging fraud.
The court dismissed the motion, finding that the defendant failed to establish that Florida was the clearly more appropriate forum, as the key witnesses and the defendant were in Ontario, and the guarantee was signed in Ontario.
The court also declined to grant a temporary stay, noting that the Florida proceedings involved different parties and subject matter.