What is the definition of a "public interest" in the context of the anti-SLAPP provisions?

Ontario, Canada


The following excerpt is from New Dermamed Inc. v. Sulaiman, 2018 ONSC 2517 (CanLII):

In Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario v. Karahlios, [2017] O.J. No. 6738, Perell J. addressed at para. 40 the meaning of the term “public interest” as it is used in s. 137.1: The anti-SLAPP provisions do not define what is a matter of public interest, but case law indicates that it is a broad concept and that a matter of public interest involves matters in which the public has some substantial concern beyond curiosity or prurient interest, and a matter of public interest affects the welfare of citizens or concerns an issue of public controversy or concerns an issue about which citizens have a right to make a fair comment.

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