JennahAdams:Litigation would not be an issue if the
company was here in the US; unfortunately,
the company is located, and still exists, in
Canada. What options do I have regarding
representation and expertise in this area?
You would have to sue in Canada.
Depending on where in Canada and how much you are owed, it might be something you can do in a Canadian equivalent of small claims court.
You would also have to see if a statute of limitations applies. You typically have a limited amount of time to sue for breach of contract. Might be different between oral and written contracts. Might be the same.
You can google all that court and legal stuff.