In a Superior Court ruling, Mitchell Kitagawa successfully argued that the insured, Dufresne Piling Company, should be awarded all reasonable defence costs.  Ashcroft Homes Inc. made the claim against Dufresne when a monastery owned by the plaintiff sustained damage during the excavation for a property development located next to the…

We are very pleased to welcome our three articling students for 2019-2020.  Sarah Reich, Will Roantree and Sarah Mack joined us this week after completing their law degrees at the University of Ottawa. Prior to law school, Sarah Reich studied global development at Queen’s University.  Will completed a business degree…

To combat activities such as money laundering and tax evasion, the Federal Government has made changes to the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) which came into effect on June 13, 2019.  In addition to the shareholders’ and directors’ registers they already maintain, federally incorporated companies are now required to maintain…

Most people in the construction industry are familiar with WSIB’s return to work obligations for injured workers and the special provisions for construction workers. This article is about the obligations you may not have appreciated that exist beyond those requirements. The Ontario Human Rights Act (OHRA) prohibits differential treatment of…

If you have applied for a mortgage or line of credit in the past two years, you may have noticed that it has become much harder to qualify. The much-publicized “stress test” is making it increasingly difficult for some individuals buying or refinancing property. With the heightened requirements, we are…

With the Spring market well underway, it appears clear that we are firmly cemented in a “seller’s market” here in Ottawa. Research suggests listings are down across the region by about 30-35% year over year. This means it is a great time to sell. But it also means buyers and…

Shawn O’Connor‘s successful Ontario Superior Court motion for partial summary judgment to determine the issue of liability was recently upheld by the Ontario Court of Appeal . The Court of Appeal agreed with the motion judge that the driver of a car who stopped when they saw emergency vehicle lights…

Simply stated, if you buy a home and put less than 20% down, your lender will require that your mortgage be insured. There are several companies that offer this coverage- two of the most well known being CMHC and Genworth. The lender sets up the coverage on your behalf, and…