Kelly Santini’s JP Zubec secured a major victory for his client in Reid v. Cote et al., 2025 ONSC 6542, a complex proceeding that blended elements of both shareholder oppression and estate litigation. The dispute centred on the estate of a successful businesswoman, which included a corporate and trust structure…
News & Resources
No Case to Answer: Court Throws Out Fire-Loss Lawsuit Against Insurance Broker
In Jordan v. Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group, 2025 ONSC 1086, Kelly Santini’s Pat Santini successfully represented the defendant Finnegan Insurance Brokers Ltd. in a motion for non-suit after trial brought jointly with co-defendant Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group. The plaintiffs sought over $140,000 in damages for losses to a hunting camp…
Paw and Order: Court Rules in Dog Ownership Dispute
In Malik v. Dey, 2025 ONSC, Kelly Santini LLP’s Danesh Rana successfully represented the defendants, Bhimankshu Dey, 14866789 Canada Inc., and Rabindra Kumar Dey, in a dispute over the ownership of a family dog named Tozo. The plaintiff, Harita Malik, had lived with Bhimankshu Dey and claimed that she was…
No Proof of Mould Toxicity: Ontario Court Dismisses $6M Claim Against Landlord
In Faulkner Real Estate Ltd. v. Sakto Corporation (2025 ONSC 1158), Kelly Santini LLP’s John Melia and Kara Takagi successfully represented the defendants, Sakto Corporation and Waterford Property Group Ltd., in defending a $6 million claim brought by Judy Faulkner and her brokerage, Faulkner Real Estate Ltd. The plaintiffs alleged that water…
Court Voids Property Transfer in Estate Dispute due to Capacity Issues
Kelly Santini LLP’s JP Zubec and Neelum Raja secured a decisive victory in Scharfe v. Poirier Estate. On January 24, 2025, the Honourable Justice Hackland overturned the transfer of real property by an elderly woman to her adult son, determining that the conveyance had to be set aside on the…
Ontario Court of Appeal Upholds Removal of Co-Estate Trustee for Obstructing Administration
Kelly Santini LLP’s JP Zubec and Neelum Raja secured a significant estate litigation victory at the Ontario Court of Appeal on behalf of their client. On January 17, 2025, the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld the July 28, 2023, decision of the Honourable Justice Gomery to remove a co-Estate Trustee…
A Year to Hold Back the Holdback
In Fall 2024, Ontario announced upcoming amendments to the Construction Act, following a five-year review of the broad changes implemented during 2018 and 2019. Perhaps the most significant upcoming change is the decision to impose mandatory expiry of liens and release of holdback on an annual basis: each year, all…
New Year Brings New Building Code to Ontario
As of January 1, 2025, the 2024 Ontario Building Code will officially take effect. However, transition rules allow for the submission of new building permit applications under the existing 2012 Code until April 1, 2025, provided that applicants can demonstrate that their working drawings were substantially complete by December 31,…