Law360 Canada

Retrial ordered for man convicted of sexual assault while Ontario top court divided on reasons why

Brandon Chung, an associate at Henein Hutchison Robitaille LLP in Toronto who served as co-counsel to S.B. in the appeal, said that all three Court of Appeal judges ‘rightly agreed’ that his client’s conviction could not stand.

Tuesday, November 28, 2023 @ 1:33 PM

For two different reasons from the three-judge panel, the Ontario Court of Appeal concluded that a trial judge mishandled the evidence of an accused who was convicted of sexual assault two years ago and ordered a new trial for a man identified as S.B., who was sentenced to three years in prison for the offence and given an order under the Sex Offender Information Registration Act (SOIRA) for a period of 20 years. ... [read more]

Taxpayers ombudsperson: Complaints decline in 2022-23, but still higher than pre-pandemic levels

Tuesday, November 28, 2023 @ 5:07 PM

Taxpayer complaints about the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) fell in 2022-23 but were still higher than complaints in the years before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the annual report of the Office of the Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson (OTO). ... [read more]

Alberta justice system reforms include ‘streamlined’ trial process, new judicial positions Alberta Justice Minister and Attorney General Mickey Amery

Alberta Justice Minister and Attorney General Mickey Amery

Tuesday, November 28, 2023 @ 3:07 PM

Alberta is bringing in changes to its trial procedures, as well as updating justice system-related legislation, as a means of increasing access to justice and ensuring more matters get resolved by the courts. ... [read more]

Alberta court rejects insurance association’s bid to intervene in policy dispute appeal

Tuesday, November 28, 2023 @ 1:24 PM

The Alberta Court of Appeal has rejected an application by the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association Inc. to intervene in an appeal concerning the interpretation of a 10-day cancellation clause in the context of a life insurance policy. ... [read more]

New Ontario real estate regulations to permit open auctions, modify realtor code of conduct

Tuesday, November 28, 2023 @ 1:21 PM

Real estate sellers will be able to permit brokerages to conduct open offers starting Dec. 1, 2023, when phase two of legislative and regulatory changes introduced under the Trust in Real Estate Services Act (TRESA), 2020 comes into force. ... [read more]

Court exempts legal advisers from reporting clients’ tax affairs until Charter challenge determined

Monday, November 27, 2023 @ 4:39 PM

Legal advisers across Canada, including Quebec notaries and Ontario paralegals, do not have to comply with constitutionally-impugned Income Tax Act (ITA) mandatory reporting obligations with respect to clients’ tax avoidance, following the Federation of Law Societies of Canada’s (FLSC) success in obtaining a nationwide interlocutory court injunction until its Charter challenge to last June’s ITA amendments is determined. ... [read more]

Ontario, Toronto reach ‘historic’ $1.2-billion deal for city’s long-term financial stability

Monday, November 27, 2023 @ 4:35 PM

The government of Ontario and the City of Toronto have agreed to a new $1.2-billion deal to achieve sustainability and long-term financial stability for the city. Premier Doug Ford called it a “game-changing historic new deal,” and the biggest in Canadian history. ... [read more]