Real Estate
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May 26, 2025
Appeal dismissed in case where holdback funds were to be paid by developer
In a decision with five judges on the panel, the British Columbia Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal regarding a builders lien declaration and order related to holdback funds to be paid by the appellant.
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May 26, 2025
Burned by ambiguity: Court of Appeal reinstates coverage for fire in licensed marijuana grow op
The British Columbia Court of Appeal’s recent ruling in Busato v. Gore Mutual Insurance Co., 2025 BCCA 79 serves as a caution for insurers relying on broadly framed exclusion clauses. The court overturned the trial judge’s decision to uphold the insurer’s denial of coverage, finding that the exclusion relied upon was ambiguous, unreasonable and ultimately unenforceable.
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May 23, 2025
Bill 5’s implications for legal profession: Upholding justice system integrity demands our response
As lawyers, we took an oath to ensure access to justice and champion the rule of law. This oath bestows a privilege but also a responsibility to advance the cause of justice and safeguard the rights and freedoms of all persons in Ontario. In light of recent legislation proposed by the Ontario government, this oath — and by extension the Law Society Act that makes it operative — are jeopardized.
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May 23, 2025
Clicking beyond death: Who gets your digital life after you’re gone?
In Jamaica, where I’m from, there’s often a mix of amusement and uneasy reverence when people discuss what to do with a person’s “belongings” when their “number has been called”: dead leff. Now, here’s the modern twist: what happens when your dead leff isn’t just a house or jewellery, but an entire digital life?
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May 21, 2025
REAL PROPERTY TAX - Land transfer tax - Payment of - Tax rate
Appeal by appellants against a court order striking out their Charter claims against respondent and cross-appeal by respondent challenging the order granting appellants leave to amend the factual basis for the claim.
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May 21, 2025
Stateview Homes, senior execs face charges over hundreds of illegal home sales
Ontario’s Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA) has laid charges against Stateview Homes and three of its senior leaders after uncovering “hundreds of violations” in the sale of 453 homes across the province, according to a release issued on May 20.
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May 20, 2025
Ontario court awards $350,000 in damages for insurance brokerage contract breach
In what the judge involved has described as a glimpse into the back room of the insurance brokerage business, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice has awarded a Toronto brokerage $350,000 for an ex-salesman’s breach of contract and a competitor’s role in causing it.
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May 16, 2025
Competition Bureau releases 2025-26 annual plan, builds on legislative changes
The Competition Bureau has released its annual plan for 2025-26, saying it will continue to build on previous legislative changes aimed at enhancing competition, especially in the face of “rapid shifts in trade, market dynamics and technology.”
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May 16, 2025
Ontario bill ‘does a good job’ of creating certainty in home, infrastructure construction: lawyer
Ontario legislators are considering a bill aimed at speeding up construction of new homes and transit, and observers are saying the changes are welcome — but note there are a number of things that legal practitioners need to keep an eye out for as a result of the legislation.
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May 15, 2025
Court allows anti-SLAPP motion in mall redevelopment case
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has allowed an anti-SLAPP motion finding that a developer wanted to “gag” a student who brought legitimate concerns to the city regarding the redevelopment of a Mississauga mall.