In a recent case from British Columbia, Manak v. Workers’ Compensation Board of British Columbia (cob WorkSafe BC), 2018 BCSC 182, the court held that an employee’s repeated breaches of a confidentiality policy justified the employer to terminate her employment for cause. In employment law, for cause terminations are exceedingly difficult to prove with the…
Read MoreWhat Is The Cost of a Properly Drafted Will?
TagsArticles, Estate Litigation, Wills & Estate PlanningHow much do you stand to save by preparing a will based on a will kit, or with a notary as compared to a wills and estates lawyer? It is true that there are likely savings to be found and you stand to save even more if you don’t even prepare a will (around half…
Read MoreWhat Is A Testamentary Trust?
TagsFamily Law, Wills & Estate PlanningYou can spend your entire life building an estate. Naturally, you may find yourself wondering what might happen to the wealth you have built and who should inherit it once you’ve passed away. Creating a testamentary trust is an easy way to give yourself peace of mind and ensure that your estate and your loved…
Read MoreStrata Bylaws – What Is A “Small Dog”?
TagsArticles, Strata Property LawA recent North Vancouver strata owner took the Strata Corporation to the Civil Resolution and won. He now is allowed to keep his golden retriever dog. He successfully argued the bylaw that restricted “small dog” was too vague and therefore is an unenforceable bylaw. The decision can be found here. The facts of the case…
Read MoreCan you Provide Working Notice of Termination to an Employee on Disability Leave?
TagsArticles, Employment LawIn McLeod v. Frontier Sales, 2018 ONSC 1866, the Divisional Court of Ontario dismissed the appeal by an employer who provided working notice to an employee on disability leave and in turn, sought to reduce the amount of reasonable notice that it was required to provide. The case confirms that working notice provided during a…
Read MoreEarned Bonuses are Payable on Termination
TagsArticles, Employment LawIn a recent case out of Ontario, Chambers v. Global Traffic Technologies Canada Inc., 2018 ONSC 2000, the court maintained that bonuses earned by an employee prior to termination or during the reasonable notice period are, in fact, payable to the employee despite their being terminated from his/her employment. Additionally, the court awarded nine months’…
Read MoreSpeculation Tax Explained
TagsArticles, Real Estate and TransactionsIn the Fall of 2018, the BC Provincial Government will introduce a new speculation tax on residential property. This tax will target foreign and domestic speculators who pay little or no income tax in BC as well as satellite families (families who pay little income tax in BC and have high worldwide income). The BC…
Read MoreStrata Corporations Now Able To Collect Full Legal Fees When Collecting on a Strata Lien
TagsArticles, Strata Property LawDoes your Strata have an owner not paying their strata fees? Strata Corporations can now collect full legal fees when collecting on a strata lien. A strata corporation should not have a buildup of arrears from owner(s) as it can be a great burden on many strata corporations when one or more owners are not…
Read MoreOwner Sues Strata Corporation for Injuries She Suffered From Paint Fumes
TagsArticles, Strata Property LawAn owner sued the strata corporation and the strata corporations’ property manager alleging she suffered injuries as a result of inhaling toxic paint fumes when a painting company engaged by the strata corporation repainted the common property hallways and stairways in both of the strata buildings: Wingrave v. Pure Painters Inc. ,2018 BCSC 58. The owner’s…
Read MoreAre You Considering Purchasing a Unit in a Strata/Condo Building or Complex?
TagsArticles, Real Estate and Transactions, Strata Property LawWhen purchasing any real estate, the onus falls on purchasers to investigate the state and quality of the property they intend to buy. When considering units in apartments, condo buildings, townhouses, and even duplexes, purchasers should ensure they have a subject condition in the Contract of Purchase and Sale allowing them to review and approve…
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