Government Plans to Allow Divorced and Separated Parents to Open a Joint RESP for Their Children
The Federal Budget 2023 proposes to allow divorced or separated parents to open a joint Registered Education Savings Plans (RESP) for one or more of their children or move an existing joint RESP to another RESP provider. The budget also proposes to increase certain RESP withdrawal limits with the increasing tuition cost for post-secondary education. […]
New Requirement for Private Ontario Corporations to Maintain a Register of Individuals with Significant Control
As of January 1, 2023, all private corporations incorporated or continued under the Business Corporations Act of Ontario, other than private corporations that are wholly-owned subsidiaries of a public company, are required to prepare and maintain a register of individuals with significant control over the corporation (the “ISC Register”). The new requirements are part of […]
WSIB Provides Draft Policy for Coverage for Communicable Illnesses
The WSIB has recently released a draft policy for coverage for communicable illnesses. While they have previously had made decisions in this regard, the policy is not necessarily a change in direction, but provides clear guidance on how entitlement in communicable illness claims has been and will be adjudicated. The policy outlines the entitlement guidelines […]
Is Mediation Mandatory for Families Separating in Ontario?
The family law system in Canada has often been described as broken. Specifically, the Family Court in Ottawa, and in other parts of Ontario, is facing a crisis. Unfortunately, this has been the case for quite some time. In 1999, the Family Court of the Superior Court of Justice was expanded to include Ottawa. The […]
Further Changes to the Environmental Assessment Act Proposed
On Friday, March 10, 2023, the Ontario government released two proposals in respect of additional changes to the province’s Environmental Assessment Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. E.18 (the “EAA”). The EAA has already been subject to a number of significant revisions as part of the government’s strategy to “modernize” the legislation. The public consultation period for […]
Business Coaching with Neil Schwartz and Rob Dale
In this episode, business coach (and Dallas Cowboys fan) Rob Dale from Rhapsody Strategies joins business lawyer (and Green Bay Packers fan) Neil Schwartz from Mann Lawyers . What is business coaching all about? Well, it’s not just about helping set business plan strategies, as they discuss in this episode. They also talk about going into business with friends and family, your […]
Why A Title Search Is Important
Clients often have a lot of questions about the purchase process, such as ‘when do I get my keys’ and ‘will we meet in person or virtually to sign the closing documents’. One question that often comes up regularly is ‘what is a title search’. Most clients understand that doing the search is important, but […]
How to Register Yourself as a Parent When Welcoming a Baby Via Surrogate
Registering the birth of a new baby can be done online through the Service Ontario website. With the province’s ‘5-in-1 Newborn Bundle,’ you can register your child’s birth, apply for a birth certificate, a SIN number, Canada Child Benefits and request an Education Savings Referral. When you have a child via a surrogate, there are […]
Estate Litigation Costs and Discretion
As is now clear, the traditional approach in estate litigation that “the costs of all parties are ordered payable out of the estate has been displaced by the modern approach of fixing costs in accordance with civil costs rules, unless the court finds that there are public policy considerations” (McDougald Estate v. Gooderham (2005), 255 […]