Can the Ottawa Virtual Family Law Project (VFLP) help you in COVID Times?
How do you get your family law matter dealt with in these COVID-19 circumstances, where the family court’s services have been either shut down or now confronted with a serious backlog? The Ottawa Virtual Family Law Project is an online directory of senior family law practitioners in Ottawa and area, formed in April, 2020. It […]
COVID-19: Expanded Business Premises and Expanded Liability
Expanded Patios Many businesses in Ontario are struggling financially because of the effects of COVID-19 on the ability of people to shop, or go out for a meal or an evening of entertainment. In order to assist some of these businesses, many Ontario cities are permitting restaurants and bars to expand their patios onto sidewalks and […]
Dine, Don’t Dance: Ontario Bars Given the ‘Okay’ to Reopen but Patrons Are Barred from Dancing
There is no longer a need to check the weather before going out for a bite to eat – simply dine-in! The day has finally come where Ontarians can enjoy a meal or a drink inside their favourite restaurant or bar. Following Premier Doug Ford’s announcement on Monday, 99% of Ontario businesses are permitted to […]
Ontario Announces Stage 3 Reopening – Nearly All Businesses May Reopen
Premier Doug Ford announced this week that 24 regions in the Province of Ontario, including the Ottawa Public Health unit region, may enter Stage 3 of the provincial reopening framework this Friday, July 17, 2020. On Friday, beginning at 12:01 a.m., nearly all businesses and public spaces in the affected regions will be able to […]
Is Paper the Way of the Past? British Columbia Proposes Legislation for Electronic Wills
COVID-19 has brought about various emergency orders permitting virtual witnessing of wills and powers of attorney in Ontario and other provinces. As things start to open up we begin to question if some of the emergency measures are worth retaining or will we revert back to the pre-pandemic ways of executing and witnessing wills and […]
Pick Up the Phone: The Court’s Message to High Conflict Counsel in COVID-19
Two recent cases from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice demonstrate a clear message that the Court has run out of patience for aggressive litigation tactics as COVID-19 continues. Haaksma v. Taylor, 2020 ONSC 2656 laid out counsel’s new duty to assist the Court in its pandemic triage role. This duty consists of a heightened […]
COVID-19 Expectations and the New Divorce Act
The federal government delayed implementing the Amendments to the Divorce Act until March 1, 2021 in response to COVID-19. However, reviewing the case law from the pandemic period indicates that the new duties expected of parties under these Amendments may already practically be in force as a result of the Court’s heightened COVID-19 behaviour expectations. […]
The Court is Watching (So Follow the Rules)
In Numair v. Numair, 2020 ONSC 3737, Jarvis J. recently gave a stern warning to a party failing to meet his family law disclosure obligation: “The Court is watching.” In fact, all parties in family law litigation should heed this caution because, despite the limit on Court services imposed by COVID-19, parties remain subject to […]
COVID-19’s Effect on New Construction
After visiting numerous model homes and reviewing various floor plans, you entered into a Purchase Agreement to buy your dream home. Construction begins, you pick your finishes, and you can see your home taking shape. Your excitement grows, as you enter the final stretch to the closing date. Then, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) declares […]
