In claims involving corporations, “veil piercing” can be transformative. It refers to situations where the court ignores the separate legal identity of the corporation, arguably the central concept in corporate law, and holds the corporation’s shareholders or directors personally liable for the company’s actions. Two recent cases, BH Frontier Solutions Inc. v. 11054660 Canada Inc. (Canadian Choice Supply), 2024 ONCA 93 (“BH Frontier”) and Chu De Québec-Université Laval v. Tree…
I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. ― Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken “Private mortgages”, as opposed to “institutional mortgages”, are mortgage arrangements by lenders who are not a bank listed in Schedule I or II to the Bank Act, a registered loan or trust company or credit union, or a licensed insurer or pension fund. Such loans can be attractive to…
As of July 31, 2025, property owners and/or landlords in Toronto seeking to evict residential tenants to demolish a residential rental unit, convert it for non-residential use, or perform extensive repairs or renovations requiring vacant possession will be required to apply for a Rental Renovation Licence from the City of Toronto and comply with additional requirements for compensating tenants. The Toronto Rental Renovation Licence By-Law, adopted on November 14, 2024,…
Amy owns a commercial property in the GTA that she decides to sell. She enters into an Agreement of Purchase and Sale (“APS”) to sell her property to Bob for $10m. The completion date stated in the APS is December 1, 2024. December 1 arrives, and Bob fails to tender the purchase price. The market is falling, and Amy is not happy. She can no longer sell her property for…
Consider this nightmare scenario: you agree to buy a pre-construction home in a new neighbourhood, in a part of town you really like. A year later when you drive by to check on the construction progress, the house is nowhere to be found. Instead, you learn your house is being built three kilometres from where you had been told it would be – far enough away that it is actually…
When it comes to Canada’s various employment laws, one thing is certain: job candidates and workers should be dealt with on the basis of individual merit. Nepotism in the workplace is the practice of favoring relatives or close friends for jobs, promotions or other professional opportunities. While generally frowned upon, there are no laws against nepotism. There are, however, laws against discrimination. Employers may choose to proactively prevent any issues…
The Ontario Court of Appeal’s decision to overturn several of the trial judge’s findings in 1417217 Ontario Inc. v. River Trail Estates Inc., 2024 ONCA 491, serves as a crucial lesson for those involved in complex commercial litigation. The case underscores the necessity of precise pleadings and the importance of including all relevant parties and theories of liability. While there is much to discuss in the decision, a key question…
Imagine this: One big bank, a truck leasing company, and a wood products wholesaler walked into a courtroom. Sounds like the start of a joke, right? It kind of is, but instead of a punchline, the result was a serious lesson about protecting assets under lease. A ruling from earlier this year in the Court of Appeal for Ontario provides critical insights for businesses that enter long term leases, particularly…
