Articles 2024

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Today

Time to Dish the Dirt: Ontario’s Excess Soil Regime Becomes Law

  • January 14, 2020
  • Matthew Gardner, Anand Srivastava, and Madiha Vallani

On December 4, 2019, Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (“MECP”) filed the long-awaited On-Site and Excess Soil Management Regulation (“Excess Soil Regulation”) and complementary amendments to Ontario’s Records of Site Condition (O Reg 153/04) and Waste Management (Reg 347 and O Reg 351/12) regulations. The Excess Soil Regulation and complementary regulatory amendments will come into legal force in phases.

Environmental Law, Student Forum

Women Lawyers in Tax: Q&A with Kathleen Penny, Partner at Blakes

  • January 14, 2020
  • Rachel Gold

This is the first installment of the OBA Tax Section's Q&A series with women lawyers in tax. The objective of this series is to give insight into the tax law career possibilities and practice areas that women can have, to give advice to junior tax lawyers or students who may be considering tax, and to shine the spotlight on women leaders in the tax profession. In this quarter we feature a Q&A with Kathleen Penny, a well-regarded and brilliant partner at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP.

Women Lawyers Forum, Student Forum, Taxation Law

Tips for Dealing with Emergency Stay Motions

  • January 13, 2020
  • Rafeena Rashid, barrister & solicitor

Top tips on filing and arguing emergency stay motions from Rafeena Rashid, former DOJ Counsel and co-founder of the boutique immigration law firm of Rashid Urosevic LLP.

Citizenship and Immigration Law, Student Forum

Vavilov: A New Framework for a New Decade of Judicial Review

  • January 13, 2020
  • Rachel Weiner

In this article, Rachel Weiner summarizes the revised framework in Vavilov, identifies changes and uncertainties regarding the standard of review, and argues that the reasonableness standard is not significantly altered.

Administrative Law, Public Sector Lawyers, Student Forum

Executive Profile Series - Melissa Babel

  • January 08, 2020

Read a brief profile of Melissa Babel, Vice-Chair of the OBA Citizenship and Immigration Section Executive.

Citizenship and Immigration Law, Student Forum

Dividends and Section 160: Kufsky v. The Queen

  • January 08, 2020
  • Devon LaBuik

In Kufsky v. The Queen, the Tax Court of Canada upheld a section 160 tax assessment of a shareholder who received a dividend from a non-arm’s length corporation. This article provides an overview of the case’s key facts and the Court’s decision.

Student Forum, Taxation Law
Andrea M. Hill

The Hotchpot Clause: A Simple Tool for Equalizing Gifts to Beneficiaries

  • January 07, 2020
  • Andrea M. Hill, Turkstra Mazza Associates

When used properly, a hotchpot clause can equalize beneficiaries for a parent’s prior unequal treatment, promote fairness, and potentially reduce the prospect of estate litigation. But, these clauses require careful consideration and detailed information from the testator. Learn what a hotchpot clause can apply to, how exactly one brings past gifts or loans “into hotchpot,” and some issues to consider when drafting.

Student Forum, Trusts and Estates Law

Supreme Court of Canada Highlights Purpose Driven Contractual Interpretation of Environmental Claims in Resolute Forest Products

  • January 07, 2020
  • Catherine Lyons and Matthew Lakatos-Hayward

In a recent decision, the SCC in R v Resolute Forest Products Canada Inc found that an indemnity against pollution claims granted by Ontario did not cover a regulatory order to remediate contamination. The SCC found that the indemnity did not cover first-party regulatory claims such as an order to prevent discharges. The decision highlights the importance of delineating the sources of contamination and conditions of a business’ property before drafting an indemnity for environmental claims.

Environmental Law, Student Forum