LAWPRO has heard from a number of Ontario lawyers that their firm websites have been copied by fraudsters to further their schemes, such as the “inheritance from a long-lost relative” scam or immigration scams overseas. While we have seen these impersonation scams for over a year now, there seems to be another spike lately, perhaps… Read More »
Categories: Fraud Prevention
The Director of Titles has advised that all service counters of all 54 registry offices (Land Titles and Registry) will be closing. There will be a trial period commencing this Thanksgiving with full implementation as of 2021. All registrations will be done via software, email or courier, with full details to be provided later. Most… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate
On June 25th Chief Justice Morawetz issued a further Notice to the Profession regarding the phased reopening of courtrooms. The Superior Court of Justice continues to hear matters virtually, as set out in the May 13, 2020 Consolidated Notice to the Profession. In addition, the June 25th Notice advises that 56 courtrooms are expected to… Read More »
Categories: Civil Litigation
The practice of delivering certified cheques or bank drafts to lenders to pay off mortgages has been made more difficult with the restrictions implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. The real estate bar has been asking financial institutions to permit them to pay off client’s mortgages using wire payments in residential purchase and sale transactions. It… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate, Technology
Lawyers have a duty to ensure that their purchaser clients receive good and marketable title to the properties they have contracted to buy. In particular, there is an expectation that any prior mortgages will be discharged and removed from title. Imagine the scenario where your search of title discloses an old mortgage that has never… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate, The TitlePLUS Program & Title Insurance
On March 20, 2020, the provincial government, through the Lieutenant Governor in Council, made O. Reg. 73/20 under s. 7.1 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA) suspending limitation periods and procedural time periods. The suspension is retroactive to March 16, 2020. On June 5th, the provincial government made a further order continuing… Read More »
Categories: Civil Litigation, Limitations Claims
In an increasingly digitized world – which has been even more rapidly implemented and embraced due to the Covid-19 crisis, calls for moving legal documents towards “e-signing” have become a roar. The pace at which the industry has responded has been staggering. We’ve seen the adoption of virtual commissioning and notarization and virtual witnessing of… Read More »
Categories: Technology
The federal government is proposing the Time Limits and Other Periods Act (COVID-19). It provides that the following time limits are, if established by or under an Act of Parliament, suspended for the period that starts on March 13, 2020 and that ends on September 13, 2020 or on any earlier day fixed by order… Read More »
Categories: Limitations Claims