About Raymond G. Leclair
Ray Leclair joined LAWPRO in June of 2008 in the role of Vice President, TitlePLUS, and as of May, 2012 became Vice President, Public Affairs.
Formerly General Counsel for the Kanata Research Park Corporation, Ray has practised in both major national law firms and as a sole practitioner, and was a part-time professor at the University of Ottawa Law School and Cité Collégiale instructing the French language portion of the real estate law course. He also served for 15 years as the Ottawa senior instructor for the French and English Real Estate Sections of the Bar Admission Course and member of the Law Society of Upper Canada’s Solicitor Advisory Group, Licensing Process.
Called to the bar in 1984, Ray is member of the Ontario Bar Association Council, executive member of CBA’s National Sections Council. He is a member of the Working Group on Lawyers & Real Estate, President of the Ontario Real Estate Lawyers Association (ORELA), and volunteer’s as Manager of the fundraiser TOM* MensFashion4Hope and a VIP & Sponsor Relations Officer for Toronto Men’s Fashion Week (TOM*).
Raymond G. Leclair's Posts
Navigating NOSIs and PPSA: A practical approach for lawyers
In view of the government passing the Homeowner Protection Act, 2024 amending the Personal Property Security Act on June 6, 2024 with the result that the filing of a notice of security interest in respect of financed or leased (rented) consumer goods/fixtures is now banned in Ontario, a real estate lawyer’s due diligence requirements have… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateNotice of Security Interest (NOSI) ban effective June 6, 2024
The Ontario Government has passed Bill 200, the Homeowner Protection Act, 2024, in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, which received Royal Assent on June 6, 2024. The Personal Property Security Act was amended to specify that a notice of security interest (NOSI) may not be registered in a land registry office with respect to collateral… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateHow to ensure you have secure funds
[Updated May 14, 2024] Article highlights: 1.For funds to be truly irrevocable, you need a PCRN. Anything else is a risk. 2.Financial institutions that have adopted the Uniform Treatment of Wire Payments have agreed to treat “On-Us” funds (e.g. when the payee and the payor are at different branches of the same financial institution) as… Read More »
Categories: Fraud PreventionNotice of fees increase for real estate transactions
As of November 6, 2023, the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery is increasing the fees of certain land registration services, which are adjusted annually by an amount equal to 50 per cent of the Consumer Price Index. The most common fee, for the registration or deposit of an instrument or plan in electronic… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateImportant Reminder: Update to Non-Resident Speculation Tax
Effective October 25, 2022, the Non-Resident Speculation Tax (NRST) rate was increased to 25 per cent from 20 per cent. It applies to the purchase or acquisition of an interest in residential property located anywhere in Ontario by individuals who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada, or by foreign corporations or taxable… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateNew Federal Underused Housing Tax
[Update Sept 11/23] Underused Housing Tax penalties and interest waived The deadline for filing under the Underused Housing Tax Act (S.C. 2022, c. 5, s. 10), is April 30th, 2023, however the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has extended the time to file any return and pay any tax to November 1, 2023. For further information… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateUpdate about fund transfers
There has been much written about how lawyers receive and deliver money from their trust accounts on behalf of their clients as part of a transaction. The issue comes down to ensuring good funds are being dealt with in order that value is exchanged. In Canada, our banking system works on the basis of trust,… Read More »
Categories: Fraud Prevention, Real EstateWhat to do if money is diverted to a fraudster’s account?
There are multiple scenarios whereby fraudsters will attempt to have you wire funds to a different account than the one that you had intended to fund. Unfortunately, some of those attempts are successful. LAWPRO has received such claims and heard of many others. Here are some tips to assist you if such a fraud happens… Read More »
Categories: Fraud Prevention