About Raymond G. Leclair
Ray Leclair was appointed Vice President, Public Affairs in 2012. He provides input on, implements and reports on all government relations and public affairs-related functions.
Ray started at LAWPRO in 2008 as Vice President, TitlePLUS. Prior to joining LAWPRO, Ray was General Counsel for the Kanata Research Park Corporation and 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. Ray was called to the Ontario Bar in 1984 after completing an LL.B. at the University of Ottawa. He received the 2024 OBA Distinguished Service Award and the 2022 OBA Award of Excellence in Real Estate.
Ray frequently speaks on risk management and other legal practice topics in French and English.
Raymond G. Leclair's Posts
How to ensure you have secure funds
[Updated August 2025] 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 irrevocable… 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 PreventionTips to Manage the Important New Changes to Wills, Powers of Attorney and Succession Law
The government has enacted 4 important changes regarding wills, powers of attorney (POAs) and to the administration of an estate with Bill 245 – Accelerating Access to Justice Act, 2021 which received Royal Assent on April 19, 2021. (See amendments in Schedule 8 – Substitute Decisions Act, 1992 and Schedule 9 – Succession Law Reform… Read More »
Categories: Wills & EstatesIntroducing the “Small Estates” process as of April 1, 2021
The government of Ontario’s optional simplified process for probating small estates comes into effect on April 1, 2021 and applies to estates with assets of less than $150,000. This will be a welcomed change for lawyers and their clients. New Rule 74.1 of the Rules of Civil Procedure (as found in O.Reg. 111/21) sets out… Read More »
Categories: Wills & Estates