Areas of Law
HST Now Applies To All Assignments Of New Home / New Condominium Contracts (i.e. flipping)
The 2022 Federal Budget introduced two important changes governing the HST on the Assignment of a New Home and New Condominium Agreement of Purchase and Sale entered into with a builder (“New Home Contract”). 1) All Assignments Of New Home Contracts Are Now Subject To HST, Without Exception This represents an important change, as in… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateToo Quick on the Buzzer: Default Judgment and the Potential Consequences of Engaging in Sharp Practice
Would-be lawyers learn the importance of professionalism and civility as outlined in the Law Society’s Rules of Professional Conduct and The Advocates’ Society Principles of Civility. However, in practice, a grey area can sometimes develop between fiercely advocating for a client and engaging in sharp practice. At LAWPRO, we’ve seen many claims relating to lawyers… Read More »
Categories: Civil Litigation, LAWPRO Errors and Omissions CoverageCommon HST errors in real estate transactions
Determining HST-applicability to real estate transactions can be more complicated than many lawyers assume. What’s more, a lack of clarity and errors can often lead to substantial unforeseen costs for clients. This is a dangerous combination from a claims perspective. This paper discusses the common categories of HST errors and provide tips on how to… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateAmendments to Non-Resident Speculation Tax
On March 29, 2022, the Ontario government announced amendments to the Land Transfer Tax Act which impacts the Non-Resident Speculation Tax. Effective March 30, 2022, the government is: Increasing the Non-Resident Speculation Tax to 20 per cent Expanding the tax to apply province-wide Eliminating the rebates for international students and foreign nationals working in Ontario… Read More »
Categories: Real EstateNew Ontario Court forms that come into force Jan 1st that will impact on wills & estates lawyers
New Ontario Court forms come into force on January 1, 2022. The amended forms, now available on the Ontario Court Forms website, have a simplified format and helpful instructions. Old forms will not be accepted after January 1, 2022, unless the court orders otherwise. The rule and form amendments also include consequential amendments prompted by… Read More »
Categories: Wills & EstatesCourt of Appeal for Ontario to Begin Hearing Appeals in Person
Beginning November 8, 2021, the Court of Appeal for Ontario will begin hearing appeals in person. The Court will begin hearing criminal appeals and panel motions in person on November 8 and will begin hearing civil appeals and panel motions in person on November 15. Inmate appeals, single-judge motions, purge court, and status court will… Read More »
Categories: Announcements, Civil Litigation, Criminal LawNew Criminal Appeal Rules to Be Released November 1, 2021
The following is a message from the Court of Appeal for Ontario: New Criminal Appeal Rules for all criminal matters at the Court of Appeal for Ontario will come into force on November 1, 2021. On that day, the current Criminal Appeal Rules, SI/93-169, 1993 Canada Gazette, Part II, will be revoked. In general, the… Read More »
Categories: Criminal LawWhen You Get a Call About a Will You Drafted… What Is Your Next Step?
You’re sitting at your desk on a typical weekday afternoon when, out of the blue, you get a call related to a will file. As soon as this happens, be wary. Your first instinct may be to try to help. But calls around wills you’ve prepared raise issues around confidentiality and privilege. Trying to recall… Read More »
Categories: LAWPRO Errors and Omissions Coverage, Wills & Estates