Formula used for assessing property tax on pipelines consistent with Ontario legislation: court
Wednesday, August 10, 2022 @ 12:50 PM
A major energy company has been dealt a blow in its fight against how its gas pipelines are assessed for property tax in Ontario, with a court saying provincial legislation allows for properties to be assessed beyond their current value. TransCanada Pipelines Ltd. was challenging the validity of the regulation under the provincial Assessment Act that sets out a formula for assessing the value of pipelines in Ontario, arguing it was inconsistent with s. 19 of the Act, which says that a land’s assessment “shall be based on its current value.” ... [read more]
Ontario Appeal Court clarifies ‘peaceable possession’ of properties in case of mortgage default
Tuesday, August 09, 2022 @ 4:03 PM
An application judge erred in finding that a mortgagee did not take peaceable possession of a property, the Court of Appeal for Ontario has ruled in also granting the mortgagee some compensation for its expenses in enforcing the mortgage. In Hume v. 11534599 Canada Corp., 2022 ONCA 575, the court found that the application judge had erred in interpreting “peaceable possession” in a criminal law context. ... [read more]
Ford government pledges action on labour shortages, health care in throne speech
Tuesday, August 09, 2022 @ 3:52 PM
The Ford government is promising a focus on building the economy and dealing with the pressures faced by the health-care system in Ontario, but is warning there are no easy solutions for the major challenges the province is facing going forward. That was the message from Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell, who delivered the government’s speech from the throne Aug. 9, an event which marks the start of a new legislative session at Queen’s Park. ... [read more]
Grassroots campaign wants to reform ‘dangerous’ non-disclosure agreements in Canada, abroad
Tuesday, August 09, 2022 @ 12:07 PM
The use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) has exploded in recent years, moving far beyond their original intent of protecting trade secrets to cover allegations of sexual misconduct and other incidents of harassment in both the workplace and beyond. But a new international campaign, co-founded by a Canadian law professor, is setting out to reform how they are used. ... [read more]