May 24, 2023

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Can You Get Out of a Pre-Construction Condo Agreement in Ontario? A Legal Guide for Buyers

April 6, 2026 No Comments

Toronto condo prices have dropped sharply, leaving pre-construction buyers facing financing gaps of $100,000 or more. Many signed agreements years ago and cannot close at the original price. This guide explains every legitimate legal exit available to Ontario pre-construction condo buyers, from the right to rescind where disclosure was never properly delivered, to the 10-day cooling-off period, material change rescission, Tarion delayed closing termination, early termination conditions, financing conditions, equitable rescission for misrepresentation, and assignment.

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Enforcing Judgments in Ontario: A Complete Guide for Creditors

April 5, 2026 No Comments

Winning a lawsuit is one thing. Collecting on the judgment is another. Ontario provides a full arsenal of enforcement tools: writs of seizure and sale, garnishment, examination in aid of execution, receivers, fraudulent conveyances proceedings, civil contempt, and more. This guide explains every major enforcement mechanism available to judgment creditors in Ontario, how each one works, when to use it, and how to combine them for maximum recovery.

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Arbitration Law in Ontario: A Complete Guide for Businesses

April 5, 2026 No Comments

Arbitration offers businesses a faster, more private, and more flexible alternative to court litigation — but it is governed by a detailed legal framework that every party to an arbitration clause should understand. This guide explains how arbitration works in Ontario: the legislative framework, the arbitration agreement, how proceedings are conducted, the role of the courts, and how awards are challenged and enforced — including the key principles of competence-competence, party autonomy, and separability that shape every arbitration from start to finish.

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Franchise Law in Ontario: A Complete Guide for Franchisors and Franchisees

April 5, 2026 No Comments

Franchising accounts for over $120 billion in annual Canadian sales. Ontario’s Arthur Wishart Act gives franchisees some of the strongest statutory protections in the country, including strict pre-sale disclosure requirements and powerful rescission rights. This article explains how franchising is regulated in Ontario and across Canada, what the key franchise agreement provisions mean in practice, how courts have treated the franchisor-franchisee relationship, and how Canadian law compares to the US regime.

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When the Guarantor Gets the Call: Understanding Guarantee Law in Canada

April 4, 2026 No Comments

Guarantees are signed every day in commercial transactions — as a condition of a bank loan, a commercial lease, or a franchise agreement. They create serious personal liability, and they are often signed without full understanding of the risk. This article explains what guarantees are, what makes them enforceable, the defences available when a creditor calls on a guarantee, and the rights a guarantor has against both the creditor and the principal.

Clock representing time running out on limitation periods for civil lawsuits in Ontario

Limitation Periods in Ontario: How Long Do You Have to Sue?

April 3, 2026 No Comments

If someone has wronged you, there is a window of time within which you can sue — and once it closes, it closes for good. Ontario’s limitation periods framework sets a two-year basic deadline running from discovery, and a fifteen-year ultimate cap. But the rules are more nuanced than they look. This guide explains when the clock starts, when it can be paused, how specific claims like defamation, personal injury, and contract disputes are treated, and what happens across the country.

Person crossing fingers behind their back representing bad faith and the clean hands doctrine in shareholder oppression remedy proceedings

The Clean Hands Doctrine and the Oppression Remedy: What Shareholders Need to Know

April 3, 2026 No Comments

A minority shareholder who has themselves behaved badly may still succeed in an oppression claim — but the clean hands doctrine can limit or deny relief where the complainant’s own misconduct is directly connected to what they are asking the court to remedy. This article explains when the doctrine applies, when it does not, and what it means in practice for shareholder disputes.

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Canada’s Anti-Money Laundering Laws: Who Must Comply and What They Must Do

April 3, 2026 No Comments

Money laundering is one of the most serious financial crimes in Canada — and the obligation to detect and report it falls on a surprisingly wide range of businesses. Banks, real estate agents, lawyers, accountants, casinos, and dealers in precious metals all have detailed compliance obligations under the PCMLTFA. This guide explains the law, who it applies to, and what the consequences of non-compliance are.

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Legal Duties of Real Estate Agents in Ontario: What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know

March 31, 2026 No Comments

A real estate agent’s legal obligations go far beyond finding a buyer or showing properties. In Ontario, agents operate under TRESA, the Code of Ethics, fiduciary duties, and the general law of negligence and misrepresentation — all at once. This article explains what those obligations are, illustrated with real cases where agents were found liable for falling short of them.

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Remedies for Breach of Contract in Canada: What You Can Claim

March 30, 2026 No Comments

The most important question in any contract dispute is not whether there was a breach — it is what remedy the injured party can actually obtain. This article covers the full range of remedies for breach of contract in Canada: compensatory damages, specific performance, injunctions, gains-based recovery, and punitive damages, along with the limiting rules that govern each.

Man speaking into a microphone representing slander as oral defamation under Canadian law

Libel vs. Slander: The Key Differences and When Proof of Damage Is Required

March 29, 2026 No Comments

Most defamation cases involve something written. But spoken words can be just as damaging to a reputation, and in the right circumstances they are fully actionable. This article explains slander, how it differs from libel, when proof of actual financial loss is required, and when the law dispenses with that requirement entirely.

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Can You Sue Google for a Defamatory Review? What Canadian Law Says

March 26, 2026 No Comments

A false review on Google Maps can reach thousands of people and stay there indefinitely. The person behind it may be anonymous and untraceable. Can you sue Google instead? Recent Canadian decisions in Thorpe v. Boakye and Jeffery v. Almusslat suggest the answer is increasingly yes, where the platform had notice, had control, and chose not to act.

What Every Director Needs to Know: Board Governance and Legal Obligations in Canada

March 25, 2026 No Comments

The board of directors sits at the centre of Canadian corporate governance, bearing ultimate legal responsibility for how a corporation is managed. This article covers the statutory requirements for board composition, the meaning of director independence, what powers the board can and cannot delegate, and how unanimous shareholders’ agreements redistribute duties and liabilities between directors and shareholders.

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Unmasking the Wrongdoer: Norwich Orders in Canadian Civil Litigation

March 24, 2026 No Comments

When you know a wrong has been committed but cannot identify who did it, ordinary civil procedure offers no path forward. The Norwich Order fills that gap. It compels a third party mixed up in wrongdoing to disclose information before proceedings start, allowing a victim to identify a wrongdoer, trace stolen assets, or confirm whether a cause of action exists. This article explains the test, the limits, and how the remedy works in practice.

Pinocchio's nose growing as a metaphor for fraud by silence and concealment in Canadian law

What You Don’t Say: Fraudulent Concealment and the Duty to Disclose in Canadian Law

March 23, 2026 No Comments

Silence is generally not fraud — but in a meaningful range of circumstances it is, and the consequences are identical to an outright lie. This article explains when Canadian courts will find that a party’s failure to speak is actionable fraud, what duty to disclose arises and from what relationships, how half-truths are treated, and how fraudulent concealment can suspend limitation periods that would otherwise bar a claim.

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Appraisal Remedies and Share Valuation in Ontario

March 15, 2026 No Comments

Ontario’s corporate statutes give dissenting shareholders the right to exit at court-determined fair value — but the remedy is only as strong as the procedure you follow and the valuation methodology behind it. This guide covers all three types of appraisal remedy and explains how Chartered Business Valuators and courts actually determine what shares are worth.

Moore v. Sweet: When Someone Else Cashes Your Cheque

March 3, 2026 No Comments

Here is a scenario that sounds almost too harsh to be real. A woman agrees to pay her ex-husband’s life insurance premiums in exchange for

Breach of Fiduciary Duty: What It Means and How to Protect Your Interests

October 26, 2025 No Comments

Breach of Fiduciary Duty When people or organizations place their trust in someone to act on their behalf, the law imposes a special standard of

What Is a Breach of Confidence? Understanding Your Legal Remedies in Canada

October 20, 2025 No Comments

Breach of Confidence in Canadian Law: Trust, Misuse, and Remedies In commercial and professional relationships, trust is currency. Parties routinely exchange non-public information—technical data, strategic

Urgent Commercial Remedies

September 27, 2025 No Comments

Urgent Commercial Remedies in Ontario: Protecting Rights Before It’s Too Late Commercial disputes can escalate quickly, especially where there is a risk that vital evidence

What Passengers Should Know About Delays, Cancellations, and Denied Boarding

August 25, 2025 No Comments

Flight delays, denied boarding, and cancellations are among the most common disruptions in modern air travel. For passengers, the legal consequences of these events depend on whether the disruption is classified as delay or nonperformance and on which legal framework applies.

Offers to Settle in Ontario Litigation

August 25, 2025 No Comments

Rule 49 offers to settle are a cornerstone of civil litigation in Ontario. They reflect a deliberate policy choice to encourage settlement and reduce the burden of trials. By attaching significant costs consequences to the rejection of reasonable offers, the rule compels litigants to weigh the risks of trial carefully.

Cross-Examination at Trial

August 25, 2025 No Comments

Cross-examination is widely regarded as one of the most powerful tools in the trial process. It is not only a feature of the adversarial system but a defining characteristic that sets it apart from other legal traditions. Through cross-examination, the evidence of witnesses is tested for accuracy, reliability, and truthfulness. Where examination-in-chief allows a party to present its own case in an orderly fashion, cross-examination permits opposing counsel to probe, challenge, and, where appropriate, dismantle that account.

When Does the Limitation Period Start for a Defamation Claim Stemming from False Police Reports?

April 17, 2025 No Comments

The ruling in Kulyk v. Guastella reminds us of the importance of timely dealing with civil defamation claims, regardless of concurrent criminal proceedings. Justice Myers’ decision, grounded in the interpretation of the Limitations Act, emphasizes an objective standard for initiating defamation claims. Potential plaintiffs must therefore remain vigilant and proactive in protecting their legal rights against defamatory accusations, even amidst criminal proceedings.

How to Plead Fraud: An Outline for Anyone Involved in a Fraud Claim

April 2, 2025 No Comments

Pleading fraud requires clarity, precision, and a well-documented factual basis. While the potential for recovering consequential or even punitive damages can be attractive, the risks of dismissal and adverse cost implications underscore the need for a meticulously prepared claim.

10 Things to Know About Passing Off and Unfair Competition in Canada

March 4, 2025 No Comments

Businesses of every size invest substantial time and money into developing their brand, trade names, and goodwill. Whether it’s a distinctive logo, a well-recognized label, a slogan that resonates with customers, or even a unique style of packaging, these assets help a business establish its identity and build a loyal consumer base. When others attempt to imitate or capitalize on this reputation—confusing the public in the process—the law of passing off and unfair competition in Canada comes into play.

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Shareholder Rights in Ontario: An Overview

March 1, 2025 No Comments

Shareholder rights in Ontario rest on a framework that includes corporate statutes like the OBCA and CBCA, the corporation’s own governing documents, and common law principles developed through years of judicial precedent. These rights ensure that individuals who invest in a company have some means of monitoring its activities, participating in major decisions, and seeking redress if those at the helm engage in improper or unfair conduct.

Pleadings in Ontario Civil Litigation: A Comprehensive Overview

February 8, 2025 No Comments

Pleadings are the bedrock of any civil litigation case in Ontario. Understanding what they are, how they function, and why they matter is crucial for anyone involved in a lawsuit—whether you are a plaintiff seeking compensation or a defendant trying to minimize liability. The Ontario Rules of Civil Procedure (particularly Rules 25 to 29) lay out precise requirements for drafting, serving, and amending pleadings, as well as for bringing additional parties or claims into the fold.

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Gifts in Canadian Law: Understanding Key Principles and Answering Common Questions

January 18, 2025 No Comments

Transferring property from one person to another without expecting anything in return is a familiar concept—yet the legal treatment of gifts in Canada can be surprisingly intricate. Courts and statutes have developed specific rules about what qualifies as a gift, how gifts are perfected, whether certain gifts are revocable or conditional, and how disputes can be resolved

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Shareholder Oppression: How Canadian Law Protects Minority Interests and Ensures Fair Corporate Conduct

January 5, 2025 No Comments

Majority rule is a cornerstone of corporate governance. Shareholders typically vote their shares to elect directors, ratify major transactions, and guide the strategic direction of the company. Yet majority power must not be exercised at the expense of those holding fewer shares. Canadian law—through what is commonly known as the oppression remedy—prohibits actions that unjustly marginalize or harm minority shareholders.

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DENIS GRIGORAS

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RACHELLE WABISCHEWICH

B.A. (Hons) (summa cum laude), J.D.

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