The Second Land Transfer Tax
Last fall, the City of Toronto put into place its own land transfer tax, referred to as the Municipal Land Transfer Tax (MLLT). This tax is similar to the Ontario Land Transfer Tax and is an additional tax that must be paid by those purchasing land within Toronto, at the time a conveyance is registered. […]
Ontario Extends Tax Rebate to Resales
Ontario Extends Tax Rebate to Resales For many years, the province of Ontario has sought to provide financial assistance to first-time homebuyers with its Land Transfer Tax Refund Program. However, one of the key qualifying conditions has always been that the home being purchased be a newly constructed home. As of December 13, 2007, the […]
Legal Changes 2008
Legal Changes 2008 Workers’ Compensation Are you an employer who is required to register with the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) but have failed to do so? If you are, you may be eligible for an amnesty being offered by the WSIB until March 31, 2008. A full amnesty means: o No penalties for […]
A Corporate David and Goliath: The Epilogue
A Corporate David and Goliath: The Epilogue In the Fall 2006 edition of Legal Issues we told you about Reg Ward’s battle with Manulife. Reg is an insurance agent who, after many years of faithful and productive service, was unceremoniously dumped by Manulife. Although Reg won a solid victory against Manulife at the Superior Court […]
The Canada Pension Plan Survivors’ Benefits
The Canada Pension Plan Survivors’ Benefits If you are employed then you will be aware of the contributions you make to the Canada Pension Plan. These contributions will eventually provide you with a small pension for your retirement. However, what you may not know is that your contributions to CPP will also provide you and […]
Did You Know?
Did You Know? The Right of Survivorship When purchasing a home, most couples will take title as joint tenants. This means that both parties are equally owners of the whole property. What you might not realize is that the key aspect of joint tenancy is the right of survivorship. When one half of the couple […]
Contracting in Cyberspace
Contracting in Cyberspace How many times have you clicked the “I Agree” button when conducting transactions on the Internet? How many times have you actually read what you are agreeing to? If you are like most you probably pay scant attention to the details of these online contracts. The Basics A contract is a formal […]
Client Identification Rules
Client Identification Rules Beginning in 2009, lawyers in Ontario must comply with new client identification and verification requirements. Since most lawyers have trust accounts there is concern that lawyers could become targets of those wishing to launder money. The Law Society’s Rules require that lawyers identify any individual who retains them to provide legal services. […]
The OT Lawsuits
The OT Lawsuits This past September a class action lawsuit was launched against KPMG alleging that it had failed to pay overtime to many of its employees. This is the second such legal proceeding to be commenced in the last few months. The initial class action against the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (“CIBC”) alleges […]
The Making of a Class Action
The Making of a Class Action Although Ontario’s Class Proceedings Act, 1992 has been around for 15 years, class actions are still a relatively new phenomena in Ontario. A class action is a proceeding that allows a large group of plaintiffs, who have suffered a similar wrong at the hands of the same defendant, to […]