Articles 2021

On October 17, 2023, Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (“MECP”) posted proposed regulatory amendments to Ontario Regulation 406/19 - On-Site and Excess Soil Management (“O. Reg. 406/19”) and the Rules for Soil Management and Excess Soil Quality Standards (“Soil Rules”) on the Environmental Registry of Ontario. This article summarizes the proposed amendments.

The Province of Ontario has delivered a clear message with regard to its expectations for both the private and public sector. There is to be more housing supply, built faster and priced more affordably. This article covers the new Provincial initiatives brought forward since 2019, currently in force, with the intent of achieving the stated Provincial goal of building 1.5 million new homes in 10 years.

A recent decision by the Ontario Court of Appeal provides guidance on the responsibility of occupiers for natural hazards on their premises.

If you are a solo practitioner, chances are you are going to be a highly motivated self-starter. However, you will also be acutely aware of your limitations, as you are often required to work at your personal capacity. We can all use help and encouragement to stay motivated. It’s important to remind ourselves why solo practitioners should be respected by the legal profession and selected by clients in the market for legal services.

In September 2023, the Supreme Court of Canada took the opportunity to further clarify the standard of review following the seminal case: Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v. Vavilov. As discussed below, the Court made it clear that reasonableness is the default standard, and correctness will only arise in limited situations.

On December 8, 2023, the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) released a decision mandating that administrative decision-makers account for Charter values (as well as or instead of Charter rights) in their rulings whether bidden or unbidden by the parties before them.