Landlords try to charge fees, both refundable and non-refundable, for lots of things, but are these rental fees legal? CPLEA has been hearing lately about confusion over fees that landlords are charging tenants. There also seems to be confusion about whether increasing fees triggers rent … [Read more...]
Key Differences In Personal Injury Law: Ontario vs. Quebec
Claimants should know about key differences between Ontario and Quebec law that change how they deal with a personal injury in each province. Location, location, location. Location is vitally important. It determines your residential property value and the success or failure of your … [Read more...]
Alberta’s New Harassment Tort
In June 2023, the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta recognized a new harassment tort that allows those experiencing harassment to sue for damages in civil court. When I say “torts”, you probably think of a delicious dessert. In law though, the word has a slightly different meaning! Tort … [Read more...]
Working Interviews in Alberta: What employers and job seekers need to know
Sometimes employers ask job applicants to perform tasks without payment as part of the hiring process. But are these working interviews legal in Alberta? There’s a growing trend in Canada for employers to conduct “working interviews” as part of their hiring process. This involves an employer … [Read more...]
Compensation for Travel Delays
Canada's Airline Passenger Protection Regulations set out rules that airlines must follow, including compensation for travel delays and how to make a claim. You will likely recall the extreme winter weather conditions across Canada in December 2022 and January 2023. Winter storms affected the … [Read more...]
Houseless Encampments: A political or legal issue?
Provincial and municipal laws apply to houseless encampments, but adequately addressing the root of the issue involves policy changes and political will. On November 23, 2022, an Encampment Response Team (ERT) composed of members from the City of Edmonton, Boyle Street Community Services, … [Read more...]
Canadian Legal System: The role of libraries in access to justice
There are many different kinds of libraries that support and provide access to our Canadian legal system, including courthouse libraries, legislative libraries, public libraries and more. Libraries are essential to sustaining democracy and accessing justice. They retain and preserve official … [Read more...]
Double take on mortgages
Getting a mortgage to buy a home is a significant decision. Five things you should know about mortgages include lending terms, security for the mortgage, open vs. closed mortgages, and defaulting on the mortgage. AUTHOR'S NOTE Some of the following content is adapted from CPLEA’s Nested course. … [Read more...]
The Right To Die and the Debate Surrounding Mental Illness
Medical assistance in dying, or MAID, has been legal in Canada since 2016 and has continued to evolve. The current debate is around expanding MAID eligibility to patients experiencing mental health conditions. Medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a process where a medical professional … [Read more...]
Planning for things no one wants to talk about
Advance care planning and the need for frank conversations about death If you were too sick or injured to make healthcare decisions for yourself, who would make them for you? Advance care planning (ACP) gives you a chance to decide who. April 16 is National Advance Care Planning Day, a day … [Read more...]