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Professional Services: Finance, Bonding, Insurance, Construction Law, Business Practices

February 6, 2012

GDP down 0.1 per cent in November: Statistics Canada

Real gross domestic product unexpectedly edged down 0.1 per cent in November after showing no growth in October, Statistics Canada recently reported.

February 1, 2012

Timing is everything in faulty bid bond disputes, Newfoundland court rules

The tendering process does not typically permit owners to grant bidders the indulgence of making post-bid repairs to non-compliant tenders. The Newfoundland Supreme Court ruled in a decision in the province versus Magna Contracting and Management Inc. that a bond that was not signed by the person submitting it means the bond was not enforceable and the bid was not compliant as of the time it was submitted.

February 1, 2012

New Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board law will level the playing field: OCS

Under new Ontario legislation, Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) coverage is mandatory for independent operators and some other individuals carrying on business in the construction industry, beginning in 2013. The Ontario Construction Secretariat, Council of Ontario Construction Associations and Merit OpenShop Contractors Association of Ontario weigh in.

December 22, 2011

Ontario gives some construction firms until 2013 to pre-register with Workplace Safety and Insurance Board

The Ontario Ministry of Labour announced Friday that an amendment to workplace safety laws will allow “independent operators and some other individuals carrying on business in construction” to pre-register with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) before the requirements for mandatory coverage come into force in January, 2013.

December 13, 2011

Industry reacts to unfunded liability for Ontario Workplace Safety Insurance Board

Observations in the 2011 Ontario Auditor-General’s report included a follow-up to a previous report addressing an unfunded liability of about $12.2 billion at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). Council of Ontario Construction Associations (COCA) president Ian Cunningham said he thinks WSIB is generally moving in the right direction.

December 7, 2011

Toronto swing-stage tragedy an important test case: Lawyer

The criminal negligence charges in connection with the fatal 2009 swing stage accident on a Toronto construction site will be an important test case in health and safety law, according to Landon Young, a member of the occupational health and safety practice at Stringer Brisbin Humphrey. In a presentation on Bill C-45 at the Toronto Congress Centre, Young was referring to charges against Metron Construction Corp.

December 5, 2011

Heenan Blaikie construction lawyer gives tips for alliance, joint venture participants

Geza Banfai, a senior partner with law firm Heenan Blaikie, talked about the wording of contracts in team projects at the planning, advocacy, contracts and evolution of procurement (PACE) event, held by the Grand Valley Construction Association in Cambridge, Ontario.

November 22, 2011

Ontario Bill 160 changes safety committee rules, labour guidelines: Lawyer

At its recent employers conference, a Stringer Brisbin Humphrey lawyer told employees how the amendment to the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act will make some labour guidelines useful in court cases and individual safety committee members will now be able to make recommendations without agreement from other committee members

November 22, 2011

Brownfields can benefit from public-private partnerships

At the recent annual Brownfields Canada conference in Toronto, which focussed on the redevelopment and environmental remediation of real estate on contaminated land, Rob Mackay of crown corporation PPP Canada said his organization has provided five projects with loans or grants since its inception in 2009.

November 18, 2011

Cancelled government construction contracts in Ontario draw fire

The Ontario General Contractors’ Association says two multi-million-dollar construction contracts in Ontario may results in lawsuits. A Miller Thomson lawyer weighs in

January 19, 2007

University research takes aim at efficiency

In the overheated Calgary construction market, the last thing one would expect from competing companies is collaboration. In a bid to improve industry efficiency, several construction powerhouses are collaborating for a unique research project.

January 19, 2007

Keep those old liability policies

Ever dispose of something one day only to find out the very next day that you could have used it? The construction project has been over for a few years or your annual general liability policy has been renewed several times so there is no need to keep the old policy, right? Wrong!

January 19, 2007

Simple steps to maximizing your surety credit

Surety is a form of credit, much like banking. Having spent the past 20 years in both the surety and banking industries, I have developed an appreciation of the characteristics demonstrated by the most successful contractors. Many of these traits happen to be the key areas surety underwriters focus on, and if put into practice, should result in greater credit being made available.

January 19, 2007

Digital documents raise legitimacy, storage concerns

In some construction industry contracts, a letter is not deemed to be an official communication if it is sent via email.

January 19, 2007

Study raises questions about actual costs

Public-private partnerships in British Columbia have sparked $4.7 billion in construction projects since 2002, but critics say taxpayers may end up paying more than they bargained for in the long run.

January 19, 2007

Interior environment requires careful consideration

As the link between adverse health effects and mould exposure grows, liability for insurance and other industry groups – including those in the building sector – are likely to increase.

January 19, 2007

Non-compliance a sticking point in legal battles

In 1981, the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Ontario v. Ron Engineering changed the legal landscape of invitations to tender.

January 19, 2007

Accountability Act casts wide net around work

Depending on how meetings are arranged and their purpose, under changes to Canada’s Federal Accountability Act engineers, construction company employees and members of other professional organizations may find they’re now considered lobbyists — with heavy penalties for failing to identify themselves and their interactions with government.