Real Estate
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July 31, 2025
SCC rules Ontario court lacks jurisdiction over Ont. man’s tort claims against Italian defendants
In an important private international law judgment on the jurisdiction of Canadian courts over tort claims involving foreign defendants, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled 5-4 that an Ontario court does not have jurisdiction to determine tort claims launched against three Italian companies by an Ontario resident injured on a holiday in Venice. On July 31, 2025, Justice Suzanne Côté, writing for the top court’s majority, dismissed the appeal of injured plaintiff Duncan Sinclair and his spouse, Michelle Sinclair, from a 2023 Ontario Court of Appeal decision that stayed the plaintiffs’ Ontario Superior Court damages claims, for lack of jurisdiction: Sinclair v. Venezia Turismo, 2025 SCC 27.
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July 31, 2025
Toronto renoviction bylaw ‘very close to being unconstitutional,’ lawyer says
Landlords in Toronto now require a licence before starting repairs or renovations that require a tenant to move out, but a lawyer is saying it may not be constitutionally compliant due to it conflicting with provincial legislation.
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July 30, 2025
Ontario Court of Appeal denies intervention in anti-SLAPP case involving developer and citizen
The Ontario Court of Appeal has denied an application by the Toronto-based Centre for Free Expression (CFE) to intervene in a defamation case involving a property developer and a citizen who made corruption allegations on Facebook, in a decision that clarifies the boundaries for intervention in anti-SLAPP appeals.
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July 29, 2025
B.C. Court of Appeal orders specific performance in real estate dispute, clarifies uniqueness test
The British Columbia Court of Appeal has overturned a trial judge’s decision to limit damages in a real estate option dispute, ordering specific performance instead and clarifying when investment properties may qualify as unique enough to warrant the equitable remedy.
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July 29, 2025
Trudeau Liberals increased diversity of federal benches; female jurists made big gains: report
The former Trudeau government’s nine-year push for diversity in federal appointments since 2016 saw big progress for female jurists — who now make up 49 per cent of all federally appointed judges — along with significant gains for jurists who self-identify as Indigenous, racialized, ethnic, 2SLGBTQI+ or as having a disability, according to the latest information from the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs.
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July 29, 2025
Shifting Canadian attitudes toward immigration
For much of its modern history, Canada has stood out as a beacon of openness and multiculturalism, with immigration widely embraced as a key pillar of economic prosperity. However, in recent years, this long-standing support has begun to show signs of erosion.
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July 28, 2025
Navigating Ontario’s strong mayor powers: Practical and strategic insights
In November 2022, Ontario introduced a significant shift in municipal governance through amendments to the Municipal Act, 2001, empowering select mayors with new executive authorities known as strong mayor powers. These powers, designed to expedite provincial priorities such as housing and infrastructure, offer municipalities an important tool, albeit one that carries substantial governance implications.
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July 28, 2025
Settlement of $55M reached in Saskatchewan First Nation class action
A settlement agreement of over $55 million has been reached between Canada and Flying Dust First Nation to resolve a land-related claim for land that was sold to Canadian Pacific Railway.
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July 28, 2025
How your kids can access the ‘Bank of Mom and Dad’ to buy a home
Even though the housing market in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and elsewhere is currently undergoing a downturn due to economic uncertainty, homeownership likely remains out of reach for many. For young Canadians, a home purchase is often supported (at least partially) by the “Bank of Mom and Dad.”
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July 25, 2025
Court allows leave to appeal in demolition case for reasonable apprehension of bias
The British Columbia Court of Appeal has allowed leave to appeal in a case where the District of West Vancouver made an order to demolish a house, finding that the lower court judge once acted as counsel for the district in the same matter.