BCLI issues report on the Builders Lien Act

BCLI has issued a new report containing 86 recommendations for reform of the Builders Lien Act. The Builders Lien Act is a major cornerstone of construction law. It gives contractors, material suppliers, and workers several forms of security for payment for work done or materials supplied to a building site, most notably a lien on the owner’s land. The Act also lets owners limit their exposure to claims by unpaid subcontractors and workers by maintaining Read more…

British Columbia amends the Strata Property Act to tackle insurance concerns

With a bill introduced in the legislative assembly earlier this week, the British Columbia government is proposing amendments to the Strata Property Act to address concerns over the cost and availability of insurance for strata corporations. Bill 14 proposes a series of amendments that touch on depreciation reports, disclosure, the scope of mandated insurance coverage, and a strata-lot owner’s responsibility for a strata corporation’s insurance deductible. The bill’s amendments include requiring disclosure of “a summary Read more…

Spotlight on pension division: private annuities

BCLI is running a public consultation (closing date: 15 September 2020) on pension division. It is asking for public input into its proposed changes to part 6 of the Family Law Act and the Division of Pensions Regulation. For information on how to participate in the consultation please visit the Pension Division Review Project webpage. This post is part of a series that spotlights issues discussed in the Consultation Paper on Pension Division: A Review of Read more…

Amendments to the Wills, Estates and Succession Act enable electronic wills and electronic witnessing of wills

With a bill introduced into the legislative assembly on Monday, the BC government is proposing two changes to the Wills, Estates and Succession Act. First, the bill’s amendments will make permanent the changes on remote witnessing of wills that were enabled by a recent ministerial order. As a government news release explains, The changes will benefit British Columbians who, for example, have a disability, are quarantined, live in rural or remote communities, or would have Read more…

Remembering Gordon Turriff Q.C.

BCLI is saddened to learn of the passing of Gordon Turriff Q.C. on June 3, 2020. As a founding member and director of the BCLI, Gordon has always been a part of the extended BCLI family. Many have written, and will undoubtedly continue to write, about Gordon’s numerous contributions to the profession as a lawyer, academic, Bencher and President of the Law Society of BC and more.[1]  BCLI remembers Gordon for his contributions to the Read more…