Anand Athiviraham, Senior Associate in our Business Law Group, joins Marco Russo, Wealth Management Specialist, for a webinar presentation on Wednesday, April 22, that reviews the benefits provided by the Canadian Government as a response to COVID-19, and the resulting legal implications. They will address how to deal with employee layoffs, how the virus has…

The novel coronavirus has disrupted British Columbia’s economy and the province may not fully recover from the effects of social distancing for months to come. For many business owners, working from home is either not possible with social distancing orders, or it provides limited (if any) economic benefits. Businesses are facing massive difficulties in trying…

The spread of COVID-19 is having an unprecedented impact on our society. This impact will be felt for months and years to come. In light of the current circumstances, many businesses, organizations, and individuals are struggling to meet their obligations and are looking for guidance on how they can resolve any resulting business and contractual…

Due to COVID-19, limitation periods for commencing a family law action, proceeding, claim or appeal in B.C. are temporarily suspended, however, it is still important to be aware of key dates after which your rights to make a claim may expire, including for spousal support and property claims, CPP, and in some cases child support.…

On March 27, 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Canada would be creating a 75% wage subsidy for all employers who can demonstrate a reduction in revenue of 30% or more due to COVID-19.  This benefit has since been named the “Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy” or “CEWS”. On April 1, 2020, Ministers Bill Morneau, Mary…

The global pandemic has forced workplaces around the world to adapt very quickly to the current crisis. It is critical that during this unprecedented event, employers set out written expectations for their employees. Whether it is meeting the challenge of working from home, or setting guidelines for employees who continue to attend on-site as permitted…

Managing parenting time schedules during a pandemic is an issue that has come to the fore, and parents are quite rightly asking what they should be doing to maximize safety while each still getting the appropriate amount of time with their children. The BC Health Minister Bonnie Henry was recently asked how COVID 19 would…

The current COVID-19 special measures and closures are creating challenges for individuals and families with Temporary Immigration Status in Canada. Many individuals are encountering difficulties when attempting to access the special programs and policies the Government of Canada has put in place to assist affected individuals. If you wish to remain in Canada and continue…

On March 23 the Ontario and Quebec governments ordered that “non-essential” businesses close down, shortly followed by a list of “essential” businesses that were exempt from the mandatory closure. Quebec took a more cautious approach and ordered that all non-essential construction sites close. Ontario adopted a less restrictive approach and included the construction industry on…

Both the federal and provincial governments have introduced various new measures to provide economic relief to Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following is a summary of the key support measures for business as of March 27, 2020.   Federal Government   1. Temporary Wage Subsidy A new temporary wage subsidy for eligible employers for a…