Sometimes, a buyer and seller wish to enter into an agreement, not knowing with certainty whether they will be in a position to complete the transaction in question. For instance, a buyer of a home may wish to put an offer on a property, not knowing whether their bank will approve this particular acquisition. When […]

Many businesses in Alberta have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Reduced revenues and government shutdowns have resulted in a large number of employees being laid off or even terminated. It is important to understand the differences between the two situations, and what impact the new provisions in the Employment Standards Code have on Albertan employees. […]

Introduction The builders’ lien, a creation of Alberta legislation, gives claimants the ability to register a right against a property owner as security for the value of the work or services done that were performed for the benefit of that owner. The Builders’ Lien Act provides unpaid contracts with the ability to foreclose on the land to […]

Force Majeure Clauses Parties to a contract may agree upon a provision that excuses non-performance of their contractual obligations through what is known as a force majeure clause. These provisions are included to account for overwhelming events beyond any control of the parties, sometimes referred to as “Acts of God”, which prevent the parties from being able […]

What is a Compliance Certificate? The Zoning Bylaw enacted by the City of Edmonton has a number of property regulations that require compliance in order to have a property in good legal standing with the municipality. There are numerous rules for residential properties including maximum height of structures, minimum setback from property lines, minimum spacing […]

Introduction Purchasers in real estate transactions typically use loans known as mortgages to buy their home, agreeing to pay this loan back over time by making regular payments to their lender. The property itself that they are purchasing acts as collateral to secure this loan. If the purchaser fails to make the payments, the lender […]

Overview:  A share is a form a property representing an ownership interest in a corporation. A share can come with any or all of the following rights, among others: A right to attend shareholder meetings and vote on matters affecting the business of a corporation, primarily the election of directors; A right to receive dividends […]

Power of Attorney:  A power of attorney is a written document which grants someone power or authority in order to deal with both financial and estate matters.  In essence , it allows someone other than you, to act within the same authority as you, in order to execute or look after both your financial and estate […]