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Our prior Financial Services Updates have focused on proactive and defensive measures that both lenders and borrowers can take in light of the economic hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. This week we focus on a practical consideration that borrowers are encountering in connection with financing transactions: the inability to deliver original share certificates […]

Alberta to lift COVID-19 restrictions The Government of Alberta recently announced a staged plan to loosen public health restrictions that were implemented in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. Stage One took effect February 8th and removed the restrictions exemption program as well as lifted restrictions on food and beverage at entertainment venues, […]

Introduction The worldwide number of COVID-19 cases is growing daily, with nearly two million currently active cases.[1]  Of those cases, approximately 27,000 are within Canada.[2]  As the pandemic continues worldwide, more claims have and will be made to insurers regarding COVID-19 losses.  Although some losses will be denied coverage, there will likely be indemnification in […]

Two U.S. courts have recently released decisions regarding insurance policies and restaurant closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In both of those cases, the courts found for the restaurants and against the insurance companies. In this article, we will briefly review the decisions and discuss, in light of these decisions, some key considerations for Canadian […]

On May 11, 2021, the British Columbia Government introduced legislation to amend the B.C. Employment Standards Act to give employees paid leave in the event they need to be away from work due to COVID-19: Bill 13 – 2021: Employment Standards Amendment Act (No. 2), 2021. If Bill 13 passes, the new COVID-19-related paid leave […]

In part one of this two-part series on transitioning from COVID-19 workplace mandates, we covered the latest and upcoming changes to COVID-19 workplace safety requirements in British Columbia. In part two, we explain what these changes mean in light of other statutory responsibilities employers have pertaining to workplace safety and employees with medical conditions, including […]

COVID-19 has placed an unprecedented strain on employers, retailers, service providers, and our health care system. Unfortunately, at the same time that we have all been experiencing and navigating the inevitable increased risks of operating in a pandemic, some providers in the insurance sector have responded by curtailing coverage options and introducing new coverage exclusions […]

On March 17, 2021, the provincial government published guidance for businesses and employees with respect to voluntary, supervised self-swabbing for COVID-19 via rapid antigen point-of-care tests. These tests can be performed at workplaces by trained individuals and do not require shipping a specimen to a lab for processing. This guidance will make it easier for […]

The Public Health Agency of Canada (“PHAC”) has announced that effective October 1, 2022, the Government of Canada will remove all remaining COVID-19 entry restrictions at the border and with regard to travel by air, rail, and cruise ship. This includes the removal of random testing, proof of vaccination, quarantine, and isolation requirements that currently […]

The Saskatchewan Court of Queen’s Bench is set to resume many operations that were suspended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 23, 2020, the Court released a new directive outlining how it plans to restart some of the previously postponed processes. Chambers applications to resume June 1 Effective June 1, 2020, the […]