Monday, Apr 08, 2024
When dealing with limitation periods, once it is determined whether the 2-year or 6-year period applies, it’s critical that the parties turn their mind to the question of: “starting when?”.
Thursday, Feb 08, 2024
The 1971 landmark Supreme Court of Canada decision in Highway Properties Ltd. v. Kelly, Douglas and Co. Ltd., transformed the commercial leasing landscape by adding a fourth option of relief provided to landlords. Prior to this, landlords had three options available: do nothing and demand payment when due, terminate the tenancy and elect to pursue a claim for arrears, or re-enter the premises and re-let on the tenant's behalf. In this decision, a fourth option was introduced, affording landlords the option to terminate the lease and pursue a claim for both arrears and damages. The decision affirms that commercial leases, similar to a contract, ought to be recognized and treated as such, which affords landlords the full remedies under both contract and conveyance laws. However, a recent claim was brought before the courts, where a tenant challenged the decision in Highway Properties, requesting the previous decision be overturned.
Wednesday, Nov 29, 2023
On June 27, 2023, the Bureau released the Competition Bureau Retail Grocery Market Study Report aptly named “Canada Needs More Grocery Competition”. This report contained recommendations to the government, including that the Tribunal take measures to limit exclusive use covenants (referred to in the Bureau’s report as “property controls”) in the grocery industry.
Wednesday, Oct 11, 2023
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice recently confirmed some well-settled law: if a landlord chooses to keep the lease alive despite the tenant's default, it need not make efforts to mitigate its losses.
Wednesday, Sep 13, 2023
When a lease requires a landlord to respond to a request for consent to a transfer within a specific period, failure to do so may result in the landlord being deemed to have unreasonably withheld its consent.
Monday, Aug 21, 2023
In a recent Ontario case, the landlord had the right to allocate realty taxes among premises of the property in its “sole and unfettered discretion”. The Court analyzed the scope of the Landlord’s allocation authority against the organizing principle of “good faith” in contractual performance.
Thursday, Aug 03, 2023
Landlords and tenants should approach removal and restoration obligations carefully. These obligations often seem clear at the conclusion of negotiations, but become ripe for dispute as the tenancy approaches the end of its term.
Wednesday, Jun 07, 2023
A properly drafted indemnity agreement can be a powerful tool in a landlord’s arsenal. All the more so since a recent Ontario court decision held that a landlord had no duty to mitigate its claim against an indemnifier under an indemnity agreement.
Thursday, Apr 20, 2023
In a recent Ontario Superior Court of Justice decision, the Court was tasked with determining whether certain costs related to an open-air atrium, a rent free fixturing period, and leasing commissions were all “reasonable” expenses in connection with a sublease transaction.
Tuesday, Mar 14, 2023
The Ontario Superior Court followed ample previous authority to hold that force majeure clauses cannot be used to avoid paying rent unless the terms of the clause expressly say so.
Now, the Ontario Court of Appeal ruling has muddied the waters.