Client Profile: Bread and Roses Co-operative Homes

June 27th, 2018 by Iler Campbell

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Bread and Roses Co-op is a non-profit housing co-operative located in downtown Kitchener.

The co-op, established in 1990, includes a provincially designated heritage building that was built in 1879 as a button factory. Before being renovated to house 21 of the co‑op’s 66 units, the building was variously used for shirt manufacturing, as a barracks during the First World War, and for manufacturing felt, mattresses and electrical supplies. It is one of the most significant heritage landmarks in Kitchener and is the only remaining industrial building in Kitchener with a peaked roof. The heritage building is joined to a modern six story building that contains 45 apartments.

Bread and Roses’ founders were ahead of the curve with their vision of converting an old industrial building into housing in downtown Kitchener. In 1990, few people lived downtown by choice. That’s changed. Kitchener’s downtown is now a trendy, upscale address and the co-op is a bulwark against gentrification. Continue reading “Client Profile: Bread and Roses Co-operative Homes”

Inquiring into international human rights abuses: To what end?

May 31st, 2018 by Safia Lakhani

This article was first published on rabble.ca

2018 marks 70 years since the establishment of the state of Israel and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in what is known as the “nakba,” or, disaster. This was also the year that the United States decided to relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, sparking demonstrations in the occupied territories. On May 14, 2018, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians, killing some 59 individuals and injuring over 2,700 others, including a Canadian medic who was treating protesters. The bloodshed has been described as the most violent in the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict since the war on Gaza in 2014. Two days later, Prime Minister Trudeau called for an independent investigation to thoroughly examine the facts on the ground — including any incitement, violence, and the excessive use of force in Gaza. Continue reading “Inquiring into international human rights abuses: To what end?”

Think your waiver has you covered? It might not.

May 18th, 2018 by Elliot Fonarev

Chances are your organization has dealt with waivers if your services have the potential to create injury or liability to your clients or customers – for example, if you operate sports facilities or provide access to a physical space with potential hazards. If so, a recent decision of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on the topic of waivers may interest you. It highlights that documents that release liability should be drafted very specifically to make it clear which legal rights are being waived.

Continue reading “Think your waiver has you covered? It might not.”

What can you expect from articling with Iler Campbell?

May 4th, 2018 by Iler Campbell

In short: to do meaningful work for organizations making a difference in their community, while being mentored by a passionate team of practitioners.

As the only student in a small general service firm, you’ll get a taste of all our practice areas, including charity & non‑profit law, commercial law, real estate, human rights, landlord and tenant law, employment law, construction, corporate governance & structuring, estate law and civil litigation.

You’ll be exposed to all the firm’s major client groups, including housing co‑operatives, affordable housing developers, non‑profit organizations in a variety of industries, and progressive for‑profit organizations.

Continue reading “What can you expect from articling with Iler Campbell?”

Cannabis Legalization: What Social Housing Providers Need to Know

April 27th, 2018 by Iler Campbell

Celia Chandler recently participated in a webinar titled “Cannabis Legalization: What Social Housing Providers Need to Know.” A video of the webinar is now up on Housing Services Corporation’s Sustainable Housing Asset Resource Exchange (SHARE) website.  Celia is joined on the webinar by Brian Laur, Housing Services Corporation’s Director of Insurance Services.

Watch the webinar and download the presentation here.
Continue reading “Cannabis Legalization: What Social Housing Providers Need to Know”

Medical cannabis benefits denied: How statutory insurance plans can avoid paying workers’ compensation benefits

April 26th, 2018 by Michael Hackl

As we move toward the legalization of recreational cannabis, I thought it would be interesting to look at a recent case dealing with medical cannabis and the efforts of one person to get assistance from his province’s workers’ compensation board to contribute to the cost of the medical cannabis prescribed to him.

The case of Skinner v. Nova Scotia (Workers’ Compensation Appeals Tribunal) provides insight into how the use of medical cannabis is sometimes still perceived as an unconventional treatment despite having been legal in Canada for almost two decades, and also how administrative law gives statutory insurance schemes ways to avoid providing benefits to individuals seeking coverage for medically prescribed treatment. Continue reading “Medical cannabis benefits denied: How statutory insurance plans can avoid paying workers’ compensation benefits”