AODA updates 2015 – will you comply?

October 14th, 2014 by Lauren Blumas

Summer is over and 2015 is around the corner. As the calendar flips over into the New Year, most organizations will be subject to additional requirement under Ontario’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (the AODA) via the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (the Regulation).

The Regulation applies to “every organization that provides goods, services or facilities to the public or other third parties and that has at least one employee”. The application is intended to be broad and indeed captures most of our clients.

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LTB co-op evictions – report on the first 10 orders

September 26th, 2014 by Celia Chandler

Since June 1, 2014, the Landlord and Tenant Board has handled co‑op evictions in Ontario.  So, I’m sure you’ll all wondering, how has it gone?  We were wondering too, so we reviewed the first ten orders that have been issued by the LTB and published on CanLII, Canada’s free on‑line database of legal decisions.

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Expiring co-op housing operating agreements: An opportunity for housing innovation

September 25th, 2014 by Celia Chandler

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) operating agreements with non‑profit housing co‑operatives and rental housing providers have begun to expire across Canada at a rapid rate. These agreements with their related mortgages, entered into under various federal programs between 1970 and 1994, supply housing providers with between 25 and 40 years of annual subsidy money to provide reduced monthly charges to a specified percentage of tenants and members who qualify for support. With the conclusion of these agreements and their related mortgages, housing providers will cease making mortgage payments, but at the same time, they will no longer receive housing subsidy payments — payments that subsidize some 200,000 households in Canada comprising half a million people. While not all subsidized housing providers in Canada get their subsidies through CMHC operating agreements, the potential loss is a big blow to the sector. This, on top of an already serious affordable housing shortage, is cause for concern.

Read more on rabble.ca 

Protecting public debate through anti-SLAPP legislation

August 28th, 2014 by Shelina Ali

Last week, Greenpeace Canada filed a defence in a claim by Resolute Forest Products Inc. This was the result of a failed motion by Greenpeace to have Resolute’s claim for intentional interference with economic relations dismissed by the Divisional Court of Ontario, together with an order requiring Greenpeace to pay $20,000 in costs. According to Resolute’s claim, Greenpeace widely distributed the Unsustainability Report on Resolute, together with other targeted communications to customers, investors and stakeholders, which harmed Resolute’s business, goodwill and reputation.

In response to the filing of its defence, Greenpeace stated that Resolute benefited from filing its claim in Ontario instead of Quebec where Resolute’s headquarters were located, because Ontario did not have legislation designed to prevent what are referred to as Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation (SLAPPs).

Read more on rabble.ca

Charities and the limits of political action under the Harper government

July 31st, 2014 by Brian Iler

Environmental Defence. PEN Canada. Amnesty International Canada. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Canada Without Poverty. The David Suzuki Foundation.

What do these organizations have in common — aside from all doing great work?

All are registered charities.

All have been publicly critical of Stephen Harper’s government.

And all are undergoing audits of their political activities by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

What’s this about? Here’s what you need to know.

Read more on rabble.ca

CoopZone offering co-op development courses

July 28th, 2014 by Lauren Blumas

CoopZone Developers’ Network Co-operative is a network of people and organizations in the co-op sphere with a common goal of supporting the growth and development of co-operatives across Canada. The Network provides services which can help you to start a co-op or to nurture and grow an existing one. As a member of the CoopZone Legal Network Steering Committee, I can attest to the value of the services and expertise the Network provides. The CoopZone Legal Network and the Developers Network are designed to bring together organizations and experienced professionals to share their knowledge and service co-operative entrepreneurs.

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