Posts Tagged ‘Human rights’

Ontario Extends Virtual Meeting Provisions for Co-ops and Non-Profits

November 1st, 2021 by Maggie Fleming

The Ontario Government has made regulatory amendments to the Co‑operative Corporations Act and the Ontario Not‑for‑Profit Corporations Act to extend the provisions permitting electronic meetings until September 30, 2022. This means that organizations currently governed under these statutes can continue to meet virtually, including meetings for virtual AGMs. Co‑operatives and corporations are able to hold these electronic meetings via video conference or video call even if their by‑laws or rules do not allow for electronic meetings.

This extension is great news, as it gives organizations in Ontario the flexibility to host meetings online and prevent the spread of COVID-19. It also means that attendees can continue to attend meetings from home in sweatpants. Win-win! Our former articling student, Karly Wilson, wrote about the provincial emergency order when it first came into effect in 2020. You can read the that blog post here.

For more information about the current extension of virtual meeting provisions, please visit the Ontario Government’s website.

When old laws govern modern times in the not-for-profit sector

October 29th, 2021 by Ken Farrell

This article was first published on rabble.ca

Even without the benefit of modernized laws, there are a whole lot of not‑for‑profit corporations. We could take this as an indication of just how much the business of taking care of each other has been left to the private sector, or, as a measure of how much deprivation is really out there — but perhaps it’s something more uplifting.

Not‑for‑profit corporations aren’t new. Neither are many of the laws that govern them. Like us, laws age and have tendency to become outdated. Continue reading “When old laws govern modern times in the not-for-profit sector”

Webinar recording: Occupational Health and Safety in the time of COVID-19

October 28th, 2021 by Iler Campbell

A recording of this webinar is now online. You can also download the slides as a pdf here.

These days, the duty of an employer to provide a safe and healthy workplace is raising far more questions than ever before, such as how to deal with complaints of harassment, what steps employers have to take as workplaces begin to reopen in the pandemic, and should employers be concerned about employees who work remotely? Iler Campbell lawyer Michael Hackl discuses some of the issues that employers should be aware of in order to comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Emotional Support Dog Evicted After Condo Tribunal Hearing

October 27th, 2021 by Maggie Fleming

Emotional support animals can provide vital supports to those living with disabilities. We have explored this subject in previous blog posts, which can be found here: “Service animals for mental health” & “Could Air Canada’s ban on emotional support animals be challenged?”

We were interested to read a recent case, Halton Standard Condominium Corporation No.490 v Paikin 2021, in which the Ontario Condo Authority Tribunal (CAT) issued a decision to evict an emotional support dog from a condo in Oakville.

The owner had consistently allowed the dog to urinate and defecate on the second-floor balcony, which dripped down onto the patio below. There was extensive evidence, including photos, of this behaviour. The condo had not tried to resolve the issue directly with the owner, and instead sent the matter to the condo’s lawyer to deal with. After the lawyer sent an initial warning letter to the owner, the condo board declared the dog a nuisance and the lawyer sent a subsequent letter giving the owner two weeks to remove the dog. The CAT decision‑maker decided that the behaviour was sufficiently severe enough to require removal of the dog, only after the condo board “considered communicating” with the owner to come to a resolution. Continue reading “Emotional Support Dog Evicted After Condo Tribunal Hearing”

Catch up on the latest staffing changes at Iler Campbell

October 22nd, 2021 by Iler Campbell

We’ve been busy hiring and promoting our staff and are pleased to announce the following staff changes at Iler Campbell LLP.

Ken Farrell joined the firm in August to help our clients with their real estate and corporate commercial needs. Ken also has a strong interest in wills and estates – you may have seen his recent webinar.  If you missed it, you can view it on our website here. Ken has practised law in Toronto for the past few years primarily serving individuals and small business. He’s very keen to use those same skills in the non-profit, co-operative, and charitable sector.   To learn more about Ken, please read his biography here.  We’re confident you’re going to enjoy working with Ken as much as we have over the past couple of months.

Although because of the pandemic, we didn’t have an articling student in 2020, we are pleased that Maggie Fleming started her term articling at Iler Campbell also in August.  Maggie is from the GTA but spent the last three years in Victoria BC where she studied law.  She’s pleased to be back in Ontario to apply her learnings to real-life situations.  We’re happy to introduce her to you here.

Finally, Hunter Stone has been one of our administrative assistants since 2017 – some of you will have already had chances to work with him in that capacity. We’re delighted he’s accepted the position of Law Clerk with us where he will work primarily on litigation and landlord and tenant issues.  You can read more about Hunter here.

Webinar recording: Taking the Mystery out of Wills

October 13th, 2021 by Iler Campbell

A recording of this webinar is now online. If you’d like to download the presentation, you can get it here.

Get to know our newest lawyer, Ken Farrell, as he shares some useful tips on first making and then maintaining your Will.