People

Services

Industries

Firm

About

Knowledge

Careers

News

Events

Contact

Connect

Privacy Policy

Disclaimer

Terms of Use

Accessibility

Legal

Calgary

Toronto

Edmonton

Ottawa

Vancouver

New York

Montréal

David J. Wahl, FCIArb

Construction Arbitration & Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner

Christopher Petrucci

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Alex Payne

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

The Ontario Superior Court in Feldt Electric Ltd v Gorbern Mechanical Contractors held that non-compliance with an adjudicator&rsquo;s determination does not automatically invalidate a lien. The decision underscores the importance of jurisdiction and procedural fairness in construction disputes under Ontario&rsquo;s prompt payment and adjudication regime.

Liening on Fairness

Vasilis F. L. Pappas, FCIArb

International Arbitration Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver and Calgary

Partner 

The Alberta Court of Appeal in Husky Oil Operations Limited v Technip Stone & Webster Process Technology Inc, 2024 ABCA 369 recently held that parties attempting to impose an arbitration requirement on third-party beneficiaries of a contract that contains an arbitration clause must make the obligation to arbitrate clear and explicit in the contract.

Clear and Explicit Contractual Language Required to Impose Arbitration on Third Party Beneficiaries

Clear and Explicit Contractual Language Required to Impose Arbitration on Third-Party Beneficiaries

Brian P. Reid

Litigation, Construction, Joint Venture Agreement and Builder's Lien Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

In 2022, amendments to the Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act (PPCLA) introduced a prompt payment and related fast-track adjudication process. Recently, in Welcome Homes Construction Inc v Atlas Granite Inc, the Alberta's Court of King's Bench interpreted these provisions, considering how they relate to the lien process under the PPCLA. Prior to this case, Alberta courts had not considered the intersection of the adjudication process and the lien process under the PPCLA.

AB Court of Kings Bench Concludes Adjudicator Decisions Under the PPCLA Independent of Lien Validity

Prompt Payment Update—Alberta's Court of King's Bench Concludes Adjudicator Decisions under the PPCLA are Independent of Lien Validity

Brian Reid, Vasilis Pappas, Chris Petrucci and Chris Abtosway write in ReNew Canada about how the wave of prompt payment legislation sweeping across the country offers construction stakeholders adjudication, a new dispute resolution that comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. They take an in-depth look at why strategic decisions made before, during and after the adjudication process can have far-reaching implications. Pitfalls may await those navigating the intersection of adjudication, court and arbitral processes.

Understanding Prompt Payment Adjudication in Construction

Simon Grant

Banking & Finance Lawyer, Fintech Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Jessica B. Horwitz

International Trade Lawyer, Customs Lawyer, Regulatory Lawyer, Anti-Corruption and Economic Sanctions Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Andrew Bozzato

Corporate, M&A, Securities Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

FINTRAC imposed a record $176.9 million penalty on cryptocurrency exchange Cryptomus for thousands of AML/KYC violations. The case underscores regulators&rsquo; increasing focus on compliance, with additional sanctions from the BCSC for operating without registration. Exchanges serving Canadian clients must ensure strict adherence to AML, KYC and securities laws to avoid similar consequences.

176 9 million fine against cryptocurrency exchange from FINTRAC demonstrates costs of non compliance

C$176.9 Million Fine Against Cryptocurrency Exchange From FINTRAC Demonstrates Costs of Non-Compliance

Lorelei Graham

Food and Agribusiness Lawyer, IP Lawyer, Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Michelle Galati

Corporate Commercial and Securities Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Associate

Investment in agribusiness experienced a boom in the early 2020s, when investor enthusiasm for food security, supply chain resilience and agricultural innovation surged in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Venture capital deployed unprecedented levels of funding into agrifood technology, while private equity groups targeted food processing, logistics and packaging platforms. At its peak, Canadian venture funding across the economy reached record highs in 2021 and 2022, and agribusiness was a direct beneficiary of that exuberance.

AI and Tech Are Powering Agribusiness Deal Flow

Kwang Lim

Corporate and Securities Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Vancouver Managing Partner

Angela Blake

M&A, Securities and Corporate Finance Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Laura James

Corporate Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

M&amp;A activity in Canada rebounded in Q3 2025, with total deal value rising sharply year-over-year. Our update explores shifting deal structures, the rise of earnouts, cross-border dynamics, and the sectors driving growth.

Canadas Q3 2025 MA Landscape

Canada's Q3 2025 M&A Landscape

Dominique Carli

Commercial Transactions Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Wittington Investments has launched a C$100 million fund to support Canadian food producers with equity or debt financing. Success depends on legal readiness, from IP protection to governance, ensuring businesses are prepared to attract and secure investment.

Legal Readiness for Food Producers Navigating Wittington Investments C100M Fund

Legal Readiness for Food Producers: Navigating Wittington Investments’ C$100M Fund

Scott Bower and Christopher Petrucci in Law Times on SCC Builders' Lien Decision

From the Same Authors

Liening on Fairness

Clear and Explicit Contractual Language Required to Impose Arbitration on Third-Party Beneficiaries

Prompt Payment Update—Alberta's Court of King's Bench Concludes Adjudicator Decisions under the PPCLA are Independent of Lien Validity

Latest Insights

C$176.9 Million Fine Against Cryptocurrency Exchange From FINTRAC Demonstrates Costs of Non-Compliance

Liening on Fairness

AI and Tech Are Powering Agribusiness Deal Flow

Canada's Q3 2025 M&A Landscape

Stay Informed. Stay Ahead.