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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

Oliver Loxley

Corporate Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Dom Sorbara

Banking & Financial Services Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

In the context of corporate debt, 'liability management' refers to a company taking steps to manage its existing debt obligations. This often involves a combination of one or more open market repurchases, redemptions/repayments, consent solicitations, tender offers or exchange offers and may involve other transactions. A repurchase of debt from a holder is one of the most straight-forward examples of liability management.

Liability Management in Canada

Andrew Bozzato

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

Bishoy Attia

Articling Student at Bennett Jones in Toronto

Articling Student

Private investment in the defence sector is accelerating as governments realign policy priorities and expand support for dual-use and DefTech innovation. Canada&rsquo;s 2025 Budget and long-term spending commitments are reshaping the industry, driving new opportunities across AI, cyber, space, advanced manufacturing and critical infrastructure. With global capital flowing into defence technology and structural reforms underway to modernize procurement, the sector is rapidly transitioning from fragmented to fully investable.

Policy Dual Use and DefTech Drive a New Era for Private Capital in Defence

Policy, Dual-Use and DefTech Drive a New Era for Private Capital in Defence

Daron K. Naffin

Energy, Environmental/Regulatory and Expropriation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Tim Myers

Regulatory, Environmental, Aboriginal and Expropriation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Thomas Machell

Regulatory Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Associate

On November 4, 2025, the Alberta Energy Regulator released AERH2S, an updated version of its computer model for calculating Emergency Planning Zones (EPZs) for sour gas applications. AERH2S replaces the longstanding ERCBH2S model and is available for immediate use by industry. According to AER Bulletin 2025-34, the use of AERH2S will become mandatory for all applications filed under Directive 056: Energy Development Applications and Schedules, including amendment applications, starting January 1, 2026. The continued use of ERCBH2S is permitted for updates to existing EPZs (and any EPZs established before January 1, 2026) under Directive 071: Emergency Preparedness and Response until further notice.

Alberta Energy Regulator Releases New AERH2S Model for Sour Gas Operations

David Cassin

Employment Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Doug Fenton

Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Robert W. Staley

Commercial, Securities and Class Action Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Vice Chair and Partner

In McPherson v Global Growth Assets Inc., the Ontario Superior Court interpreted the no-reprisal provisions of the Securities Act for the first time, awarding more than $5.3 million to a CEO who was terminated after raising compliance concerns. The decision underscores the strength of the Act&rsquo;s protections for employees who engage in protected activities and highlights the significant risk to employers of taking disciplinary action without clear, documented justification.

Ontario Securities Act No Reprisal Provisions Results in 53 Million Award to CEO

Ontario Securities Act No-Reprisal Provisions Results in C$5.3 Million Award to CEO: A Warning to Regulated Employers

Edwin G. Kroft KC

Tax Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones

Antoine Messervier

Tax Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Anna Lekach

Tax Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

The November 2025 issue of Bennett Jones on Tax Disputes explores major developments in Canadian tax law, including new CRA guidance on the Voluntary Disclosures Program, court decisions on settlement confidentiality and costs, and proposed reforms to the Tax Court&rsquo;s informal procedure limits. The issue also features case summaries and insights from Bennett Jones&rsquo; tax litigators on emerging trends in tax dispute resolution.

Association of Corporate Counsel Back to School CLE Symposium

From the Same Authors