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Brian P. Reid

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

Partner

Christopher Petrucci

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Kaamil Khalfan

Associate

This article examines a recent Alberta Court decision confirming that during the PPCLA transition period, the former BLA&rsquo;s shorter 45-day lien deadline remains decisive. The ruling underscores that once a lien deadline expires, the lien ceases to exist and cannot be revived by the Court or through Land Titles corrections.

Better Early Than Sorry Strict Compliance Required for Lien Deadlines

Better Early Than Sorry: Strict Compliance Required for Lien Deadlines 

David J. Wahl, FCIArb

Construction Arbitration & 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

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

Hennadiy Kutsenko

Tax Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

New federal tax rules effective January 1, 2024 deny expense deductions for short-term rental properties that do not comply with provincial or municipal laws. The changes heighten enforcement risk by allowing the CRA to deny deductions indefinitely, in addition to existing penalties. This blog explains the new deduction denial rules, key exceptions and compliance considerations for short-term rental operators.

Comply or Lose Your Tax Deductions

Comply or Lose Your Tax Deductions: New Income Tax Act Rules Target Short-Term Rental Landlords

Drew C. Broughton

Corporate Commercial and M&A Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Jie (Kevin) Zhou

M&A, Private Equity and Corporate Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Jesse Fontaine

Commercial Transactions Lawyer at Bennett Jones Edmonton

The Ontario Court of Appeal confirmed that earn-out acceleration clauses are to be interpreted contextually, with materiality turning on a transaction&rsquo;s impact on the earn-out regime rather than its size or value. The decision reinforces the exceptional nature of earn-out acceleration remedies and the importance of precise drafting in share purchase agreements.

ONCA Affirms Denial of Claim for Earn Out Acceleration

ONCA Affirms Denial of Claim for Earn-Out Acceleration

Curtis A. Cusinato

Cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions and Capital Markets Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Vice Chair and Partner

Bronwynn Shaw

Corporate Commercial Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Kristopher R. Hanc

M&A and Capital Markets Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

After a year marked by headline-making large-cap transactions, Canada&rsquo;s M&amp;A market enters 2026 with measured confidence. This update analyzes the data behind recent deal activity, explores the evolving role of infrastructure, private capital and credit markets and highlights the risks and opportunities shaping the year ahead.

Canadas Q4 2025 M and A Landscape

Measured Confidence in Canada's M&A Landscape in 2026

Canada's Q4 2025 M&A Landscape

J. Sébastien A. Gittens

Intellectual Property and Technology Commercialization Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner, Trademark Agent

Stephen D. Burns

Technology Lawyer, Intellectual Property Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Ahmed Elmallah

Intellectual Property Lawyer at Bennett Jones Edmonton

Counsel, Patent Agent, Trademark Agent

Shadow AI is increasingly present in workplaces as employees adopt unauthorized AI tools to improve efficiency, often without organizational oversight. While these tools may offer short-term productivity gains, they create significant compliance, governance, privacy and liability risks. This post examines the drivers of shadow AI, the risks it poses and practical strategies organizations can implement to manage and mitigate those risks.

Hiding in the Shadows The Perils of Shadow AI on Your Organization

Hiding in the Shadows: The Perils of Shadow AI on Your Organization  

Denise D. Bright

Public and Private Company Financial Transactions and Securities Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Keely Cameron

Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Chyna Brown

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary 

In Royal Bank of Canada v Patterson Dental Canada Inc, the Alberta Court of Appeal clarified how PPSA priority rules apply where assets used in a corporate business are personally owned by a director. The Court confirmed that ownership and registration against the correct debtor are decisive in priority disputes, and provided guidance on the treatment of leases and the proper distribution of holdbacks in insolvency sales.

Chris Petrucci on Society of Construction Law Panel on Surety Bonds

From the Same Authors