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A cohabitation agreement is an agreement between two parties who intend to live together but are not legally married. Even if a couple is planning to get married in the future, a cohabitation agreement can still be a good idea. These agreements are particularly important if one party owns the home and the other party […]

Ontario politics and constitutional law have been in the news recently due to the unprecedented use of the “Notwithstanding Clause” contained in Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. While legal scholars and law students are no doubt debating this with great interest, what does it really mean for an average Ontario resident? First of all, […]

Title insurance became commonplace for real estate transactions in Ontario in the late 1990s. It replaces some expensive and time-consuming searches like building permit and work order searches. For a one-time fee, title insurance offers coverage for a variety of title issues, and is often cheaper and always faster to obtain than searches. Title insurance […]

Administering the estate of a family member or loved one who has passed away is always a difficult task. This process can be made more challenging if the deceased person did not leave a will or if a process often known as “probate” is required. “Probate” is a court process now known in Ontario as […]

There may come a time when you need a document commissioned or notarized, whether it is for use in court or something as simple as a travel consent letter for one of your children. There is a distinction between a “commissioner of oaths” and a Notary Public. All lawyers and paralegals in Ontario are commissioners […]

  January 1, 2018 ushered in new mortgage rules for those looking to purchase homes or refinance their mortgage in Canada. These rules could affect the size of the mortgage a person or couple may qualify for, or even if they can secure a mortgage at all. The rules include a new “stress test” that […]

Administering the estate of a family member or loved one who has passed away is always a difficult task. This process can be made more challenging if the deceased person did not leave a will or if a process often known as “probate” is required. “Probate” is a court process now known in Ontario as […]

There are no legal requirements in the Province of Ontario that state that a will must be written by a lawyer. The law specifically provides for a “holograph” will, which is a document written entirely in the handwriting of the person making the will. Even a typed document can be prepared without a legal professional, […]

Renting water heaters in residential properties is quite common in Ontario. Companies are now beginning to offer rentals of furnaces and air conditioners as well, sometimes with rent-to-own options. Often these companies will send door-to-door salespeople around to pitch the rental contracts at potential customers. Like any legal contract, it is important to consider an […]

Often when a homeowner is selling their current home, they are purchasing a new one. It may seem ideal to complete both transactions on the same day, so that the homeowner is not a temporary owner of two properties. While this arrangement is satisfactory for a lot of clients, caution should be taken in this […]