Pride 2021

June 17, 2021 - Owen Bird

As one of our Pride 2021 initiatives at Owen Bird, the associates decided to go on a LGBTQ2+ walking tour. The Really Gay History Tour tells the (previously) hidden queer history of our city. Head storyteller Glenn Tkach did all the research for the tour, and his passion for the subject was evident! Stops included Jim Deva Plaza, the Vancouver Art Gallery, St. Andrew’s Wesley United Church, and St. Paul’s Hospital. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour. Delivered with nuance and humour, we all went away feeling we now know more about our city and its LGBTQ2+ history.

St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation Future Leaders – PIXEL Moments

April 28, 2021 - Owen Bird

Owen Bird is proud to be a donor and supporter of the St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation Future Leaders PIXEL Moments.  This week, the interactive augmented reality art mural came to life in the heart of downtown Vancouver, on the corner of Granville and W. Georgia.

The response we have seen throughout this campaign is a strong reminder that no one is impervious to mental health suffering. Together, the campaign has successfully raised $299,416 for St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation for mental health resources.

Owen Bird Celebrates International Women’s Day by Giving to the BC Society of Transition Houses

March 08, 2021 - Owen Bird

Happy International Women’s Day!

Last year the firm celebrated history-making women in law and highlighted women who inspired us. This year, we wanted to give back and fundraise to support women with experiences of domestic violence, also known as intimate partner violence (“IPV”). IPV has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic[1] and women make up 80% of police-reported IPV victims in Canada[2].

To this end, the Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Involvement Committee raised funds to support the BC Society of Transition Houses (the “Society”). The Society is a “member-based, provincial umbrella organization that, through leadership, support and…

St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation Future Leaders – PIXEL Moments

March 05, 2021 - Owen Bird

We are pleased to announce that Owen Bird Law Corporation has donated to the St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation Future Leaders – PIXEL Moments. PIXEL Moments is a large scale augmented reality art mural, to be painted by Andrea Wan, which will be above the London Drugs on Granville and Robson this spring.  It is a micro-donation campaign to raise funds and awareness for mental health programs at St. Paul’s Hospital.   More information on the project can be found at: https://pixelmoments.org/.

Discretionary Rights within Contracts Must be Exercised in Good Faith

February 16, 2021 - Owen Bird

In addition to the precise obligations required from parties to a contract, a common feature seen among contracting parties are options more formally referred to as “discretional rights”. As the name suggests, these rights afford parties certain latitude in the manner in which contractual rights may be performed. Although these tools afford parties flexibility with respect to contractual performance, the Supreme Court of Canada (the “SCC”) has recently decided that these rights (or options) must be exercised in good faith.

The general doctrine of “good faith” is a longstanding organizing principal recognized under Canadian contract law. This duty imposes a…

Brian Cheng Featured on FACL BC Podcast

February 07, 2021 - Owen Bird

Owen Bird civil litigator Brian Cheng was featured as a guest on an episode of The Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (FACL BC) podcast, hosted by Chilwin Cheng.

FACL BC is a diverse coalition of Asian Canadian legal professionals in British Columbia. Its podcast currently features a three-part series on Asian litigators practicing in the Lower Mainland.

As a featured Asian litigator, Brian discusses his experiences with race in the U.S., where he went to law school. He shares what the best (and worst) things are about being able…

Owen Bird is Pleased to Announce New Shareholder to the Firm

January 04, 2021 - Owen Bird

Owen Bird Law Corporation is pleased to announce that Brian Cheng became a shareholder of the firm effective January 1, 2021. Tony and Brian have made significant contributions to Owen Bird and its clients during their years as associates.

Brian Cheng is a member of our Litigation Group with a focus on commercial litigation and insurance defence. Brian has experience in various practice areas, including insurance, construction, landlord–tenant, corporate/shareholder disputes, professional negligence, property damage, and personal injury. He has represented property developers, corporations, telecommunication companies, government agencies, non-profit societies, and insurance companies. In addition to his practice, Brian is also…

New Rent Relief Program Announced to Replace CECRA

October 15, 2020 - Owen Bird

Some good news for commercial tenants: the red tape which plagued the Canadian Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program has been reduced in favor of an easy-to-access application process that replaces the system of numerous prescribed documents required under CECRA.

On October 9, the Federal Government announced details regarding relief to commercial tenants who have experienced reduced revenues due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This new program will become the successor to the CECRA program originally announced in May of this year and officially now concluded as of September 30, 2020.

In its place, the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) will…

Land Owner Transparency Registry to Launch November 30, 2020

October 13, 2020 - Owen Bird

It was recently announced that much anticipated Land Owner Transparency Registry (the “Registry”) will become effective as of November 30, 2020 (the “Effective Date”) with the Province approving Order in Council No. 549, bringing into force almost all provisions of the governing legislation: the Land Owner Transparency Act (the “Act”).

The purpose of the Act is to mandate reporting for indirect ownership of land in the Province which shall be maintained in the Registry and publicly accessible. Prior to the Effective Date, only legal ownership of lands was recorded which meant that disclosure of ownership began and ended at the…