CANADA EMERGENCY COMMERCIAL RENT ASSISTANCE (CECRA) UPDATE

April 24, 2020 - Owen Bird

The federal government has reached an agreement in principle with all provinces and territories to implement the CECRA program for qualifying small businesses. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced this morning that eligible small businesses affected by Covid-19 will be receiving seventy-five percent (75%) in rent relief. Details released this morning include the following:

Eligible Tenants. The commercial tenants eligible for this program will be those that are paying less than $50,000 per month in rent and have either temporarily ceased operations or have experienced at least a 70% drop in revenues. This will also include non-profit organizations. Further details are…

Federal Government Launches Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA)

April 22, 2020 - Owen Bird

As many small businesses across Canada are struggling to keep the lights on as the world continues to contend with the COIVD-19 pandemic, a measure of help may finally be on the way.

On March 27, the federal government announced additional measures to support businesses and not-for-profits. More information on Canada’s COIVD-19 Economic Response Plan, can be found at  https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html

A number of lenders have subsequently been in consultation with the government on these measures, designing them specifically to help small and medium sized employers with their most pressing needs and position our economy to recover.  As a result, the government has…

Underscoring Urgency: Family Matters in the COVID Crisis

April 20, 2020 - Owen Bird

On March 18, 2020, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia announced a suspension of all regular operations to protect the health and safety of court users and to help contain the spread of COVID-19, with only essential and urgent matters to be heard.  A copy of the notice may be found here.

In the family law context, the Court outlined what is essential and urgent, including:

Orders relating to the safety of a child or parent due to a risk of violence or immediate harm (e.g., a protection order, conduct orders, or exclusive possession of…

Builders Lien Limitation Periods Are Back!

April 17, 2020 - Owen Bird

Parties on all sides of construction contracts including, owners, contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers, and consultants should be aware that the recent suspension of limitation periods has been softened.  On March 26, 2020, the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General issued Ministerial Order no. M086 titled Limitation Periods (COVID-19) Order (the “Original Order”). The Original Order temporarily suspended certain limitations periods in the province of British Columbia, and had been slated to continue until the current state of emergency declared on March 18, 2020 expired or was cancelled.

On April 8, 2020, by way of a further Ministerial Order no….

New Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) Program Announced

April 17, 2020 - Owen Bird

On April 16 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the Federal Government plans to introduce the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance.  This program is slated to provided rent relief to small and medium-sized business amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

While the finer details of the new program are yet to be released, aspects that have been alluded to thus far by the Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bill Morneau include:

a measure of relief is to be provided for rents due in the months of April, May and June; there will be an offer of loans (including forgivable loans) to commercial…

CATCH-22: COMMERCIAL TENANCIES AMID COVID-19

April 17, 2020 - Owen Bird

UPDATE: On April 16th the Federal Government announced tentative rent relief for small and medium-sized businesses. More details to follow.

You get the dreaded call.  Your tenant can’t pay rent.   Or you’re a commercial tenant forced to close shop and your landlord calls looking for this month’s cheque.  What do you do?

Landlords and tenants alike are facing these all-too-common scenarios amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. While the Government has provided limited assistance to residential landlords, these protections do not extend to commercial tenancies which remain, at their core, a strictly contractual relationship.

Commercial Lease Basics

The commercial lease governs the…

Client and Friends Alert

March 19, 2020 - Owen Bird

Dear clients and friends,

We, like everyone else, are taking the Covid 19 pandemic seriously. As such, the majority of our lawyers and staff will be working remotely.

We would ask that you contact your lawyer at the firm directly using either e-mail or their direct dial number. Our goal is to provide prompt and ongoing support to you during this difficult state.

Court matters are all on hold. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia has ordered the suspension of all regular operations, effective immediately until further notice. All regular hearings are adjourned.

At all times,…

Brian Cheng presents at UBC Allard School of Law

March 11, 2020 - Owen Bird

Brian Cheng presented at the UBC Allard School of Law’s first inaugural speed mentoring event co-hosted by the UBC Graduate Law Students’ Society and the Global Lawyers of Canada on March 11, 2020. The event was well attended by international lawyers and law students.

As a lawyer who practiced in the United States before returning to Canada, Brian spoke about the unique opportunities in and challenges of practicing law in Canada. He continues to be licensed to practice in the State of Washington and is called to the bar of British Columbia. While fulfilling the prerequisites to take the B.C. bar exam, Brian completed his Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree at UBC.​

Brian Cheng presents at Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers event

February 20, 2020 - Owen Bird

On February 20, 2020, Brian Cheng presented at the Mentorship Roundtable event hosted by the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (FACL) at the Vancouver office of McCarthy Tétrault.

Brian was a co-panelist with the retired Mr. Justice Randall Wong and lawyer Chilwin Cheng of Ascendion Law, and they presented about their individual experiences as Asian lawyers in the practice of civil litigation.

The event was well attended by law students, articling students, and lawyers.

As a member of Owen Bird’s Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Involvement Committee, Brian is committed to encouraging the legal profession to reflect all of the communities that…