The release of the Court of Appeal’s decision in Wu v. Vancouver (City) has been highly anticipated by municipal lawyers. If denied, the appeal would have established a duty for municipal officials to make decisions on development permits within a reasonable time. The trial judge found that…
Articles & Publications
Publication, Staff | October 26, 2018 |
Construction Bonds: A Useful Tool in a Local Government’s Strongbox
As published in Roadrunner Fall 2018:
Construction bonds are commonly used for public works infrastructure projects. Broadly speaking, a bond is a three-party agreement between the bonding company (the “Surety”), the service provider, such as a general or subcontractor (the “Principal” or “contractor”) and the service recipient or beneficiary, such as the project owner (the “Obligee” or “owner”). Under the bond, the Surety is required to step in and fulfill the Principal’s obligations to the Obligee in the event that the Principal breaches its obligations…
Publication, Staff | June 26, 2018 |
The Climate is Changing, Are We?
As published in Roadrunner Summer 2018:
The provincial and federal governments, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) have officially stated that climate change is having an impact on local governments and their infrastructure due to increased extreme weather events and a rise in sea levels. The legal liability risks of climate change impacts include potential negligence claims, nuisance claims and regulatory liability…
Article, Staff | March 29, 2018 |
Waiver of Privilege – Client Beware
An area of law that is often considered sacrosanct is the area of legal professional privilege…