Welcome and Land Acknowledgement (9:00 – 9:10)
Teresa Sheward — Program Laywer, CLEBC, Vancouver
Timothy J. Lack — Redpoint Law LLP, Vancouver
Lisa Niro — Bell Alliance LLP, Vancouver
Case Law Update (9:10 – 9:55)
- encroachments
- Time is of the Essence and Waiver
- removing Certificates of Pending Litigation
Yarden Gershony — Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP, Kelowna
Stefani Lefebvre — Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP, Kelowna
LTSA Update (9:55 – 10:25)
- common defects when registering POAs
- what are requirements for registering short form leases or options to purchase?
- why doesn't filing an application to deposit plan for a subdivision plan or strata plan trigger a requirement to file a LOTA report at the same time?
- LOTR update
Larry S. Blaschuk — Registrar of Land Titles, Land Title and Survey Authority of BC, New Westminster
BREAK (10:25 – 10:45)
Transactional and Realty Taxes Update (10:45 – 11:30)
- GST
- Property Transfer Tax ("PTT")/Foreign Buyer Tax ("FBT")
- Empty Homes Tax ("EHT")
- Speculation and Vacancy Tax ("SVT")
- Underused Housing Tax ("UHT")
Zheting Su — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver
Collapsing Deals (11:30 – 12:15)
- common reasons real estate transactions collapse
- how to handle a collapsing deal as a legal representative; pre-collapse, during, and post-collapse
- special considerations when handling a collapsing deal
- remedies for the innocent party and practical considerations
- timing for closing
- recent case law update: Sandhu v. Uppal Farms & Greenhouses Ltd.
Andrew R. Morrison — Shields Harney LLP, Vancouver
Lisa Niro — Bell Alliance LLP, Vancouver
LUNCH with Featured Speaker (provided) (12:15 – 1:30)
"Rates, Recession, and the Housing Market" (12:45 – 12:15)
Bryan Yu — Chief Economist, Central 1 Credit Union, Vancouver
Rural and Recreational Real Estate (1:30 – 1:50)
- differences between a city lot and a piece of rural property
- Agricultural Land Reserve and its significance
- Livestock Act and the Livestock Lien Act provisions
- the law around fences, water licences, range tenure, Crown grants, grazing leases, easement, dogs
- tax issues—GST as a potential trap for the unwary
Mary E. MacGregor, KC — Mary MacGregor Law Corporation, Kamloops
Brett A. Squair — Davidson Lawyers LLP, Vernon
Title Insurance (1:50 – 2:15)
Title insurance is available to lenders and borrowers—common examples:
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- surveys (encroachments)
- strata special assessments, levies not properly disclosed
- certain charges registered on title
- certain outstanding work orders
CRA deemed trusts, usually GST (self-employed taxpayer owns the property and does not remit GST):
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- due diligence search that will give clearance
- deemed trust takes priority over mortgage security if pre-existing GST liability
- limitation on deemed trust may be up to 10 years: endorsements available to cover CRA trust claims post-discharge of the security
Borrower fraud (identity theft):
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- what due diligence is required on behalf of lawyers to identify fraud?
Title insurers may sue the lender's lawyers by way of subrogated claims:
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- lawyer negligence or participation in the fraud
- failing to do a lien and judgement search on an advance of funds
- failing to identify a fraud if certain red flags are up
Policies differ: check exclusions—title insurance is for your client, not for you
Alan Frydenlund, KC — Owen Bird Law Corporation, Vancouver
Mortgage Law Update (2:15 – 2:45)
An overview of important practice points and updated case law;
the seminal cases and considered cases on:
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- interest rate "bumps"
- prepayment penalties
- protective disbursements
- super priority liens
- liability of professionals
- covenantors
- corporate borrowers
- solicitor's duties and obligations
Timothy J. Lack — Redpoint Law LLP, Vancouver
Jennifer M. Wong — Richards Buell Sutton LLP, Vancouver
BREAK (2:45 – 3:00)
Pre-sale Purchases (3:00 – 3:20)
- what happens when there are delays in the construction start or completion dates of pre-sale residential developments?
- what lawyers advising both developers and purchasers should be aware of
- steps that developers should take when faced with delays
- remedies available to purchasers under the Real Estate Development Marketing Act
Edward G. Wong — Edward G. Wong Law Corporation, Vancouver
Hot Topics Roundtable (3:20 – 4:20)
- the Federal ban on non-Canadians buying land (?) (residences?) in Canada, starts January 1, 2023
- provincial legislative initiative to require licensing for all lenders
Timothy J. Lack — Redpoint Law LLP, Vancouver
Yarden Gershony — Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP, Kelowna
Stefani Lefebvre — Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP, Kelowna
Lisa Niro — Bell Alliance LLP, Vancouver
Edward G. Wong — Edward G. Wong Law Corporation, Vancouver
Jennifer M. Wong — Richards Buell Sutton LLP, Vancouver
Closing Comments (4:20 – 4:30)
Timothy J. Lack — Redpoint Law LLP, Vancouver
Lisa Niro — Bell Alliance LLP, Vancouver