Search Results for: covid-19

Restart of BC Company Dissolutions Resuming April 5, 2022

Following the declaration of a provincial state of emergency by the BC government during the Covid-19 pandemic, the BC Registrar of Companies refrained from dissolving corporations that were not in good standing (ex: due to a failure to file annual reports for two years). The Registrar has advised that it will be resuming its dissolution process on April 5, 2022. The Registrar has also advised that dissolution notices will be distributed in batches; not all outstanding dissolutions will occur at once. To avoid dissolution, a company must file any overdue annual reports. Companies should be aware that they also have an option to dissolve voluntarily on the date selected by a director of the company. This process... Read More

Canadian Transportation Agency Drafts New Air Passenger Refund Regulations

On December 18, 2020, the Minister of Transport directed the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) to draft regulations requiring air carriers to provide refunds in certain situations outside of their control (such as weather, COVID-19 in certain situations, medical emergency, security threat, and war or political instability). According to the Minister, the objective of the directive was to fill a gap in the legislation. After a series of consultations, the CTA published the proposed Regulations Amending the Air Passenger Regulations. These regulations seek to regulate refund requirements for cancellations or long delays caused by situations such as bad weather, a... Read More

Mask Up: Five Key Takeaways from the BC Human Rights Tribunal’s Decisions on Mask Policies

Shortly after COVID-19 crested upon British Columbia’s shores, businesses began implementing mandatory mask policies for customers and employees alike. Since then, wearing face masks in indoor public settings has been made mandatory, voluntary, and then mandatory again by order of the Provincial Government, and WorkSafe BC has required businesses to implement COVID-19 safety plans. Additionally, the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal (the “Tribunal”) has been inundated with human rights complaints from employees and customers alike, alleging that mask requirements infringe their rights under the British Columbia Human Rights Code (the “Code”). This article aims to summarize the Tribunal’s published... Read More

Breaking News: Special Regulatory Exemptions Granted to High Time Pilot

The Director General of Civil Aviation for Transport Canada recently approved various temporary exemptions to an owner and operator of an aircraft with Canadian Registration Mark “HOHO-HO”. The owner of the aircraft, a certain Mr. Claus, is temporarily allowed to operate a certain “Reindeer Powered Aeroplane” in a manner that does not comply with various provisions of the Canadian Aviation Regulations. Of note, the aircraft may be operated at supersonic speeds, take-off without weight limitations, and operate in built-up areas of cities and towns without complying with standard take-off, approach and landing requirements. Transport Canada has determined that this... Read More

Warm Wishes from Alexander Holburn

On behalf of everyone at Alexander Holburn, warmest wishes for a Happy Holiday Season!   2021 Charitable Initiatives At Alexander Holburn, we believe in creating a lasting, positive impact in our community. We do this through a diverse range of programs that were developed to align with the firm’s core values of balance, teamwork, and trust. Our breadth of programs encompass charitable and sustainability initiatives, as well as mentorship and networking opportunities. Given the COVID-19 related restrictions this year, the firm carried out fewer out in-person volunteer activities as we traditionally would have. As a result, we redirected our resources and donated to... Read More

BC Announces Five Permanent Paid Sick Days Under Employment Standards Act

Effective January 1, 2022, British Columbia employees subject to the Employment Standards Act who have worked 90 consecutive days with an employer, will be entitled to 5 days of paid leave in each employment year, for personal illness or injury. Employment year will be the common date used for calculating entitlement for all employees which may be the calendar year or some other date.  Unpaid sick leave of 3 days will be on top of the paid entitlement.  As previously discussed in our article dated May 11, 2021, BC introduced changes last spring to the Employment Standards Act, allowing... Read More

Jason Lattanzio and Nicolas Pimentel Article Featured in the Transportation Lawyer

Jason Lattanzio and Nicolas Pimentel's article, "Friendly Skies No More: The Effort to Combat Coronavirus and Air Rage" was featured in the October 2021 edition of The Transportation Lawyer - A Comprehensive Journal of Developments in Transportation Law. The article discusses some polarizing issues that have arisen out of COVID-19. In particular, the article highlights some of the legal and monetary ramifications a passenger may face due to failure to comply with flight crew and airline directions to follow COVID-19 mask mandates. Read the full article here. *This is a reprint from The Transportation Lawyer. The Transportation Lawyer is a joint... Read More

Federal Court of Canada Denies Application for Class Action Against Compensation for Delayed Flights

The Federal Court of Canada recently denied an application to certify a proposed class action against SATA Internacional for claims of compensation for delayed flights. In Berenguer v. SATA Internacional, the Plaintiff was an Alberta resident and the Defendant a Portuguese commercial airline, which operates scheduled flights to and from Canadian cities. The claim related to the alleged failure of SATA to pay compensation in accordance with European Union Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004 (“EU261”). EU261 is a consumer protection regulation which sets out requirements for providing compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and cancellation... Read More