Seumas Woods

Nov 26, 2024 | mondaq.com | Mark Johnson |Max Shapiro |Seumas Woods

On November 6, 2024, the Building Ontario For You Act (Bill 216) received royal assent. Bill 216 makes several changes to the Construction Act (Act) that will impact industry participants. While the changes are not yet in force — and it is not known when they will come into force — they change several key aspects of how construction projects are administered.

Nov 25, 2024 | mondaq.com | Seumas Woods

The Court of Appeal for Ontario (Court) recently issued its ruling in Aroma Franchise Company, Inc. v. Aroma Espresso Bar Canada Inc. (Aroma). The decision clarifies the law governing an arbitrator's duty to disclose potential conflicts of interest and the rules governing the assessment of a reasonable apprehension of bias. The Court confirmed that the analysis of an arbitrator's duty to disclose and any resulting bias is rooted in the rules the parties choose to govern the arbitration.