All About Estates

Tag: COVID-19

Total 35 Posts

Videos and Wills: Helpful or Harmful?

Pictured: A screen grab from the music video for “Only Acting” by Kero Kero Bonito. It’s one of my favourite songs. It’s not quite about video wills, but it does show off some of the challenges of recording oneself. What are Video Wills? Some practitioners have floated the idea of…

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Goodbye My Furry Friend

  This blog has been written by Sandra Arsenault, Law Clerk at Fasken LLP With more people working from home and less activities available for children, it is no surprise that there has been a COVID pet boom as many families have added a new member to their household during…

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Zoom Is Here To Stay: Virtual Discoveries As The New Normal

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, I blogged about Justice Myers’ decision in Arconti v. Smith where his Honour decided that an examination should proceed virtually.  As his Honour pithily noted, we no longer record evidence with a quill and ink; technology changes and our legal practices must…

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The medical expense tax credit: COVID-19 tests and vaccines

With the requirements for COVID-19 tests for entry into Canada and vaccines, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) was asked to comment on the availability of the medical expense tax credit (METC). Medical expenses which are eligible for the METC are limited to those described in our tax rules. If a…

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COVID-19 Update: Court Hearings To Be Deferred

I previously blogged about Chief Justice Morawetz’s December 29, 2020 Notice to the Profession that that all non-jury matters shall proceed virtually unless it is absolutely necessary for the matter to be conducted in person. Chief Justice Morawetz now has put forward a new Notice to the Profession dated April…

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Endowment Variations

COVID-19 has hit the charitable sector hard, and arts organizations face particular challenges. A recent article in The Globe and Mail about the Banff Centre described closed facilities, lost fundraising, cancelled programs, layoffs, deficits, resignations, and protests. The article also mentioned a request to endowment donors for “permission” to use…

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COVID-19 Update: No Adjournment of Virtual Trial

I previously blogged about Chief Justice Morawetz’s new Notice to the Profession (effective December 29, 2020) that that all non-jury matters shall proceed virtually unless it is absolutely necessary for the matter to be conducted in person. This Notice to the Profession has now been applied in Flying E. Ranche…

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COVID-19 update: Court must not cross the line to clear up hypothetical limitation period confusion

The government suspended limitation periods between March and September due to COVID-19. The government believed that it had properly done so. Nevertheless, the government asked the court to confirm it had properly done so due to amorphous concerns that had been raised. Justice Myers dismissed this application as it would…

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Embracing the COVID-19 Ready Executor

This Blog was written by Edward Ngo, Estate and Trust Advisor  with MD Private Trust, Scotia Wealth Management In Vancouver, the virtual estate planning landscape is changing before our eyes since British Columbia declared a state of emergency on March 18, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The early contentious…

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Loosening Standards for Charitable Property

A crisis may change long-held views.  In reaction to the devastating economic effect of COVID-19 a couple of regulators have loosened their rules related to two different types of charitable property.  Will these changes be temporary or will they lead to long-term change?  And what effect does it have on…

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