Critical Updates for Construction Law and Practice in Ontario
Program Length
1 Day
Program Dates
Online (Live)
Learn with peers in real-time online environment.
Online (Replay)
A scheduled replay of a past program, with the ability to submit questions.
Critical Updates for Construction Law and Practice in Ontario
Program Chairs
Sandra Astolfo
WeirFoulds LLP
Marcia Oliver
General Counsel & VP Legal Services, Bennett Construction Group
Stay current on how to navigate construction law risk and issues in your day-to-day practice.
Ontario’s construction landscape is continuing to experience transformation. While the 2026 Construction Act amendments are now in force and impact front-end work and contract administration, foundational cases continue to govern.
Whether you’re advising owners, contractors, subcontractors, or suppliers, this essential and information-packed program goes beyond a surface update and is designed to deliver critical insights and practical tools to help you manage risk, resolve disputes, and meet your evolving obligations with confidence.
Can’t Make the Date? Registration includes 120-day unlimited, online access to the recorded program.
What You’ll Learn
How and why foundational cases continue to govern project tendering, contracts, and disputes
Practical highlights and key takeaways involving important cases from 2025—including how they may change your current practice and advice
Essential elements of key contract clauses that help you better manage risks, including how to navigate the 2026 Construction Act amendments regarding holdback
What you need to know about claims against design professionals and professional policies of insurance—including tips for overcoming common pitfalls
How owners, contractors and subcontractors are actually managing claims, competing interests and key concerns with contract administration
Real-world strategies, insights, and ready-to-use tools from a high-profile faculty and from a cohort of mixed professionals
Who Should Attend
Construction and in-house lawyers
Litigation and real estate lawyers
Municipal, government and procurement professionals
Owners and developers
Builders and construction professionals
Project, risk or contract managers
Business, finance or operations professionals
Insurance professionals
Architects
Engineers
Consultants
Faculty
Program Chairs
Sandra Astolfo
WeirFoulds LLP
Marcia Oliver
General Counsel & VP Legal Services, Bennett Construction Group
Senior Vice President Legal and General Counsel, Flynn Group of Companies
Jacob McClelland
Partner, Glaholt Bowles LLP
Chris Moran
General Counsel, Maple Reinders Group Ltd.
Laura Piercy
Senior Counsel, Canadian Operations, Flynn Group of Companies [sub/trade]
Jennifer Roberts
Counsel, Singleton Reynolds LLP
Ted Rotenberg
Retired Senior Counsel
Tushar Sabharwal
Drudi Alexiou Kuchar LLP
Brian Wilson
Senior Legal Counsel, Regional Municipality of Niagara
John Vanos
Certified Adjudicator, Ontario Dispute Adjudication for Construction Contracts (ODACC)
“Lots of good information and insights. I was very pleased with the [online] program – convenient and did not require any additional travel or accommodations.”
Agenda
9:00 a.m. Chairs’ Opening Remarks and Reflections
9:10 a.m. Critical Legal Principles: What You Need to Know for Your Contracts and Cases
Learn how and why foundational case law principles continue to govern your contracts and frame your cases. Enhance your drafting and negotiation skills with insights and tips for managing the associated risks and challenges, and get important takeaways arising from key, governing legal principles. Session will include insights and tips for risk management, professionalism and ethical impacts, liability and negligence considerations, drafting and negotiation, and lessons learned.
Re Earth Boring Co. Ltd. and QM GP Inc. and Highpoint Environmental Services Inc. – CCAA orders staying claims against Performance Bonds
R. v. Ron Engineering – which principles prevail in Tendering/RFPs, and a roadmap of how the law has evolved
Ontario (Transportation) v. J & P Leveque Bros. Haulage Ltd and others – how Ontario’s Limitations Act preserves construction project claims
Corpex v. Canada, Doyle Construction Co. v. Carling O’Keefe Breweries of Canada Ltd., and Technicore v. Toronto – contractual notice of claims
Roger Gillott, Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP Jacob McClelland, Partner, Glaholt Bowles LLP
10:30 a.m. Break
10:45 a.m. Critical New Cases You Need to Know
Faculty will review important new case law updates impacting construction projects and proceedings in Ontario and provide practical strategies for implementing the cascading changes to your processes, procedures and project risk management efforts. Session will include practical risk management guidance, insights and tips for communication, drafting, important professionalism considerations, and early problem solving from a dispute avoidance perspective.
MCAP Financial Corporation v. Vandyk-The Buckingham North-Grand Central Limited – lien expiry and extension
Feldt Electric Ltd. v. Gorbern Mechanical Contractors Limited, and Integricon Construction Inc. v. Steevens et al – methods to enforce the award of an adjudicator
Trillium Masonry Group Inc. v. Marydel Homes (Beaverton) Inc. et al – lienable amount for actual improvement
North House Foods Ltd. (Re) – leasehold liens
Capital Excavating Corp. v. Sandlot Capital et al – lawyer and client held personally liable for costs
11:30 a.m. Contract Clauses: Understanding and Addressing Critical Construction Project Issues
Get up to speed on how to deal with common, but critical construction project issues in your construction contracts, and how you can use them to manage project risk. Throughout the session, you will get practical considerations, specific drafting tips, and tips for avoiding common pitfalls. Contractual clauses explored include:
Recent Construction Act amendments – drafting considerations
1:45 p.m. Understanding Claims Involving Design Professionals & Best Practices
Whether bringing or defending a claim against a design professional, you must understand applicable standards, legal principles, the layers of insurance and what common defences may be available. Get a practical overview of essential professional insurance considerations, risk management best practices, as well as tips for bringing or defending claims – from this panel of experienced defence counsel and senior E&O insurance professionals.
Bringing claims
Defending claims
Standards
Policies of insurance
Tips and best practices for: clear and effective communication, negotiation and drafting (sample clauses or language), understanding and navigating common risk, dealing with professionalism and ethical issues, handling issues/missteps involving coverage, claims and credits
Eni Eski, Lundy Levy & Eski Barristers LLP
Rosemarie Hurst, Senior Vice President, Claims & Legal, Pro-Demnity
Jennifer Roberts, Counsel, Singleton Reynolds LLP
3:00 p.m. Break
3:15 p.m. Contract Administration and Claims Management “Do’s and Don’ts”: Practical Considerations for Owners, Contractors and Subcontractors/Trades
In this closing session, legal counsel to a public owner, contractor and subcontractor will come together to summarize important practical considerations, implications and their recommended “do’s and don’ts” when administering the contract and managing claims.
What’s new and important involving risks, considerations and issues for:
Owners
Contractors
Subcontractors/trades
A practical overview and key takeaways, with perspectives and distinction for owners, contractors, and subcontractors/trades, involving:
Managing the contract
Key contract provisions
Standard communications
Claims management (bringing or defending a claim)
Internal best practices to manage risks associated with claims
Chris Moran, General Counsel, Maple Reinders Group
Laura Piercy, Senior Counsel, Canadian Operations, Flynn Group of Companies
Brian Wilson, Senior Legal Counsel, Regional Municipality of Niagara
4:30 p.m. Chairs’ Wrap-Up, Key Takeaways and Open Q&A
4:45 p.m. Program Concludes
5:00 p.m. Post-Program Non-Sponsored Networking / Drinks Thing at Joey’s Eaton Centre, right next door to our facility at 1 Dundas St West, Toronto.
Newly licensed regulated professionals within the past 2 years receive 50% off the regular program fee.
Time
Apr 1, 2026 9:00 a.m – 5:00 p.m (ET)
Substitution of registrants is permitted at any time prior to the start date of the program. If you are unable to find a substitute, a full refund is available if a cancellation request is received in writing 14 days prior to the start of the program. If a cancellation request is made with less than 14 days notice, an administrative fee equal to 20% of the program cost, to a maximum of $250 will apply per person. Payment is required to receive access to the program.
We will make every effort to present the program as advertised, but it may be necessary to change the date, location, speakers or content with little or no notice. In the event of program cancellation, York University’s and Osgoode Hall Law School’s liability is limited to reimbursement of paid fees.
As law evolves, we know how important it is to stay up to date. We also understand the financial implications of continuously upgrading your professional skills and knowledge. For more information on available options, including Job Grants, OSAP, please visit:
“Very good. I liked that it wasn’t for junior lawyers”
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