Jared Epp’s construction law article called “Moving Forward with Prompt Payment” was published in the summer issue of We Build, the magazine of the Saskatchewan Construction Association.
The article concerns the upcoming changes to the Saskatchewan Builder’s Lien Act.
Media outlets in Saskatchewan no longer have access to Police One, the police radio scanner that allowed journalists to hear what is happening on the secure police channel.
Both Saskatoon and Regina police services say they have closed their scanner channels to media to comply with the Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy legislation. The problem lies in the sharing of personal information. Regina police Chief Evan Bray said information including names, addresses, dates of birth, past criminal charges and other pieces of personal information were shared on the dispatch channel.
Representing the media, Sean argues in today’s Saskatoon StarPhoenix that journalists provide an important service by alerting the public to potentially dangerous situations. “There is a huge public interest in ensuring that the media have access to that timely information so that they can alert the public to the issues that are occurring.”
Sean has done interviews with the CBC as well as the StarPhoenix. The CBC news story can be read here.
On Wednesday June 26, Andrew Gaucher will be speaking about the importance of Estate Planning at the “Planning Ahead Seminar” hosted by Hillcrest Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home. The evening session, beginning at 6:30 will also include other planning aspects such as funeral pre-planning, insurance and real estate.
There is no cost or registration required.
Hillcrest is located at 210 Wess Road, Saskatoon.
In the May 2019 issue of Canadian Lawyer Marg Bruineman writes about the changes afoot in construction lien legislation across Canada.
In the article she talks about how the increasingly complicated construction projects have necessitated discussions around prompt payment and adjudication regimes. Industry groups such as subcontractors and trades have been calling for legislative reform as money is slow to “cascade down the construction pyramid” when claims choke the cashflow of a project.
In the article, Jared Epp gives his take on the current situation in Saskatchewan:
Saskatchewan, like Ontario, is conceiving of a very broad adjudication regime as part of this new legislation and it would allow a lot of the interim disputes and disputes before the project is completed to to put in front of someone, probably from someone in industry, just to make some sort of a decision. There are still quite a few disputes in construction projects that wind their way through the courts, but there’s really no need for them to go that way. In a lot of cases, parties simply need someone to make a decision.
Exciting times in the construction industry!
Benchmark Litigation Canada has published its guide to the leading litigation teams in the country.
The guide’s results are the culmination of a four-month research period during which time extensive interviews are conducted with litigators and their clients. The researchers examine casework handled by the firms and seek opinions on litigators practicing within their province or practice area. Using this client and peer-review methodology, Benchmark strives to provide the most accurate and comprehensive coverage of the Canadian litigation market.
Robertson Stromberg is pleased to see that the firm is ranked as a Recommended Firm for the province of Saskatchewan. Lawyers singled out as “local litigation stars” include M. Kim Anderson in the area of Insolvency Law and Gary Young in the areas of Class Action, Commercial, Insurance, and Intellectual Property. This designation reflects individuals who were recommended consistently as reputable and effective litigators by clients and peers.
Benchmark also lists Jennifer Pereira and Sean Sinclair as “future stars”. This designation is given to “ones to watch”, lawyers who are rapidly building their reputations in the market.
Jennifer Pereira, QC and Curtis Clavelle will present a webinar to Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association members on April 16, 2019. They will discuss the best responses to lawsuits, and what you can do to protect your municipality, prepare your case, and avoid unnecessary costs.