COVID-19

You are a click away from asking for federal financial support: employment insurance, emergency benefits, mortgage help, increased child tax benefits. Here are the quick links to the help you may need: EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE (Regular Benefits): Laid off, told to stay home, etc. How to apply: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-regular-benefit/apply.html   EMERGENCY SUPPORT BENEFIT: Laid off, reduced hours, […]

Many residents locally express increasing concerns about and rightfully question what enforcement measures are being taken, for example, to: [1] force returning travelers, who are not taking precautionary virus measures, to self-isolate; and [2] ensure compliance generally with other emergency health declarations and orders in effect by the provincial and federal Governments, applying to everyone

The virus – does it mean your contract with another person will be cancelled, or be unenforceable by you or the other party? Your rental agreement with a landlord or tenant? What about my separation or parenting agreement with my former partner or spouse? The answer: maybe.  It is early days; the litigation of the

Are you appointed as another's power of attorney for personal care, particularly an elderly person who may be residing at a retirement or long-term living facility? If so, during this pandemic, you need to be prepared to act in your fiduciary capacity, including to make difficult healthcare decisions on behalf of the person who appointed you,

Canada’s “Work-Sharing” program is an adjustment program, which may offer relief and an alternative to employers financially impacted by COVID-19, including those experiencing a slow down in business, but who continue to operate at some level. The program is intended to assist employers to avoid layoffs, particularly during this pandemic, if the employer experiences a

Both regrettably and predictably, racism and discrimination appear to be surging with the spread of the COVID-19 virus.  Credible sources now report that xenophobia, racially-motivated acts of discrimination and harassment towards ethnic groups is increasing.  Through public messaging by some, including the President of the United States, COVID-19 has been referred to as the "Chinese" and the

The Superior Court has affirmed that separated and divorced co-parents must work cooperatively, flexibly and together to parent children during this unprecedented crisis.  The Family Court in this, and every other Ontario, jurisdiction is closed, except that only urgent and emergency matters will be considered, despite the extraordinarily strained judicial resources available currently.  We have written

During the COVID-19 pandemic, what happens when a person in Ontario becomes disabled or incapacitated due to the virus, to the extent that the person cannot make decisions about his or her own health care or treatment?  In short, someone else is authorized or appointed to make those decisions for the incapacitated person, subject to

The federal Government continues to develop and change employment insurance benefits during this pandemic.  Here is a list of the employment insurance (EI) benefits available to you for emergency financial support, as of March 25, 2020: EXISTING – REGULAR EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE: EI regular benefits provides benefits to individuals who lose their jobs through no fault

The COVID-19 pandemic requires urgent communication, co-operation and flexibility between separated and divorced co-parents. Both co-parents and their child(ren) must isolate at home, like everyone else. This may require adjustments to existing parenting orders or arrangements.  Please refer to our earlier article regarding advice and guidance to separated parents during this pandemic here: https://wardlegal.ca/31582887996602   In the meantime,