Announcements

The CBABC invites British Columbians to be a part of Law Week 2017 for province-wide celebrations including free public law classes, courthouse tours, mock trials and legal advice from lawyers volunteering their time.

“Our colleagues at the Law Society of BC have offered a wise reminder that all British Columbians must have equal access to the justice system,” said Michael Welsh, CBABC president. “The challenge has been a lack of investment in legal aid to assist those who cannot afford legal services when they need them.”

CBABC acknowledges some steps the BC Government has taken in improving access to justice for British Columbians but calls for further investment.

A series of videos from the December 13, 2016 event.

An Agenda for Justice has been prepared in advance of BC’s provincial election to inspire public discussion of vital justice issues. The document offers a series of recommendations and reforms to increase the justice system’s effectiveness and to improve BC laws.

A proposed class action was filed a mere six weeks after the British Columbia government introduced amendments to the Property Transfer Tax Act to impose an additional 15% tax on the purchase of residential property by foreigners in the Greater Vancouver Regional District (the “Foreign Buyer Property Tax”).

A previous version of this article appeared in the McMillan LLP Commercial Real Estate Bulletin

On October 3, 2016, Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced changes which will affect trusts and non-residents owning residential property in an effort to ensure "housing markets are stable and functioning efficiently."

Catherine Boies Parker was presented with the Georges A. Goyer, QC Memorial Award for Distinguished Service at the annual Bench and Bar Dinner on November 17, 2016.

Mr. Welsh, of Mott Welsh & Associates in Penticton, is the first branch president in over a decade from the BC Interior.