Limiting Liability by Contract

Written by F. Richard Gosse. Background The concept is not new – parties committing to provide work or services decide to write down what each expects of the other: a scope of work, a mechanism for payment, some general provision for timelines, changes, and warranties or the like. More sophisticated engagements may (or may not) […]

A Step Back for Holdback Trust Accounts: Amendments to New...

New Brunswick’s Construction Remedies Act (the “Act”) received Royal Assent on December 18, 2020.  The “new” Act, which replaces the Mechanic’s Lien Act, applies to all construction contracts entered into on or after November 1, 2021. On April 1, 2022 sections 37 and 38 of the Act came into force, creating and outlining the requirements […]

Construction Contracts & Why You Should Have One

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure – particularly for construction. Whether it is a new build or a renovation, it is costly work prone to surprises. A properly drafted contract will benefit both the owner and the contractor by providing clarity and certainty. The contract should: Clearly define the scope of […]

December 28, 2022

Contracting Out of Delay?

There are too many moving parts to assume that every aspect of a construction project will stay on schedule all of the time. Delay is not only frustrating: it is expensive. Few can afford to have crews or equipment sit idle. Managing interruptions is a necessity and not just a skill, as traditionally delay costs […]

Change Afoot: New Brunswick’s Construction Remedies Act

New Brunswick’s Bill 12: Construction Remedies Act received Royal Assent on December 18, 2020, and the majority of its provisions came into force on November 1, 2021.  The new Act replaces the Mechanics’ Lien Act, SNB 1973, c.M-6. While the new Construction Remedies Act retains a number of the key elements of the  Mechanics’ Lien […]

January 14, 2020

Technology and the Construction Industry: Opportunity for Evolving Trends in...

Developments in technology Industry is driven, in part, by developments in technology — construction is no exception. Technology in the construction industry brings about positive change — cost effectiveness, increased efficiency and safer projects. However, technology also means new concepts, new products and new processes, all of which bring about new legal risk. The Canadian […]