ontario Tag Archives

The Truth Revealed About Insurance Companies’ Profits in Ontario

Dr. Fred Lazar and Dr. Eli Prisman, from the York University Schulich School of Business, conclude in a recent study that for the period of 2001 to 2013, consumers in Ontario have likely overpaid for auto insurance by between $3 and $4 billion. This money has not gone to accident victims nor to lower premiums for consumers – instead this money has gone straight to …

Top Five Highlights from Westerhof v. Gee Estate

On March 26, 2015, the Ontario Court of Appeal released its decision in Westerhof v. Gee Estate 2015 ONCA 206. Heard at the same time as the recently-released Moore v. Getahun, Westerhof has been championed by members of the Plaintiffs’ bar as a “big win for common sense” in the area of non-expert opinion evidence. As was the case with Getahun, Westerhof also attracted a …

Training and Licensing: The Essentials of Private Security

The shooting of two men in at a Toronto McDonalds – allegedly perpetrated by an off-duty security guard – has people asking questions about whether security guards are being properly trained to handle dangerous situations. All security guards in the Province of Ontario are required to be trained and hold a licence to provide private security services. Some security guards – such as armoured car …

Show Me the Policy, Honey! Why is Uber keeping its insurance details a secret?

Uber maintains it has sufficient insurance to protect customers of the popular ride-sharing program, but refuses to produce the paperwork to prove it. On March 9, 2015, Uber asked an Ontario Superior Court Judge for an Order to seal its insurance policy, claiming it is necessary to do so for “competitive reasons”. The sufficiency of Uber’s insurance coverage is a hot button topic and Uber …

Pitfalls, Potholes and Falling Concrete: Problems with the Minimum Maintenance Standards

With one of the coldest months on record finally behind us, Ontarians are getting a knack for braving subzero temperatures this winter. Unfortunately, Ontarians will continue to feel the chilling effect of the Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways (“MMS”) long after the snow has gone. Recent news about a large chunk of concrete allegedly falling from the Gardiner Expressway Bridge and smashing into the …

The “Inevitable” Accident Defence

The inevitable accident defence can be applied not only in cases of black ice or potholes, but also where accidents are attributed to a medical condition, sudden mechanical failure, or an animal darting onto the roadway.