On January 31, 2019, the Supreme Court of Canada released its decision in Orphan Well Association v. Grant Thornton Ltd., popularly known as Redwater. In a 5-2 split decision, a majority of the Supreme Court allowed the appeal and held that the Alberta Energy Regulator’s (AER/Regulator) assertion of its statutory enforcement powers over an insolvent licensee’s assets does not create a conflict with the federal Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA) as to trigger the constitutional doctrine of federal paramountcy.
Canada, Energy & Natural Resources, Environment & Climate Change, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Alberta Energy Regulator, Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act 1985 (Canada), Supreme Court of Canada