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Top Insolvency Cases and Highlights from 2017

Top Insolvency Cases and Highlights from 2017 With the passing of another year, McCarthy Ttrault's National Bankruptcy & Restructuring Group takes a look at the trends, leading cases and other insolvency highlights from 2017. This publication puts at your fingertips a summary of the year's biggest insolvency cases and developments from across the country and highlights some of the most talked-about cases and issues from 2017, including deemed trusts, the monitor's role in oppression actions, equitable subordination and more. This report was authored by Heather L.

Canada, Ontario, Quebec, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Bankruptcy, Limited liability partnership, Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act 1933 (Canada), Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act 1985 (Canada), Supreme Court of Canada
Top Insolvency Cases and Highlights from 2017 - Part 1

2017 saw a number of interesting and important developments in Canadian insolvency and restructuring matters. Some of the highlights (which, in certain instances, will continue as issues in 2018 and beyond) are set forth below:

1) Trends: Fewer CCAA Filings and Retail Insolvencies in the News

Canada, Ontario, Quebec, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Bankruptcy, Liquidation, Secured creditor, Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (Canada), Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act 1985 (Canada), Supreme Court of Canada, Court of Appeal for Ontario
Court Confirmation of Strata Wind-Up Resolutions - The Experience So Far in B.C.

Introduction

Before July 2016, in order to wind-up a strata corporation voluntarily through a liquidator in B.C., unanimous approval of the strata owners was generally required. The unanimity requirement made strata wind-ups a rare event, and consequently it was exceedingly difficult for owners to sell a strata complex in its entirety for redevelopment. In an influential 2015 report, the B.C. Law Institute (“BCLI”) identified some of the problems with the unanimity requirement:

Canada, British Columbia, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, Real Estate, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Liquidator (law), British Columbia Supreme Court
Carillion Group Liquidation

A number of companies within the Carillion group have been placed in compulsory liquidation. The Official Receiver has been appointed as liquidator, with support from PwC. It has been confirmed that there is no prospect of any return to shareholders.

Given the size of Carillion, the UK's second-biggest construction company, with 43,000 employees and contracts on a wide range of projects, including a number of flagship infrastructure projects, this will inevitably have a significant impact on the UK construction sector as a whole. Official advice from PwC is:

United Kingdom, Insolvency & Restructuring, Beale & Co, Carillion
Operator’s Liens and the PPSA Priority Regime

Joint venture partners commonly enter into operating agreements which grant operators a security interest, referred to as an operator’s lien. Operator’s liens are, for the most part, consensual and contractual security interests subject to the provisions of the Personal Property Security Act, RSA 2000, c P-7 (the “PPSA”) and the priority regime set out therein.

Canada, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Counting the cost Court of Appeal finds ATE policy is not sufficient security for costs

The Court of Appeal raises the bar for insolvent claimants on security for costs

United Kingdom, Insolvency & Restructuring, Insurance, Litigation, Beale & Co, Insurance Act 2015 (UK), Court of Appeal (England and Wales)
Proposed Amendments to Insolvency Legislation Granting Super-priority to Pension Plan Deficits and Employee Benefits

This fall, the NDP and the Bloc Québécois (“Bloc”) have both introduced private member’s bills seeking to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act(“BIA”) and the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (“CCAA”).

Canada, Quebec, Employee Benefits & Pensions, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Bankruptcy, Unemployment benefits, Canada Pension Plan Act 1985, Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act 1985 (Canada)
Two recently published decisions in the TCC considered the enforceability of an Adjudicator’s decision and insolvency issues

Two recently published decisions in the TCC considered the enforceability of an Adjudicator's decision and insolvency issues

Typically, the TCC has sought to enforce an Adjudicator's decision and the avenues for the losing party to challenge the award is narrow. The case law regarding what may and may not give rise to a successful challenge is well known and outside the scope of this note.

United Kingdom, Arbitration & ADR, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, Beale & Co, Technology and Construction Court
Crown priority under section 222(3) of the Excise Tax Act

We have recently profiled conflicting cases (available here and here) dealing with a priority contest between supe

Canada, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, Tax, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Bankruptcy, Debtor, Excise, Secured creditor, Canada Revenue Agency, Income-Tax Act 1961 (India), Supreme Court of Canada, Federal Court of Appeal (Canada)
Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench Reiterates Court’s Discretion to Grant an Interim Financing Charge “Super-Priority” Status in the Face of a Deemed Trust Under the Income Tax Act

This blog’s most recent post considered the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia’s June 2017 decision of Rosedale Farms Limited, Hassett Holdings Inc., Resurgam Resources (Re) (“Rosedale”) where the Cou

Canada, Insolvency & Restructuring, Litigation, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Secured creditor, Canada Revenue Agency, Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act 1985 (Canada)