Large-scale privatisation in Ukraine took a hit as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and was temporarily suspended in March 2020 as a quarantine measure. On 4 February 2021, the draft law No. 4543, which unblocks the ability to hold large-scale privatisation auctions, passed the first reading in the Ukrainian parliament.
In 2020, several significant judicial decisions were rendered across Canada relevant to commercial lenders, businesses and restructuring professionals. This bulletin summarizes the core issues of importance in each case and provides status updates on the cases reported on in our January 2020 bulletin, Key Developments in Canadian Insolvency Case Law in 2019.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, insolvent companies have sought court intervention relating to the payment of rent during lockdown periods. In the most recent decision on this issue, the Quebec Superior Court (Court) ruled that a debtor undergoing a restructuring under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (Canada) (CCAA) should not be relieved of its obligation to pay post-filing rent, even in circumstances where its ability to use the leased premises is constrained by governmental orders.
Dans une décision récente, la Cour d’appel de l’Ontario (la « Cour d’appel ») a infirmé une décision de première instance, laquelle avait été source de préoccupation pour les propriétaires commerciaux qui ont comme pratique courante d’utiliser des lettres de crédit pour garantir les obligations prévues à leurs baux commerciaux.
In a recent decision, the Ontario Court of Appeal (Ontario Appeal Court) reversed a lower court decision, which had created much concern among commercial landlords that routinely rely on letters of credit (LCs) to secure their commercial leases. The lower court limited the draw on an LC to the landlord’s preferred claim under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA), namely three months’ arrears and three months’ accelerated rent.
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Canadian Court) recently recognized, for the first time, an English company voluntary arrangement (CVA) proceeding commenced pursuant to the UK Insolvency Act 1986 (Insolvency Act).
On 17 October 2020, Ukraine enacted changes to the Code on Bankruptcy Procedures in order to protect businesses from the negative financial impact of COVID-19.
These changes provide businesses with additional time to recover from financial difficulties and protection from immediate legal action by creditors.
Upon passage of the amendments, creditors are prohibited from opening court proceedings for claims (matured after 12 March 2020) on the bankruptcy of legal entities and individual entrepreneurs.
On July 20, 2020, the Quebec Court of Appeal (Court of Appeal) released its decision in Séquestre de Media5 Corporation, overturning the lower court’s decision and authorizing the appointment of a receiver pursuant to section 243(1) of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA).
In May 2020 three years have passed[1] since Ukraine received the last funding of nearly USD 1 billion from the International Monetary Fund (the “IMF”). The funding that the IMF allocated to Ukraine was nearly four times larger than previous funding.
Le 8 mai 2020, suite à une décision unanime rendue séance tenante le 23 janvier 2020, la Cour suprême du Canada (la « Cour suprême ») a publié ses motifs dans le cadre des procédures d’insolvabilité de Bluberi Gaming Technologies Inc., désormais 9354‑9186 Québec inc., et al.