In Re Crystallex, 2012 ONCA 404, the Ontario Court of Appeal unanimously upheld unusually broad DIP financing arrangements granted pursuant to section 11.2 of the Canadian Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) despite the vociferous objections of substantially all of Crystallex’s creditors. By dismissing the appeal, the Court endorsed the supervising CCAA judge’s approval of:
You are probably aware of the useful restructuring and creditor protection process available to insolvent entities in the United States under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. In Canada, more than one insolvency regime is available in respect of debtor companies in financial difficulty and those interested in acquiring such companies or their assets. However, because of its flexibility, the most commonly used Canadian regime for larger debtor companies or complicated restructurings is the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (Canada) (the "CCAA").
In Ontario, a debtor-in-possession (“DIP”) lender is usually granted a charge by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List) (the “Court”) over the assets of the debtor which is under the protection of the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (the “CCAA”) to secure the repayment of the DIP loan. The priority of the charge is set out in the order granting the charge. Most such orders provide that prior to exercising its rights and remedies against the debtor after an event of default, the DIP lender must appl
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List) recently declined to grant a receivership order under section 243 of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada) (“BIA”) and s. 101 of the Courts of Justice Act (Ontario) (“CJA”) or to approve a proposed “quick flip” transaction among related companies on the basis of an insufficient evidentiary record. Insolvency practitioners should take note of this case, 9-Ball Interests Inc. v.
Synopsis
In the latest decision of the British Columbia Supreme Court (the “Court”) regarding the bankruptcy of Ted LeRoy Trucking Ltd. (“TLT”), the Court found that unpaid remittances owed by TLT to third party benefit providers constituted “wages” within the meaning of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (“BIA). This entitled the benefit providers to super priority secured status in the bankruptcy of TLT.
The Facts
Prior to the 2009 amendments (the “Amendments”) to the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (the “CCAA”),1 courts exercising jurisdiction under that statute could, in the appropriate circumstances, approve “roll up” debtor in possession (“DIP”) financing arrangements. While it can take different forms, in essence, a “roll up” DIP loan facility is an arrangement whereby an existing lender refinances or repays its pre-filing loan by way of borrowings under the new DIP loan facility. The priority status of the charge granted by the court to secure the DIP
- Introduction
The doctrine of equitable subordination in bankruptcy cases has long been recognized by U.S. courts and subsequently codified in the United States in section 510(c) of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.1
In 2008, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in Saulnier5 that a commercial fishing licence constitutes ‘property’ within the context of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (“BIA”) and the Nova Scotia PPSA6, thereby allowing the trustee in bankruptcy to seize the licence from the bankrupt.
In turbulent and uncertain financial times, employers and employees more often than ever find themselves immersed in and affected by insolvency proceedings. Particularly for employees, there is often misunderstanding and misinformation respecting the nature of the proceedings and employees’ rights thereunder. In this article, after a brief description of the most common forms of insolvency proceedings in Canada, the rights and entitlements of employees under these proceedings will be discussed.
Bankruptcy
We have prepared this Business Law Guide as a general overview of certain legal and business matters that may be relevant to a decision to establish or invest in a business in Canada.