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insights / Expropriation

Ontario Expropriation Lawyer: Is Expropriation Legal and Other Expropriation FAQs

“Expropriation” (known as “eminent domain” in some non-Canadian jurisdictions), occurs where a public authority or government acquires private property for some public project or public purpose. For example, land is often expropriated for transit-related projects (light rail transit, bus rapid transit, vehicular roadway widenings, bike lane projects, etc.), to build new schools, to facilitate underground […]

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I Have Been Contacted About an Expropriation: What Do I Do?

Landowners across Ontario are contacted regularly by property acquisition agents of government agencies such as municipalities or the Ministry of Transportation, when all or a portion of their land is required for a public project (such as road widening, light rail transit, etc.). Sometimes property acquisition specialists are employed by the authority or are sub-contracted […]

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A Critical Development in Canadian Expropriation Law: Canada Supreme Court on “Constructive” Expropriations

The Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) released a bombshell decision in October 2022 that expands on the idea of “constructive” or de facto expropriations and provides great commentary. The decision addresses both expropriation and land use planning elements of property law – rarely a focus of the Supreme Court. The decision arose from a property […]

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Expropriations Lawyer on Hamilton LRT Project: What to Know about the Pending Property Acquisitions

Read time: 3 minutes The Hamilton Light Rail Transit project (the “LRT Project”) is a multi-billion-dollar project that has been the subject of significant controversy. The LRT Project involves the creation of a 14km transit line between McMaster University and the Eastgate Square shopping mall. It was cancelled in 2019 due to insufficient funding, then […]

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Expropriation Lawyer: Understanding the Building Transit Faster Act

Read time: 5-6 minutes The Ontario government introduced Bill 171, An Act to enact the Building Transit Faster Act and make other related amendments to other Acts (Act), on February 18, 2020 for its first reading in the Ontario legislature. The Act is an attempt to remove roadblocks in the planning, design and construction process […]

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Highest & Best Use: Determining Market Value in Expropriation Compensation Claims with an Expropriation Lawyer

Determining Market Value in Expropriation Compensation Claims: Highest and Best Use Read time: 4 minutes Property owners facing expropriation can be entitled to significantly higher compensation when the highest and best use of land both before and after the expropriation is examined. This is critical in determining the appropriate and fair amount of compensation to […]

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10 Things To Know About Expropriation Law

Read time: 3-4 minutes With Ontario infrastructure spending at an all-time high, governmental land requirements are expanding; expropriation is occurring rapidly throughout Ontario. Here are 10 simple but crucial points you need to know if your land or business is being taken by the government. Expropriation. Expropriation is the government’s exercise of its right to acquire […]

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