Frank Douglas Lamie

The Ontario Nurses Association (ONA) brought a motion under the CCAA seeking an order to restructure the Victorian Order of Nurses for Canada (VON Canada) pension plan.

The ONA proposed transferring assets and liabilities related to VON Ontario employees into a new pension plan and sought a declaration that VON Ontario was not jointly and severally liable for any pension deficits.

The court dismissed the motion, finding that the ONA's proposal did not advance the CCAA's policy objectives of fostering going concern restructuring and avoiding liquidation.

The court also applied the business judgment rule, deferring to VON Canada's board decision to maintain the status quo, and deemed the request for a declaration on future liabilities premature and speculative.

The applicants sought continuation of insolvency proceedings from a Notice of Intention to make a proposal under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act into proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act.

The court considered whether the statutory requirements for continuation were satisfied and whether interim restructuring relief, including DIP financing, priority charges, and a stay of proceedings, should be granted.

The court found the debtor companies were insolvent and that continuation under the CCAA would stabilize operations, preserve employment, and maximize recovery for stakeholders.

The court approved DIP financing with a super‑priority charge, granted administration and director charges, authorized payment of critical suppliers, and ordered substituted service and sealing of confidential financial information.

The applicant debtor sought an urgent order appointing an interim receiver under s. 47.1 of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act during a Notice of Intention to Make a Proposal proceeding.

The motion requested authority for the interim receiver to borrow up to $1.5 million on a super‑priority basis to fund payroll and contractor obligations in order to maintain business operations.

The court held that the appointment was necessary to protect the debtor’s estate and the interests of creditors.

It further concluded that a super‑priority borrowing charge was appropriate despite the absence of explicit statutory authority for such financing in relation to interim receivers, relying on the court’s inherent jurisdiction.

The charges were granted with priority over construction lien and trust claims to avoid operational shutdown and preserve restructuring prospects.

Recognition proceedings were brought under the cross‑border insolvency provisions of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act concerning a foreign main liquidation proceeding in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

Multiple parties asserted competing claims to approximately $4 million in assets held by a Canadian financial institution.

Motions were pending regarding whether a stay of proceedings should be lifted or modified to permit bankruptcy proceedings in Canada or enforcement of claimed interests.

The court held there was insufficient time to fully argue the issues and maintained the existing interim stay and related orders to preserve the status quo pending a full hearing.

The endorsement emphasized that the interim directions were not intended to interfere with the foreign main proceeding.

In a bankruptcy proceeding involving the estate of a bankrupt developer, the moving parties sought determination of priorities among claims.

During the hearing, counsel requested that transcripts of viva voce evidence be provided in a fully searchable electronic format for use in the continuation of the hearing.

The court found the request reasonable in modern litigation practice, noting the increasing reliance on electronic transcripts by both counsel and judges.

Given the lack of standardized electronic transcript formats prescribed by the Ministry of the Attorney General, the court ordered that the transcripts be produced in a fully word-searchable electronic format.

The moving party sought production of documents and information held by a court‑appointed receiver in connection with an investigation related to alleged securities fraud proceedings before the Ontario Securities Commission.

The court considered whether the principles governing third‑party production established in R. v. O'Connor and R. v. McNeil applied to records held by a receiver acting as an officer of the court.

It held that although receivers generally are not required to disclose investigative materials beyond their reports, that protection cannot override an accused’s constitutional right to make full answer and defence.

Applying the O'Connor framework, the court required the moving party to demonstrate that the requested records were “likely relevant.” Only limited categories of documents met that threshold, including certain materials from lawyers, the accountant, and recovered emails, while most requests were rejected as speculative fishing expeditions.

The applicant secured creditor moved to lift a stay of proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act in order to appoint a receiver over insolvent debtor corporations.

The evidence showed that the court-approved sales process had collapsed, further DIP funding was unavailable after a sales process default, and the debtor companies’ board of directors had resigned, leaving operations effectively shut down.

The monitor supported the motion and no party opposed it.

Applying principles governing the lifting of a CCAA stay, including prejudice to stakeholders and the likelihood that the restructuring would fail, the court concluded that receivership was necessary to stabilize the situation and preserve asset value.