Calgary Real Estate, Wills and Estates, and Business Law Blog

One of the biggest grievances between employers and former employees relates to unpaid wages. In Alberta, the government has cracked down on such employment contract disputes. Despite these efforts, claims of unpaid continue to flow in, totalling $19 million last year alone.

The number of complaints to the province's labour ministry has been fairly consistent in recent years. In the fiscal year of 2014-2015, prior to the current government taking power, the ministry received 4,728. Last year, a similar number of 4,679 was reported. This year, nearly 4,900 complaints are expected to come in.

The transportation and truck driving industries employ many people across Canada. A recent fatal collision between a truck and a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos team has influenced Alberta lawmakers to pass a new business law mandating driver training for new commercial drivers. The province's Transportation Minister says the new regulation will be in place as early as Jan. 2019.

The legislative changes come as the result of charges being laid following the bus accident that left 16 people dead and 13 injured in rural Saskatchewan. The driver of a semi-truck coming from a Calgary-based shipper. He faces 29 criminal charges as a result, but the Transportation Minister acknowledges that business laws also have to be considered in the wake of this tragedy.

In many cases, it’s the probate process and administering the will that requires the most attention. It’s also the process that may create disputes over validity, mental capacity or how the estate is administered.

In addition to the probate process and administering a will, there are other tasks that need to be completed after someone passes that could affect the assets of the estate. Items such as closing the accounts after a will has been distributed, or cancelling pension and EI benefits, should all be looked after by the estate trustee. Failure to do so may result in issues for the estate trustee, such as the costs of overpayment to an estate.

Estate planning involves more than just choosing who will inherit your possessions when you pass away. Proper estate planning requires the selection of estate trustee, a power of attorney, legal guardians for minors and creating trusts.

We’ll examine some tips on what to keep in mind when organizing your estate. To start us off, here are some helpful points from national insurer Sun Life Financial to consider when drafting a will.