Quickscribe Services: BC Legislation - Publishing & Online Updates | Statutes & Regulations of British Columbia

Quickscribe has hand-selected a number of respected legal professionals who will provide thoughtful commentary and legislative insight with links to relevant case law throughout the legislation on Quickscribe Online 2.0

Quickscribe Contributors

	Michael Bain Michael Bain is a founding partner of HHBG Employment Lawyers where he practises employment law and administrative law. He has appeared at all levels of court in British Columbia and is the editor of The Advocate, an academic legal journal founded in 1943 which publishes articles "of interest to the lawyer and in the lawyer’s interest". Michael was a member of the steering committee of the Public Commission on Legal Aid in British Columbia and is a regular participant in the annual fundraising efforts of the CBA (BC) Benevolent Society. He served for 10 years as an elected representative of the Vancouver Bar Association, 8 of those as secretary-treasurer. Michael contributes annotations covering various categories of law and often includes references to articles and case summaries published in The Advocate. View Sample Annotations
	Richard Bereti Richard Bereti, of Harper Grey LLP, acts as Quickscribe’s expert annotator in the area of environmental law. Richard is Chair of the firm’s Environmental Law Group and provides advice on liability issues arising under the Environmental Management Act, the Contaminated Sites Regulation and other provincial and federal environmental statutes. He will be contributing annotations to key environmental legislation in Quickscribe Online’s legislation service. View Sample Annotations
	Ryan Bortolin Ryan Bortolin is a partner with Stewart McDannold Stuart. He is a member of the firm’s solicitor’s group. He advises clients on the full range of legal matters that confront local governments, including bylaw drafting, procurement and tendering, development matters, privacy, real estate transactions, and governance issues. He has represented local governments at all levels of court in BC on matters ranging from bylaw enforcement to contractual disputes. Ryan has presented on several different topics related to local governments. Ryan contributes annotations to Quickscribe in the area of local government law. View Sample Annotations
	John-Paul Boyd John-Paul Boyd acts as Quickscribe’s expert annotator for family law. John-Paul practiced family law for fourteen years in Vancouver before becoming the executive director of the Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family at the University of Calgary in 2013. John-Paul returned to private practice in 2018 and provides services throughout Alberta and British Columbia as a family law arbitrator, mediator and parenting coordinator. John-Paul is counsel for Wise Scheible Barkauskas. He is the founding author of the public legal education wikibook JP Boyd on Family Law and its former syndicated companion blog, the first blog to be cited in a Canadian judgment. He is a frequent speaker on family law subjects for the National Judicial Institute, the National Family Law Program and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. John-Paul’s work has been published by the federal Department of Justice, Canadian Family Law Quarterly, the UBC Law Review and the International Journal of Law, Policy and the Family. He is a juror of the Walter Owen Book Prize for legal research and a member of the advisory board of the Canadian Journal of Family Law. John-Paul is a former fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers and a member of the ADR Institute of Canada, the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, and Family Mediation Canada. View Sample Annotations
	Bill Buholzer Bill Buholzer, associate counsel at Young Anderson Barristers and Solicitors, is Quickscribe’s local government law expert. Bill is a respected authority on land use and planning law, and is the author of British Columbia Planning Law and Practice as well as the "Planning and Zoning" title in Halsbury’s Laws of Canada. Bill is also the author of Local Government in British Columbia: A British Columbia Legal Handbook, published by the BC Continuing Legal Education Society, and is frequently invited to speak at CLE courses on local government law. He is a past chair of the Municipal Law Section of the BC Branch of the Canadian Bar Association and also served on the executive of the CBA’s National Municipal Law Section. Bill teaches planning law at VIU, UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning, and regularly instructs courses in Simon Fraser University’s City Program. In 2010 Bill was elected to the College of Fellows of the Canadian Institute of Planners, and in 2017 he was awarded the Local Government Management Association’s President’s Award for his many years of outstanding support and advice to the LGMA and its members. View Sample Annotations
	Deborah M. Cumberford Deborah M. Cumberford has over thirty years experience as a research lawyer. She has worked for several prominent litigation firms in Vancouver conducting legal research and preparing legal opinions for complex civil disputes at all court levels. Deborah was an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of British Columbia where she taught legal research and writing. She is the author of the Annotated BC Business Corporations Act (3rd ed.) and the Annotated BC Company Act (2nd ed.) and a contributor to the BC Continuing Legal Education’s case digesting publication. Deborah has also assisted in the preparation of several working papers for the BC Law Reform Commission and the BC Law Institute. She acts as Quickscribe’s expert annotator in the area of business corporations law. View Sample Annotations
	Veronica Franco Veronica Franco is a senior partner at one of Western Canada’s largest law firms, Clark Wilson, leading its strata property law group. She has appeared at all levels of court in BC and before administrative tribunals, such as the Human Rights Tribunal and the Civil Resolution Tribunal. She is one of the authors and editors of the Strata Property Practice Manual for the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia. With over 25 years of experience, Veronica is a leader in British Columbia’s strata law community and is routinely invited to speak to industry and public audiences alike for the Condominium Home Owners Association, the Professional Association of Managing Agents, and the Canadian Condominium Institute. Veronica is an alumna of Harvard Law School, where she has earned her Leadership in Law Firms certificate. As a Quickscribe expert annotator, Veronica will continue sharing her strata law knowledge. View Sample Annotations
	Gregory Gehlen Greg Gehlen was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1984. His practice at Gehlen Dabbs focuses on insolvency matters including corporate restructuring, security realization, and bankruptcy. He is currently Chair of the Insolvency Discussion Group, a forum of accountants and lawyers practising in the area of insolvency. Greg has lectured on insolvency issues at CLEBC conferences as well as conferences for other professional groups such as accountants and doctors, and each year contributes the chapter on bankruptcy and insolvency for CLEBC’s Annual Review of Law & Practice. He published annotations on Quickscribe in the area of bankruptcy and insolvency. View Sample Annotations
	Katherine Hardie Katherine Hardie has been in-house counsel to the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal since 1998. Before that, Katherine was counsel with the British Columbia Public Interest Advocacy Centre and the Legal Services Society, and an associate in the employment and labour law department of a national law firm. She has appeared before administrative tribunals and before all levels of court, federal and provincial, on judicial review of administrative action. Katherine has law degrees from UBC and the University of Toronto. She is a frequent presenter on issues related to human rights and judicial review. Katherine annotates the Human Rights Code and related legislation. View Sample Annotations
	Melanie Harmer Melanie Harmer is a partner at McMillan LLP, where she practises in the areas of administrative law, civil litigation, and employment law. Melanie frequently appears before administrative tribunals and before courts on judicial review of administrative decisions. She is also regularly called upon to research and prepare complex legal opinions and draft submissions to the court in all areas of law. Prior to joining McMillan LLP, Melanie clerked for the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Melanie is Quickscribe’s expert annotator in the area of administrative law. View Sample Annotations
	Christopher Hirst Christopher Hirst is Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang’s Managing Partner and the leader of the firm’s Construction + Engineering Practice. Chris is also a member of the firm’s Environmental, Insurance and Maritime Practices. His practice is focused on assisting construction industry clients in the management of procurement issues, the negotiation and drafting of contracts, and the resolution of builders’ liens and other construction-based litigation. Chris is a frequent speaker and writer on legal issues of interest to the construction and business communities. He is a contributing author to the BC Builders Lien Practice Manual, published by the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia. Chris contributes annotations in the area of builders’ lien and construction law on Quickscribe. View Sample Annotations
	Laura Johnston Laura Johnston is the Legal Director at Health Justice, a non-profit organization that engages in education, research, and advocacy to promote human rights in mental health and substance use care in BC. Before Health Justice, Laura represented clients with many different forms of mental disabilities, as well as disability rights organizations, in constitutional and administrative cases before multiple tribunals and levels of court in Canada. She has also conducted research and law reform initiatives to improve access to justice, fairness, and Charter rights for marginalized populations. Laura teaches Mental Health Law as an Adjunct Professor at the Allard School of Law at UBC and frequently provides education to legal and medical professionals on topics like the Mental Health Act, Adult Guardianship Act, and Health Care (Consent) and Care (Facility) Admission Act. View Sample Annotations
	Don Lidstone Don Lidstone, K.C., partner at Lidstone & Company in Vancouver, will act as Quickscribe’s expert annotator in the area of local government law. Don has been practicing in the area of local government law since 1980 and has published numerous papers and consulted on the development of the Community Charter as well as other municipal statutes in a number of provinces. He has also worked with Quickscribe to help us maintain our popular BC Local Government Index, which is still being used by nearly every local government in BC. Don will be contributing annotations to key local government laws within the Quickscribe Online 2.0 legislation service. View Sample Annotations
	Scott Marcinkow Scott Marcinkow is a Partner with Harper Grey and is the Chair of the firm’s Workplace Law Group. He is also a member of their Health Law and Professional Regulation groups. Scott works with employers and employees on a wide variety of workplace issues, including terminations, wrongful dismissal litigation, sexual harassment claims, restrictive covenants, employment contracts, workplace policies, and much more. Scott contributes annotations to key workplace legislation. View Sample Annotations
	Paul McLean Paul McLean, a Partner with Mathews Dinsdale & Clark LLP, has been defending employers across Western Canada for over twenty-five years. He has significant experience in the mining, transportation, hospitality, construction and financial sectors. Recognized as a leading practitioner by Best Lawyers and Lexpert, Paul provides strategic counsel to clients concerning occupational health and safety matters, workplace litigation, inquests, workers’ compensation and human rights issues. Like many lawyers, he frequently finds himself in court or before administrative tribunals and arbitrators. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Employment Law at the UBC Faculty of Law. Paul contributes annotations in the area of occupational health and safety law on Quickscribe. View Sample Annotations
	Michael Moll Michael Moll is a partner with Civic Legal LLP and has over 17 years of experience advising and representing local governments. Michael is a regular speaker for the Government Finance Officers Association of BC, including at its annual workshop on municipal tax sales. He was a co-contributor to chapters on subdivision regulation and development cost charges in four editions of the BC CLE’s British Columbia Real Estate Development Practice Manual. Michael maintains a mixed practice of both litigation and solicitor work with a particular focus on local government finance, collections, bylaw regulation and bylaw enforcement. In 2014, Michael obtained a Master of Laws degree from the University of Toronto, writing a thesis on the municipal regulation of business. Michael contributes annotations to Quickscribe primarily focused on local government finance legislation. View Sample Annotations
	Joel Morris Joel Morris is a partner in Harper Grey’s Health Law group and acts as Quickscribe’s expert annotator in health law. His practice focuses on the defence of physicians in actions involving allegations of professional negligence, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and intentional torts. Joel has been recognized as a leading practitioner in the area of medical negligence law. View Sample Annotations
	Onpoint Legal Research Corporation OnPoint Legal Research Law Corporation, founded by research lawyer Sarah Picciotto, has come on board as an annotation contributor to Quickscribe Online 2.0. For over fifteen years, OnPoint has been providing top-quality research, analysis, and writing services to lawyers in British Columbia, Alberta, and across Canada. All OnPoint research lawyers have completed a clerkship at the BCCA or SCC and obtained essential practice experience as lawyers with major downtown firms. OnPoint provides a range of services, from researching and drafting memoranda, pleadings, and factums, to engaging in legal strategy sessions. Their research lawyers are well versed with both traditional research sources and the latest in research technology. View Sample Annotations
	Mark Oulton Mark Oulton is litigation counsel at Nathanson Schachter & Thompson LLP, practicing general civil and administrative litigation with a focus on forestry and commercial disputes. Mark has appeared as counsel before the BC Utilities Commission, the Forest Appeals Commission, all levels of the British Columbia and Federal Courts and the Supreme Court of Canada. Mark has acted as counsel in a variety of commercial matters, including cases involving negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, shareholder and partnership disputes, breach of contract and real estate disputes. He regularly acts on behalf of large and small licensees in forestry related matters, including stumpage appeals, contractor disputes, including proceedings under Timber Harvesting Contract and Subcontract Regulation, compensation claims and arbitrations. Mark is a regular contributor to the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia, writing and speaking on forestry and practice related matters. Mark has also spoken at conferences for Insight. View Sample Annotations
	Guy Patterson Guy Patterson is a partner at Young Anderson in Vancouver. He clerked at the BC Supreme Court before joining the firm in 2014. His practice focuses on planning and land use management law, including subdivision regulation. He is an instructor for the SFU City Program and adjunct professor at the UBC School of Community and Regional Planning, and a frequent speaker at professional development sessions for planners and subdivision approving officers. Before law school he graduated from the UBC planning school and worked as a planner for local governments and non-profit organizations for almost 10 years. Guy is Quickscribe’s expert annotator for planning and land use management. View Sample Annotations
	Public Guardian and Trustee The Public Guardian and Trustee is a corporation established under the Public Guardian and Trustee Act, with a unique statutory role to protect the interests of British Columbians who lack the legal capacity to protect their own interests. The mandate of the PGT is to protect the legal and financial interests of children under the age of 19 years, protect the legal, financial, personal and health care interests of adults who require assistance in decision-making, and administer the estates of deceased and missing persons. The PGT is both an independent organization and an Officer of the Supreme Court, with a fiduciary role exercised solely in the interests of the persons served. The PGT’s authority to provide services is found in numerous statutes, including the Child, Family and Community Service Act, the Infants Act, the Adult Guardianship Act, the Adoption Act, the Patients Property Act, the Wills, Estates and Succession Act, and many others. Dan Orsetti has been in-house counsel at the PGT since 2008, and has worked in Child and Youth Services, Services to Adults, and the Executive Office. Dan provides research and advice to the PGT on a wide variety of legal matters. View Sample Annotations
	Peter J. Roberts Peter J. Roberts, a partner at the law firm Lawson Lundell LLP, will act as Quickscribe’s expert annotator in the area of property law. Peter has extensive experience in property law disputes, contracts, real estate litigation and other related areas of law. As a writer, his articles have been published in a variety of publications including the Canadian Bar Association’s BarTalk. Peter has also been invited to speak at a number of events including a number of speaking engagements with the Continuing Legal Education Society of BC. View Sample Annotations
	Rachel Roy Rachel Roy is a partner at Allevato Quail & Roy and will act as Quickscribe’s expert annotator in the area of campaign law. Rachel provides advice related to electoral finance and campaign regulation to candidates and political parties as well as third party organizations at the municipal, provincial, and federal level. In addition to her experience as in-house legal counsel to a national political party, Rachel has significant expertise in assisting clients with judicial recounts, investigations by regulatory bodies including Elections BC and Elections Canada, and compliance with applicable privacy, CRTC, CASL, and campaign finance rules. View Sample Annotations
	Stan Rule Stan Rule, a partner at the law firm Sabey Rule LLP in Kelowna, acts as a Quickscribe expert annotator in the area of wills and estates legislation. Stan is an experienced lawyer who is considered by many as an authoritative leader in this area of practice and is a frequent lecturer and writer on wills, estates and related disputes. He has published numerous papers for CLE and is the author of Rule of Law blog, which was listed as a top Canadian legal blog in the March 2008 edition of Canadian Lawyer Magazine. View Sample Annotations
	Teresa Tomchak Teresa Tomchak is a partner with the law firm Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP in Vancouver. Teresa has extensive experience in securities litigation and regulation and has been involved in numerous shareholder disputes, hostile take-over bids and proxy fights. She has also been involved in contested plans of arrangement and securities class actions. Teresa’s practice also includes securities regulatory matters. Teresa has represented clients during investigations and enforcement hearings before various provincial securities commissions. Such matters have included allegations of insider trading, illegal distributions, market manipulation, discretionary trading, suitability matters and fraud. Teresa regularly deals with registration requirements under securities legislation with respect to trading in securities. Teresa provides ongoing annotations to securities legislation on Quickscribe. View Sample Annotations
	Jeff Waatainen Jeff Waatainen, a senior forestry lawyer with DLA Piper LLP in Vancouver, acts as Quickscribe’s expert annotator in the area of forestry law. Jeff has worked with Quickscribe in the past and has provided valuable commentary on forestry legislative changes via the Quickscribe Forestry Law Reporter. Jeff has a wealth of experience regarding regulatory and commercial law in the BC forest industry. He has appeared before administrative tribunals that govern the industry, and worked on major commercial transactions within the industry. Jeff will be contributing annotations to key forestry laws within the Quickscribe Online legislation service. View Sample Annotations
	Karen Zimmer Karen R. Zimmer leads Alexander Holburn’s Defamation + Publication Risk Management and Information + Privacy Practice Groups. Karen advises public and private organizations on their statutory privacy obligations, including with respect to freedom of information requests, privacy policies and privacy impact assessments, complaints to and inquiries before the privacy commissioners, and judicial reviews of same. She is also experienced in defending privacy class actions as well as providing breach coaching, including working with global teams where the breach involves multiple jurisdictions. Karen is recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada™ 2023 for work in privacy and data security law. Karen has extensive experience in providing both reputation risk management and defense work to a variety of clients, including media clients, health authorities, school boards, universities and colleges, municipalities, and various other professions. She is also retained to effectively pursue remedies when one’s reputation has been harmed. She frequently appears in both levels of court in British Columbia, as well as occasionally in other jurisdictions, including the Yukon. She is often asked to speak on defamation and privacy law, and was a speaker at the 2022 Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia course on Defamation, Privacy, and Media Law, on the topics of SLAPP applications, and libel, privacy and the online world, and for which she authored the paper, “Utilizing the Courts for an Online Reputational Scrub, and the Potential Emergence of a Right to Be Forgotten in Canada.” View Sample Annotations

Any and all annotations posted by Quickscribe's Expert Annotators (QEAs) do not constitute legal advice and must not be so relied upon by the reader. Persons requiring further information or advice with respect to their specific circumstances should consult with a lawyer.

The content or links to content posted within the annotations do not necessarily represent those of QS and are only intended as general commentary on the potential implications of legislative changes to a particular area of law.

Annotations do not necessarily reflect the official rationale of government or the legislature for any legislative change. While every effort is made to ensure all annotations are relevant, neither QS nor the QEA make any representations as to the accuracy of any commentary, references or claims within the annotations.

The use of the term "Quickscribe Expert Annotator" is not intended to imply or suggest that QS Expert Annotators have any special status or accreditation.

Annotate. Collaborate. Inform.

Quickscribe Contributors