See some of the most frequently asked questions about our law reform project on access to digital assets by fiduciaries. Learn more about what digital assets are, the problems that arise from signing user agreements and the obstacles people can face with trying to access when trying to access a loved one's digital assets after their death or incapacity.
ALRI extends its heartfelt thanks to Don Cranston, K.C. for his service as Board Chair. Don joined the ALRI Board as the nominee of the Law Society of Alberta in 2016. After his term as LSA President, Don continued on the ALRI Board as a member at large and was unanimously elected as chair in 2018. ALRI Executive Director, Sandra Petersson, K.C., states "It has been an honour to work with Don. He is an [...]
The Alberta Law Reform Institute is excited to announce that current Board member Deirdre McKenna K.C. will serve as Chair of ALRI's board of directors. Since Ms. McKenna joined ALRI's board in 2018, the Institute has benefitted from her expertise and contributions with several of its law reform projects being implemented into legislation. Her commitment to improving the laws of Alberta made her the natural choice for Chair of ALRI's board. ALRI wishes outgoing Chair [...]
Take a few minutes to meet ALRI student researcher Rachel Poznikoff. Rachel is a law student going into her third year at the University of Alberta. She has a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Psychology from Simon Fraser University. While at Simon Fraser University, she assisted on research relating to children’s memory in forensic settings. In law school she has volunteered with the Student Legal Services Wills Project, Do-Your-Own-Divorce Clinic, and Trans-ID Clinic. In [...]
Take a few minutes to meet ALRI student researcher Sawyer Nessel! Sawyer Nessel is a law student at the University of Alberta who will be starting her third year of law school in the fall. Sawyer has a Bachelor of Commerce from MacEwan University. Prior to joining ALRI, Sawyer worked in a variety of industries, including law, parks maintenance, customer service, road construction, and more. In her free time, Sawyer enjoys visiting family and friends, [...]
The Alberta Law Reform Institute is recommending legislation that would make it easier for fiduciaries to access a deceased person's digital assets after their death. Digital assets are digital records of information stored with service providers like Google and Facebook. Challenges arise post-death due to restrictive service agreements creating difficulties accessing digital assets even with legal authority. ALRI suggests adopting legislation to affirm fiduciaries' authority over digital assets and compel online service providers to provide [...]
More than ever, people are storing their important personal information and other digital property online within the servers of large American companies such as Google, Facebook, and Apple. These “digital assets” can be anything from precious family photos and records to sensitive financial and legal information. What Canadians don’t realize is that outdated laws govern who can access those assets after the owner dies or loses capacity. Even with all the necessary documents proving a [...]
The Alberta Law Reform Institute is making recommendations for how people living in Alberta can alter or revoke their electronic will. Get ALRI’s full report, Alteration and Revocation of Electronic Wills, Final Report 120. A consultation summary and recommendations summary are also available as companion documents. The Need for Reform People are increasingly using digital tools to manage their personal affairs. In some jurisdictions, wills are no longer restricted to paper and individuals are beginning [...]
