Uniform International Commercial Arbitration, Final Report 114

In this Report, ALRI recommends that Alberta adopt the Uniform International Commercial Arbitration Act (2014). ALRI’s recommendations are intended to bring Alberta’s international commercial arbitration law up-to-date with current international standards. Why is Change Needed? Alberta’s current International Commercial Arbitration Act is based on uniform legislation developed in 1986. The Alberta Act has fallen behind the advances that are being made internationally and in other provinces. By updating its legislation, Alberta will catch up to those jurisdictions […]

March 6, 2019

Interprovincial Recognition of Substitute Decision-making Documents: Personal Directives, Final Report 113

In 2016, the Uniform Law Conference of Canada adopted the Uniform Interjurisdictional Recognition of Substitute Decision-Making Documents Act as suitable for implementation across Canada. The Uniform Act seeks to provide harmonized rules for recognizing substitute decision-making documents (like enduring powers of attorney and personal directives) that are prepared outside of the jurisdiction in which they are sought to be used. This final report reviews ALRI’s consultation process and the feedback ALRI received in response to its preliminary […]

March 1, 2019

Property Division: Common Law Couples and Adult Interdependent Partners, Final Report 112

The Alberta Law Reform Institute recommends changes to the law for how common-law couples divide property if their relationship breaks down. This Report also recommends changes to the law for married couples who lived together before marriage and for adult interdependent partners who are not common law couples. Why is Law Reform Needed? 2016 Census data indicates that 320,260 Albertans consider themselves to be in common-law relationships. If common-law couples break up and cannot agree how […]

June 4, 2018

Competence and Communication in the Alberta Evidence Act, Final Report 111

On occasion, a court must determine whether a proposed witness is competent to give evidence. The question arises with child witnesses and may also arise for adults with cognitive impairment. Alberta legislation reflects outdated assumptions about children’s abilities and fails to address adults with cognitive impairment. It also has a gap affecting witnesses who use alternative means of communication. Other Canadian jurisdictions have already reformed legislation to address these issues. The Alberta Law Reform Institute […]

January 1, 2018

Interprovincial Recognition of Substitute Decision-Making Documents, Report 32

Substitute decision-making documents (also called powers of attorney, proxies, personal directives, etc…) delegate authority to one person to act on behalf of another with respect to financial, property or legal affairs and/or personal or health care matters. A valid substitute decision-making document must conform to the laws of the jurisdiction where it is executed. Execution requirements, however, are not uniform across jurisdictions. As a result, a substitute decision-making document may not be recognized outside of […]

December 1, 2017

Property Division: Living Together Before Marriage, Report 31

It is not uncommon for couples to live together before getting married. In some cases, they will acquire significant property, such as a home, furniture and a vehicle. While the Matrimonial Property Act [MPA] applies a presumption of equal division to property acquired during the marriage, it exempts the property acquired before the marriage. Consequently, the original value of that property is not divided on separation or divorce; only the increase in value of that property, from […]

October 31, 2017

Property Division: Common Law Couples and Adult Interdependent Partners, Report 30

In recent decades, it has become increasingly common for couples to live together without being legally married. Couples who live together in a marriage-like relationship without being legally married are often said to be living in a common-law relationship. In Alberta, there are no legislated rules for property division upon the breakdown of a common-law relationship. The Matrimonial Property Act applies only to married spouses. Property division for common-law partners is based on legal ownership and the […]

September 30, 2017

2017 Alberta Cohabitation Survey Results

In conjunction with its project on property division for common law couples and adult interdependent partners, ALRI partnered with the Population Research Lab at the University of Alberta to carry out a survey of Albertans’ attitudes and expectations towards cohabitation and property division. The survey resulted in 1,200 responses and helped guide the recommendations in Report for Discussion 30 – Property Division for Common Law Couples and Adult Interdependent Partners. Donna Fong, Rosanna Shih, and Dr. […]

September 8, 2017

2016-2017 Annual Report

July 1, 2017

2017-2018 Annual Report