Invictus Legal LLP – Legal Services in St. Catharines

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At Invictus Legal Services in St. Catharines, our Paralegals pay close attention to your legal issues and desired outcomes and we focus our years of legal and practical experience on resolving your matter(s).  We offer a broad range of paralegal services to residents of our practice areas. 

You need results.  We deliver!

We begin by listening and understanding what you wish to achieve. Then we craft our advice to your needs and your fact scenario.  For you, results matter and the same is true for us.  Results for us are happy clients.  Or maybe we should say satisfied clients who have achieved their anticipated results.  Because we take on the matters that matter to you, results matter.

With our varied background and experience, we provide many avenues and ideas to reach your destination.  Call us today for a consultation, and learn your rights and options now! Read more… “Invictus Legal LLP – Legal Services in St. Catharines” →

Why Invictus

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From Browne & Associates Legal Services

In the Niagara Region, many knew the name Browne and Associates Legal Services as a provider of excellent legal services.  Angela Browne and her team have been providing legal services for nearly three decades. They have been known for providing high-quality results for their clients for many years.

The years of 2021 and 2022 were a time for a change in many businesses and it was the same for us. The pandemic brought an increasing set of legal problems for the people of Niagara.

The company started from a cramped office with a law clerk and assistant to an office with multiple legal representatives.  From representing primarily residents in the Niagara area, we have been able to expand to representing residents across the province.  Our paralegals are taking on challenging cases in a wide variety of specialties and the clientele has grown correspondingly. The business grew in terms of demand for different specialties, starting with 2019, and then the pandemic hit.  Like many businesses, the pandemic brought a lot of interesting challenges, initially layoffs, then spurring growth in all sorts of areas. Read more… “Why Invictus” →

We Are Invictus Legal

Invictus Legal LLP provides paralegal services in St Catharines and all the cities in the Niagara region and always works in your best interests.

Regions Served

Our team of paralegals works for clients across the Niagara region and across Southern Ontario. St Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, and Port Colborne are essential urban centres in the Niagara Region. St Catharines is the largest city in the region, with approximately 139,000 residents. Niagara Falls is the second city in the region, with a population of 89,000. The Niagara region is part of southern Ontario, 50 kilometres across Lake Ontario from the City of Toronto.

Invictus Legal LLP is based firmly in the heart of “The Garden City” and serves the Niagara region, Hamilton, Burlington and much of the Greater Toronto Area.

Invictus Legal not only serves the Niagara Region but also has clients in Hamilton, Brantford, Burlington, Mississauga, Toronto, Brantford, Kitchener-Waterloo and other cities in Southern Ontario

Legal Services to Serve You

Invictus Legal LLP provides affordable legal services throughout Southern Ontario.

We service client problems in respect of landlord and tenant law, contract disputes, tort claims, construction law, administrative law, mediation, business and commerce, criminal law (summary), traffic tickets, municipal violations (building and fire codes), and a wide variety of provincial offences. We also assist with accident benefits, disability claims, ODSP, WISIAT, and human rights matters.

The goal of Invictus Legal is to provide professional legal services that matter to you and to fight for you where you need it most.

What Are Human Rights and What Can I Do to Enforce Them?

How the Pandemic has Brought These Issues to Light

During our brush with a global pandemic, we heard from various groups and their human rights.  Many complain that public health restrictions have been an infringement on their ‘human rights’.  Many of these groups have since filed cases in court to challenge these restrictions, although it is not clear yet that any court has ruled in their favour.

Some litigants in these cases conflate ‘human rights’ with Charter rights, the latter of which is constitutionally protected by law.  The Charter of Rights and Freedoms are restricted only to state-controlled entities, such as governments, public health departments and the police.  Further, each case is assessed by the Courts to determine if a law, an action, a public protection order (such as a lockdown or masking order) or process, infringes one’s rights. Read more… “What Are Human Rights and What Can I Do to Enforce Them?” →

Evictions Under Bill 184: Are They Really Easier?

What is Bill 184?

Bill 184 is comprised of at least in part changes to the Residential Tenancies Act, the law governing relations between residential landlords and tenants in Ontario.  Prior to the Bill’s passage, many tenant groups protested and warned us all that thousands of tenants will be evicted without a hearing.  In fact, nothing much at that end has changed, other than allowing landlords and tenants to make private arrangements outside the Landlord and Tenant Board that can be enforced in the same way as if they attended mediation on Hearing Day.

Can a Tenant be Evicted Without a Hearing Under this New Law?

First, we need to discuss facts about the existing Act before Bill 184 came into place.  As someone that has represented hundreds of parties before the Board over the years of its existence, the Act always had an option for what is called an ‘ex parte’ hearing.  The Landlord and Tenant go to a Hearing but, before the hearing they sort out their issues with the help of a Mediator.  After they arrive at an agreement, they attend before the Adjudicator and ask for a consent order.  A Consent Order is what makes the agreement enforceable and less likely to be overturned on review. Read more… “Evictions Under Bill 184: Are They Really Easier?” →

Property rentals.

Navigating the Complexities of Landlord and Tenant Law in the Times of Pandemic

Introduction

The Province of Ontario called a state of emergency on March 16, 2020.  A staged lock-down of the Province’s normal activities of business was called to contain the COVID-19 virus.  Among other tribunals, the Landlord and Tenant Board closed its doors to many of its services.  However, the Board still conducts telephone hearings and accepts new Applications.

The enforcement of evictions through the Sheriff is suspended.  The activities of the Board appear to be ground to a halt.

How This Impacts Landlords

Property rentals.As soon as the pandemic began and our economy began to shut down, many tenants across Ontario lost their jobs.  It was evident that many would be unable to pay their rent in April 2020.  A tenant movement across the province encouraged people to “keep their rent”, while our economy shut down.   Many small landlords have called our office for help. Read more… “Navigating the Complexities of Landlord and Tenant Law in the Times of Pandemic” →

Pros and Cons of Becoming a Landlord in Ontario

Landlording as a Business

Many prospective investors have asked me if it was worth their while becoming a Landlord.  They read the horror stories in the newspapers about tenants that overstay their ‘visit’ for months at a time.  These tenants squat while their landlords continue to pay the bills.  They read about tenants that have left their newly renovated properties in such a wreck that one wonders how they can find good tenants that would care for their property as they have done.

Prospective landlords also want to know how much to ask for in rent, as they do not want to overcharge or lose money.  Asking for too little over the long term might seem worth it to attract tenants, but over time expenses might absorb most or all of it.  Asking too much might not attract many tenants, or it might put one at risk of tenants falling behind in payments.  Striking that fine balance is a business decision all landlords have to make.  It is important to know that most tenants are decent people who will treat your property with care and pay their rent on time. Read more… “Pros and Cons of Becoming a Landlord in Ontario” →

TENANTS – A NEW EVICTION TRICK BY SOME LANDLORDS

Landlord and Tenant Disputes

Our office receives calls from Tenants who are bewildered after getting an eviction notice when they never got a Hearing at the Landlord and Tenant Board.  They ask me if it is legal to do this.  My answer to this as always, is “it depends”.

I will often ask the Tenant if anything had taken place between them and the Landlord recently.  Was there a Board appearance, a mediation, or did they sign an agreement to terminate (N11)?  We have been told by Tenants that their Landlords put them to duress to sign a form to say they will move by a particular date.  Many Tenants are not aware of what these Forms are.  When I ask them if they signed any forms, they often say, “Yes, I did.  Did I do something wrong?”.

No.  As a Tenant, you did nothing wrong.   You probably did not know what you were signing.  Many Tenants have not planned to move from their rental units before their Landlords came in to get them to sign.  One concern is if the Tenant does not in fact leave by the date set in the form, they can be evicted.  There will be no Hearing.  There will be no opportunity to present their side of the story to the Board. Read more… “TENANTS – A NEW EVICTION TRICK BY SOME LANDLORDS” →

Avoid Costly Errors at Your Next Eviction Hearing

What Often Happens at Hearings

I sit as an observer at the Landlord and Tenant Board.  I often do this when waiting for one of our firm’s cases.

Today’s hearing blocks were for matters of arrears of rent.  On rent arrears days, landlords often try to do ‘self-help’.  That is, I see many of them struggle, getting frustrated with the process and hurriedly filling out forms.  Despite their best efforts, the hearing officer often turns them away.  Many things can go wrong in an application process.  When this happens, a landlord can be denied their eviction and lose even more money.

Most adjudicators are well meaning and attempt to ensure that parties before them get heard.  Today, the adjudicator at the Board spent most of his time explaining to the landlords what they did wrong.  He advised them how to correct it and why it is necessary to do things in a certain way.  I found him to be kind and gentle in his approach, although those appearing before him likely felt on edge.  His main point is that some errors can be fatal. Read more… “Avoid Costly Errors at Your Next Eviction Hearing” →

Landlord and Tenant Matters (General)

What is the Landlord and Tenant Board

Like many of Ontario’s administrative tribunals, the Landlord and Tenant Board has a direct impact on the lives of many people.  Its functions include arbitrating disputes between landlords and tenants, governing over rent increases and enforcing the Residential Tenancies Act.  This Board stands out more than most of other tribunals because of the number of people it impacts.

For tenants, it is about where they live, how safe and habitable their housing is and how affordable the rent.  For landlords, it’s often a major investment, a supplement to their retirement income and a part-time job.  However, when disputes arise, this affects everything, from having to spend money, hire a legal representative or be forced to understand a maze of rules and regulations to follow.  A crucial factor in dealing comfortably with these realities for both sides involves obtaining expert advice. Read more… “Landlord and Tenant Matters (General)” →