Changes To Construction Law In Ontario

On July 1, 2018, the first of the changes to the Ontario Construction Lien Act under the December 12, 2017, Construction Lien Amendment Act became effective. The statute we knew as the Construction Lien Act (Ontario) has been revised and renamed as the Construction Act (the "Act") and the new lien and holdback rules have come into effect in addition to a number of important definitional changes. While a number of other important changes will be delayed until October 1, 2019, including the adjudication and prompt payment regimes, every contract entered into after July 1 will be subject to the new lien and holdback rules under the revised Act unless the contract was entered into as the result of a procurement commenced prior to July 1 or relates to leasehold space under a lease entered into before July 1.