All About Estates

Spousal Trusts Without the Trust Issues: Picking the Right Trustee – A Primer and Reminder

Brianna Fable-Watson, Articling Student, Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP When planning your estate, creating a spousal trust is an effective way to ensure that your spouse is financially supported while also protecting the inheritance for your children or other beneficiaries. In a typical spousal trust, your surviving spouse receives the income…

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When One Clause or Designation Derails an Estate Plan

This blog post was written by: Dave Madan, Senior Manager, Scotiatrust Recent decisions from the British Columbia Court of Appeal have underscored how fragile an estate plan can become when a Will is ambiguous, or when life insurance and beneficiary designations conflict with the testator’s broader intentions. These cases remind…

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When the “Wills Exception” to Solicitor-Client Privilege Applies

Solicitor-client privilege is a fundamental legal principle that protects communications between lawyers and their clients. This principle allows clients to speak freely in front of their lawyers without fear of their conversations being disclosed to anyone else. In the estates world, the question can sometimes become, what happens to solicitor-client…

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Supporting Loved Ones With Dementia: The Peace of Mind a POA Provides

This blog post was written by: Dave Madan, Senior Manager, Scotiatrust Dementia is not just a medical diagnosis; it’s a family story that unfolds over years. Canada’s numbers are climbing—projections suggest more than 1.7 million Canadians could be living with dementia by 2050. That’s a lot of spouses, adult children,…

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In What Circumstances Can an Attorney for Personal Care Restrict Visitors from Visiting an Incapacitated Person in a Long-Term Care Home?

Anna Chen, Associate, Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP This was the question addressed in the recent decision Orr v Orr, 2025 ONSC 4986. In Orr, 82-year-old William Orr (“Bill”) was diagnosed with advanced Alzheimer’s Disease and moved into a secure ward at McCormick Home, an accredited long-term care home in London,…

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