Meet ALRI Student Researcher Brennan Shepherd!
Brennan Shepherd is a soon-to-be third year student at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law. Raised in Edson, Alberta, Brennan obtained a Bachelor of Management in Finance (with High Distinction) from Concordia University of Edmonton before beginning his studies at the Faculty of Law. Prior to joining ALRI, Brennan worked as a lifeguard, in a lumber mill, and as a summer program coordinator for an environmental non-profit organization. Brennan is currently a member of [...]
Meet ALRI Student Researcher Aydin McClelland!
Aydin McClelland is a third-year law student at the University of Alberta. Prior to joining ALRI, Aydin obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Legal Studies from Carleton University. He has performed a variety of jobs in the legal field and is currently an executive member of the Environmental Law Student’s Association. In his free time, Aydin enjoys cooking, reading, and going for runs in the river valley. He is passionate about the law [...]
Government of Alberta Tables Legislative Changes To Personal Property Security Law
The Government of Alberta tabled Bill 9, The Red Tape Reduction Implementation Act on March 8, 2023. Bill 9's changes to Alberta's Personal Property Security Act and Civil Enforcement Act are based on recommendations by Professor Buckwold and Professor Wood in ALRI's Final Report 116, Personal Property Security Law. For more information about ALRI's law reform project see the following: Personal Property Security Law, Final Report 116 Time to update Alberta law on secured transactions, legal reform institute [...]
Alberta Dower Act Consultation Summary
This document summarizes the results of consultations ALRI conducted for the it's law reform project on the Alberta Dower Act. ALRI ran two online surveys. Both surveys were open from 3 December 2021 to 7 March 2022. One survey was aimed at the general public - the general survey. Another survey was aimed at professionals who use the Dower Act in their work, including lawyers, real estate brokers and agents, landmen, and estate planners or administrators [...]
ALRI’s Recommendations on Abolishing Adverse Possession Implemented in The Property Rights Statutes Amendment Act
On December 15, 2022, The Property Rights Statutes Amendment Act, 2022 received royal ascent and implemented recommendations ALRI made in its 2020 report, Adverse Possession and Lasting Improvements to Wrong Land, Final Report 115. ALRI recommended that the law of adverse possession be abolished in Alberta. This change would prevent new claims from being brought in the future, but would not affect claims that have been resolved or filed with the court before the change comes into [...]
We’re Hiring Summer Law Student Research Assistants!
The Alberta Law Reform Institute [ALRI] is seeking 2 students for employment between May and August 2023. Students should be completing their second year of law and have strong writing skills to support the presentation of their research in new issues in the law. The Research Assistants will work directly with ALRI lawyers to follow project plans and research new legal policy. This work provides students with direct feedback from our lawyers and valuable experience [...]
We’re Hiring 3rd Year Law Student Research Assistants!
The Alberta Law Reform Institute [ALRI] is seeking two or three, third year law students for part-time employment to run from February 1, 2023 or possibly sooner and continuing until March 31, 2023. The Research Assistants will work directly with ALRI lawyers to help develop the framework for a potential new project plan that we are developing. The work will involve the review of secondary literature and government reports to categorize areas of legal need [...]
What is Adverse Possession?
Adverse possession allows a person who has occupied another’s land for at least 10 years to potentially claim ownership of that land. The occupation must be exclusive, open, notorious and continuous. In today’s Alberta, it involves two people: the person in actual possession of the disputed property (the occupier) and the registered owner of the disputed property (the registered owner). This executive summary outlines the most common adverse possession claims as well as our recommendations [...]