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Dower Act, Final Report 118


The Alberta Law Reform Institute (ALRI) is recommending replacing the Dower Act with new legislation. The Dower Act protects a spouse if the couple’s home is solely owned by the other spouse. It has two features that prevent a non-owner spouse from losing their home unexpectedly: Consent to disposition: The owner cannot sell, lease, mortgage, or otherwise transfer the homestead without the non-owner’s consent. Life estate: After the owner’s death, the non-owner can keep the homestead for […]

AREA OF LAW Wills and Succession Family Law Property
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FORMAT Publications
FILE FR118.pdf

September 26, 2022

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 […]

AREA OF LAW Wills and Succession Family Law Property Real Property
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FORMAT Publications
FILE Dower_consultation_summary.pdf

September 9, 2022

Dower Act: Life Estate, Report for Discussion 37


The Dower Act protects a spouse if the couple’s home is owned by the other spouse. It applies to a “homestead” which is a parcel of land where the owner lives or has lived. The Dower Act became law in Alberta over one hundred years ago. The last substantial reforms were in 1948. The Alberta Law Reform Institute’s (ALRI) research and consultation shows that the Dower Act functions largely as intended, but it is outdated […]

AREA OF LAW Wills and Succession Family Law Property
TAGS , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
FORMAT Publications
FILE RFD37.pdf

November 24, 2021

Dower Act: Consent to Disposition, Report for Discussion 36


The Dower Act protects a spouse if the couple’s home is owned by the other spouse. It applies to a “homestead” which is a parcel of land where the owner lives or has lived. The Dower Act became law in Alberta over one hundred years ago. The last substantial reforms were in 1948. The Alberta Law Reform Institute’s (ALRI) research and consultation shows that the Dower Act functions largely as intended, but it is outdated […]

AREA OF LAW Wills and Succession Family Law Property
TAGS , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
FORMAT Publications
FILE RFD36.pdf

November 23, 2021

Beneficiary Designations: RRSPs, RRIFs and Section 47 of the Trustee Act, Final Report 68


This report examines the issue whether section 47 of the Trustee Act ought to apply to RRSPs and RRIFs. It describes the scope and history of this project, looks at the existing law, and concludes that section 47 probably applies to RRSPs, even though its definition of “plan” does not mention them by name. The report also explores the fact that RRIFs as a type of “plan” within the meaning of section 47 is more doubtful. Arguments […]

AREA OF LAW Wills and Succession Family Law
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FORMAT Publications
FILE fr068.pdf

September 29, 1993

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