Supreme Court of Canada Renders Decision in Indalex

Today, the Supreme Court of Canada rendered its long-awaited decision in Sun Indalex Finance, LLC v. United Steelworkers. The decision contains important findings with respect to, among other matters, the fiduciary duties of plan administrators, the reach of the statutory deemed trust provisions of the Ontario Pension Benefits Act, and the priority given to pension…

Supreme Court of Canada to Render Indalex Decision on February 1, 2013

The Supreme Court of Canada has announced that it will render its decision in Sun Indalex Finance, LLC et al. v. United Steelworkers et al. (“Indalex“) on Friday, February 1, 2013. The appeal relates to a decision of the Court of Appeal for Ontario that granted “super-priority” to pension funding deficits in a Companies’ Creditors…

Super Priority for CCAA Charges Granted Preference Over Pension Deficits

On February 2, 2012, in On Re Timminco, the Commercial Court granted an order for “super priority” for an Administration Charge ($1,000,000) and Directors’ and Officers’ Charge ($400,000) in preference to other encumbrances, including pension deficits in Timminco’s pension plans (aggregate deficit is in excess of $11,000,000). Justice Morawetz found that federal insolvency legislation, specifically…

Ontario Court of Appeal Revisits Pension and Insolvency Principles: Indalex

INTRODUCTION On April 7, 2011, the Ontario Court of Appeal (the “Court”) released its decision in Re Indalex Limited. In this decision, the Court considers and revisits fundamental and established Canadian pension and insolvency law principles, making this decision required reading for members of pension committees, human resources professionals involved in pension plan administration, and…