Legal
The Legal Department provides a broad range of legal, technical and reference services to all branches of the City's operations. The service involves not only responding to immediate ongoing needs for legal services but also involves the reduction of potential liability by identifying possible problem areas and planned legislation. The Legal Department's responsibilities include the acquisition and sale of properties on behalf of the Municipality as well as preparation and management of leases, licences of occupation, easements, encroachments, agreements and the administration of the street and lane closing policy.
Note: Legal advice is not provided to the general public.
Objectives
-
Provide legal assistance and advice to City Council and staff
-
Process reports/by-laws, agreements, leases, licences of occupation, FOI requests, easements, encroachments, expropriations and real estate transactions
-
Represent the City and give advice with respect to all lawsuits which may be brought on behalf of or against the City
-
Represent the City before various Courts and Tribunals including the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal and the Human Rights Tribunal
City Owned Land
The Legal Department is responsible for the preparation of leases, licences of occupation and easements. It also covers maintenance required on specific City owned properties as well as realty tax and local improvement charges on specific property owned by the Municipality.
Licence of Occupation Request Form
Insurance
The Legal Department is responsible for all types of insurance:
-
Comprehensive liability
-
Property insurance (including buildings, contents and valuable papers)
-
Crime insurance (protection against dishonesty, deceit and forgery)
-
Electronic data processing
-
Boiler machinery
-
Automobile insurance (including non-owned automobiles)
-
Errors and omissions
-
Environmental liability
-
Conflict of interest
-
Excess liability
Karen Fields
City Solicitor