Our recent OPBA Coffee with Counsel session on Due Diligence in Construction Procurement was a great success! Catherine Payne from the County of Simcoe, along with Paul Conrod and Faren Bogach from Construct Legal, delivered an insightful webinar on the implications of the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in R v. Greater Sudbury.
This landmark case gained significant attention for holding project owners liable as “employers” under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), even when work is contracted out. The court clarified that owners can defend against this liability by demonstrating “due diligence.” The session provided practical strategies for establishing due diligence from the procurement stage onward when engaging construction contractors.
Missed the Session?
You can find the presentation and recording in the OPBA member portal under:
Resources → File Archive → Recordings and Presentations → Coffee with Counsel Sessions.
Additional Resources from the County of Simcoe
Catherine Payne also shared valuable resources developed by the County of Simcoe, including a RFX risk matrix, OHSA bid documents list, declarations and acknowledgments, updated language for CCD documents, and more.
These resources are available alongside the County of Simcoe’s presentation in the OPBA member portal. Don’t miss the opportunity to explore these tools and enhance your procurement practices.