Legislative Assembly of Ontario

The committee met at 0901 in committee room 1 and by video conference.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Now I will call this meeting to order. Good morning once again to everyone. The Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills will now come to order.

We have the following members in the room: MPP Gilles Bisson, MPP John Fraser, MPP Daisy Wai. The following members are participating remotely: MPP Vincent Ke, MPP Collard, MPP Smith, MPP Billy Pang, MPP Roberts. Did I miss anyone? Okay.

We are also joined by staff from legislative counsel, Hansard and broadcast and recording.

Please speak slowly and clearly and wait until I recognize you before starting to speak. Since it could take a little time for your audio and video to come up after I recognize you, please take a brief pause before beginning. As always, all comments should go through the Chair. Are there any questions before we begin?

If none, we will move to the next item. There are three private bills on the agenda today which we will consider.

Adventure Learning Experiences Inc. Act, 2021

Consideration of the following bill:

Bill Pr51, An Act to revive Adventure Learning Experiences Inc.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): We will start with Bill Pr51, An Act to revive Adventure Learning Experiences Inc. The sponsor is MPP Daisy Wai. I would like to ask MPP Daisy Wai to introduce herself.

Mrs. Daisy Wai: Good morning. This is MPP Daisy Wai from Richmond Hill. I’m here to sponsor and support Bill 51.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Do we have the applicant, Mr. Robert Lato?

Mr. Robert Lato: Yes, I’m here.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Can you introduce yourself for the record, Mr. Lato?

Mr. Robert Lato: Yes. Mr. Chairman, if it’s appropriate, I prepared a concise four-minute statement which provides the context and also, I think, the necessary details. Would that be acceptable, if I were to read this?

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Well, we will come to that, Mr. Lato. But first of all, please introduce yourself for the record, and after that, we will give you the opportunity to make a statement.

Mr. Robert Lato: Very good. Thank you. My name is Robert Lato. I’m one of the two directors of Adventure Learning Experiences.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Okay. Thank you very much.

Now I would like to ask MPP Daisy Wai if she has any comments to make.

Mrs. Daisy Wai: No, I have no comments, but I would like to proceed to hear the statement or the presentation that we have from our participant.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Okay. Now I would like Mr. Lato, the applicant, to make his statement.

Mr. Robert Lato: Okay. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I’m here to seek your approval for reviving our company named Adventure Learning Experiences Inc. My name is Robert Lato, and I’m one of the directors. The other director is my business partner and close friend, Greg Rogers.

We began our company in 1996 and became incorporated in 2001. Greg and I have teaching backgrounds at the secondary and post-secondary levels. Across these many years, we have designed and implemented over 250 trips, many of which have travelled to the developing world. Our program has shared four defining features: preparatory learning, leadership development, service, and adventure in the safest context possible. Our clients have been high school students, university students, teachers, teachers in training, and adults.

More recently, international destinations have presented a myriad of additional risks. In 2020, the landscape changed dramatically and in ways that were never anticipated with the onslaught of the pandemic. We were forced to cancel four trips in 2020. These were trips to India, Kenya, Tanzania and Austria. In its aftermath, we were confronted with a very difficult decision, which led us to discontinue our company because profits were down, risks were up, and our ages and life circumstances moved us in different directions; 2020 was a very tumultuous year for the travel industry.

We were very fortunate and very pleased in being able to provide full refunds for all participants in our four cancelled trips in 2020, and we left no debt. When our fiscal year ended on August 31, 2020, all refunds had been delivered and our income tax return was sent to Canada Revenue. But unfortunately, I mistakenly believed that dissolving the company at that time in September was the appropriate step to take, and that’s what I did. It was not the appropriate step but rather a mistake on my part.

There were still assets and liability transactions that needed attention—which flew under my radar—like bank and accounting fees, clearances from Canada Revenue and the acceptance of refunds from some suppliers for cancelled reservations in those trips. Performing these final tasks after having dissolved the company have proven to be quite impossible, which is not surprising.

Further consultation with Canada Revenue and government services of Ontario recommended that the best and safest resolution for this confusing state of affairs would be to (1) revive the company, (2) complete the necessary transactions properly, and then (3) dissolve the company once again. That is why I am here today. If allowed to revive the company, we can resolve these final transactions in the coming months and then dissolve the company in the proper way.

That concludes my statement.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Thank you, Mr. Lato.

Are there any other interested parties in attendance? No?

Any comments from the government side? MPP Smith? Go ahead, MPP Smith.

Mr. Dave Smith: I think it’s safe to say that this was just a timing issue. It wasn’t anything else. Looking at your compendium and listening to your speech, you’re basically saying that you dissolved too—

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): MPP Smith, my apologies for interrupting you. Can you speak a little bit louder? We cannot hear you here.

Mr. Dave Smith: Is that any better, Chair?

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Yes, that’s excellent.

Mr. Dave Smith: So is it safe to say that this is just a timing issue, that you dissolved in good faith thinking that you had done everything you needed to do and found out that there were a couple of other financial issues that just needed to be handled? And once that’s done, you’ll be dissolving again?

Mr. Robert Lato: That’s correct.

Mr. Dave Smith: Thank you. I don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t approve this.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Thank you.

At this moment, I would like to acknowledge the presence of MPP Coe. Please, MPP Coe, identify yourself and your location.

Mr. Lorne Coe: Good morning, Chair. I’m here in my office at Queen’s Park. My apologies for being delayed. I was tied up in the Legislature.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Thank you very much.

Are there any other questions or comments from the members of the committee? No questions, no answers? Oh, sorry. MPP Collard, go ahead.

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M^me Lucille Collard: Thank you very much, Chair. This is my first time participating in one of these sessions, and I want to offer to Mr. Lato my sincere—I guess, not condolences, but I feel sorry that you’re obviously one of the victims of COVID-19 and a small business that had to close down. I’m very satisfied and I thank you for the explanations you provided today. I will be supporting this bill. Thank you, Mr. Lato.

Mr. Robert Lato: Thank you.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Are there any other comments or debate before we move to the next stage? I see no hands raised. Are the members ready to vote? I see signs of yes. We will be voting section by section on Bill Pr51, An Act to revive Adventure Learning Experiences Inc.

Shall section 1 carry? All in favour—

Interjection.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): It looks like I jumped the process. I should ask you, is there any debate on section 1? No debate on section 1. All in favour? All those opposed? Section 1 of the bill is carried.

Now we move to section 2. Is there any debate? No debate. All those in favour of section 2, please indicate your intention. I see you are all in favour. All those opposed? Okay. Section 2 of the bill is carried.

We move now to section 3 of the bill. Is there any debate? No debate. All those in favour of section 3, please indicate your intention. Any opposition? I see none. Section 3 is carried.

We’re moving to the preamble. Is there any debate? I see none. Are we ready to vote? All in favour? Any opposed? None. The preamble of the bill is carried.

The next question: the title of Bill Pr51. Is there any debate? I see none. Are we ready to vote? All in favour? Any opposition? None. The title is carried.

Shall the bill carry now? Any debate? No debate. Are we ready to vote? Yes? Okay, please indicate your intention: All those in favour? Any opposition? None. The bill carries.

The next question: Shall I report the bill to the House? Any debate? Are we ready to vote? All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I shall report the bill to the House.

Thank you very much. That concludes the Bill Pr51 debate.

1921628 Ontario Inc. Act, 2021

Consideration of the following bill:

Bill Pr52, An Act to revive 1921628 Ontario Inc.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): We move now to the next item, Bill Pr52, An Act to revive 1921628 Ontario Inc.

MPP Smith, you raised your hand.

Mr. Dave Smith: Thanks, Chair. Mr. Lato has left. All I was going to say is that it probably would be helpful for him—for all of the applicants—once we pass the bills, to simply say, “The bill has passed. Thank you very much for your time,” and let them know so that they’re not wondering what their next steps are.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Okay. Thank you very much, MPP Smith, for your valuable input.

Is Mr. Lato with us still?

The Clerk pro tem (Ms. Thushitha Kobikrishna): No, he just left.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): He left? Okay. So I’ll take your advice on the next bill.

Bill Pr52, An Act to revive 1921628 Ontario Inc., sponsored by MPP Daisy Wai: MPP Daisy Wai, do you have any comments to make?

Mrs. Daisy Wai: Good morning, Chair. This is MPP Daisy Wai, from Richmond Hill. I have sponsored Bill Pr52, and I would like to hear from the applicant for more details.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Okay. Thank you.

The applicant is Ella Shyu. Madam Shyu, please identify yourself first of all, and then after if you would like to make any comments, go ahead.

Ms. Ella Shyu: Hello. Good morning.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Good morning, Ms. Shyu.

Ms. Ella Shyu: Hi. Good morning, Chair, and good morning, Mrs. Wai. My name is Ella Shyu, and the reason I would like to revive the company is that the company is involved as a plaintiff in a court proceeding. The company is claiming that the security deposit, which has been held by the commercial landlord since the business closed in 2017—the landlord never returned the security deposit. But due to the prolonged court proceeding, which got worse during COVID, I haven’t received any notice, and I completely just forgot about the case.

Since the business closed in 2017, we hadn’t been getting any business anymore, but we’re still filing annual returns and taxes, so my accountant asked me whether I would like to just dissolve it. I didn’t think much and I wasn’t aware that at that moment I still had a court case going on, so I said, “Yes, go ahead. Dissolve it.”

But later, I received a court notice on moving forward to next steps. My lawyer then asked me for the plaintiff’s, which is my company, status, and not until then was I aware that I had made a mistake by dissolving the company when it was still acting as a plaintiff in a court case. The case cannot proceed further if the plaintiff does not exist anymore, so that’s the reason that I ask kindly for consideration for me to revive my company.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Okay. Thank you very much, Ms. Shyu.

Ms. Ella Shyu: Thank you.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Are there any comments from the government side? MPP Smith, go ahead.

Mr. Dave Smith: Is it just the security deposit, or are there other items that need to be disposed of and that’s why you’re bringing the company back?

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Ms. Shyu, can you clarify the question? Can you answer MPP Smith?

Ms. Ella Shyu: Sorry, I did not hear the question, because the computer was talking at that moment, asking me to unmute myself.

0920

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): MPP Smith, can you repeat your question again?

Mr. Dave Smith: Sure. Is it just the court case and the security deposit, or are there other assets that need to be dealt with as well?

Ms. Ella Shyu: No, there wasn’t any other content. It’s just the security deposit being held and we are claiming it back from the landlord. It was around $50,000, so we made the case to the Superior Court.

Mr. Dave Smith: So the business closed in 2017 and your accountant suggested that it was time to dissolve it because you weren’t doing business, but the accountant didn’t know about the court case. Is that correct?

Ms. Ella Shyu: Yes, we closed the business. We were never involved in any business activity anymore since 2017, but we did not dissolve it, so we were still filing taxes and everything, and every year. That’s why, three years later in 2020, my accountant asked me, “Would you like to just dissolve it?” because there was no activity anymore and no point to keep filing returns and anything. I didn’t think much and forgot about the case, so that’s why I said, “Okay, let’s dissolve it.”

Mr. Dave Smith: In your compendium, you say if the bill revives the corporation—in the question, under (b), “statement that the company’s personal property security branch of the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services and the corporate tax branch of the Ministry of Finance have been consulted,” you’ve said in your answer, “We’ll need Catherine’s help with this.” Is Catherine somebody who works for the ministry or is Catherine somebody who works for your accountant or your lawyer?

Ms. Ella Shyu: I did not understand your question, and also you’re breaking up a bit. I cannot hear clearly. I’m sorry. Can you talk slowly? Sorry about that. I’m far away from the city.

Mr. Dave Smith: Sure. In the compendium, the document that you gave to us about the reason that you want the company to be reinstated, there is one line on question 7 asking about the bill being revived, and it mentions the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services as well as the Ministry of Finance. And your answer is “We’ll need Catherine’s help with this.” Is Catherine someone who works for the ministry? Is she someone who was giving you advice? Does she work for your lawyer?

Ms. Ella Shyu: No.

Mr. Dave Smith: I’m just wondering who Catherine is.

Ms. Ella Shyu: No, because I did not understand that question at the first moment, so I just thought maybe someone from the committee can help me with the answer or explain to me what does the question mean. Sorry about that. I did not personally understand the question.

Mr. Dave Smith: Okay, so at this point, you don’t know whether or not the personal property security branch of the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services or the tax branch of the Ministry of Finance—you don’t know if they have been consulted?

Ms. Ella Shyu: I don’t understand. Let me go back to the question 7. Let me read it. I forgot about that one.

Mr. John Fraser: Chair, I think that that—

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Sorry, MPP Fraser, just one second. It looks like MPP Fraser has a point of order.

Mr. John Fraser: Yes, point of order, Chair.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): MPP Smith and Ms. Shyu, I will give the opportunity to MPP Fraser to raise his point of order. Go ahead, MPP Fraser.

Mr. John Fraser: So I believe, and I concur with the member, that the work is done in terms of the Ministry of Finance and the ministry of business and consumer services. Both have to check this bill before it actually comes before this committee. It will not come before this committee unless it’s been checked. Ms. Shyu didn’t understand the question. Every bill that has to go through has to be checked, that comes here. That’s my understanding. Is that—

Ms. Catherine Oh: Hi, this is legislative counsel.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Yes, go ahead.

Ms. Catherine Oh: I can assist with this. I’m the Catherine that she’s referring to in her notes. That’s correct, that all private bills are reviewed by the ministries before they even come to the committee. So the ministry of business and consumer services and the Ministry of Finance have both reviewed the bill and said that they have no objection to the revival.

Mr. John Fraser: Great. Thank you very much.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): MPP Smith, go ahead.

Mr. Dave Smith: Thank you, Chair. I expected that that was the case, but I didn’t want to put Ms. Oh on the spot and ask her a question if she wasn’t the one who had been consulted by the applicant. Thank you very much for that.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Any other comments from the committee members? Yes, go ahead, MPP Smith.

Mr. Dave Smith: I think I’ve gotten all of the information I need to be able to support this. It wasn’t clear in the compendium, but I believe that the answers she’s given to us explain what she’s trying to do and why she’s trying to do it.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Okay, thank you very much.

Are there any comments? Okay. Are the members ready to vote? Yes? We will start with section 1. Is there any debate on section 1 of the bill? No? I see none. Are we ready to vote? All in favour, please raise your hand. All in opposition, please raise your hand. None. Section 1 is carried.

We move to section 2 of the bill. Is there any debate? No? Okay. Are we ready to vote? Yes. All in favour, please raise your hand. All opposing the bill, please raise your hand. I see none. Section 2 is carried.

We move to section 3. Is there any debate? I see none. Are we ready to vote? All in favour, please raise your hand. All in opposition, please raise your hand. I see none. Section 3 is carried.

Shall the preamble of the bill carry? Is there any debate? None. All in favour? Any opposition? None. The preamble is carried.

We move to the title of the bill. Is there any debate? None. Are we ready to vote? All in favour? Any opposition? The title of the bill is carried.

Now we move to the entire bill. Is there any debate on the entire bill? No? All in favour? Any opposition? No. The bill, as it stands, is carried.

Shall I report the bill to the House? Is there any debate? No? Are we ready to vote? All in favour? Any opposition? Thank you very much. I will report the bill to the House.

Ms. Shyu, thank you very much for your participation. You are free to leave.

Ms. Ella Shyu: Thank you so much. Thank you, everyone. Thanks for your help.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Thank you.

New Edinburgh Property Management Service Ltd. Act, 2021

Consideration of the following bill:

Bill Pr55, An Act to revive New Edinburgh Property Management Service Ltd.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Now we move to the next item, the third item: Bill Pr55, An Act to revive New Edinburgh Property Management Service Ltd. Welcome to the applicants, Suzanne and Michel Jolicoeur, to the committee. We are debating Bill Pr55, An Act to revive New Edinburgh Property Management Service Ltd.

0930

I would like to ask the sponsor, MPP Collard, to introduce herself.

M^me Lucille Collard: Bonjour aux membres du comité. Bonjour, monsieur et madame Jolicoeur. Mon nom est Lucille Collard. Je suis la députée pour Ottawa–Vanier, et je suis la marraine pour ce projet de loi.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Thank you. Now I would ask the applicants to introduce themselves.

Mr. Michel Jolicoeur: Good morning, committee members.

Ms. Suzanne Jolicoeur: I’m Suzanne Jolicoeur.

Mr. Michel Jolicoeur: And I am Michel Jolicoeur.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Thank you. Now I would like to ask MPP Collard if she wants to make a comment or a statement.

M^me Lucille Collard: Je voudrais simplement inviter M. et M^me Jolicoeur de s’exprimer en français. Si vous êtes plus à l’aise de le faire, on a des services d’interprètes. Comme vous voyez, je suis capable de m’exprimer en français, puis je vous encourage à le faire, si c’est le cas. Je vais attendre vos plus amples explications pour pouvoir vous appuyer dans ce processus.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Now I would like to ask the applicants, Suzanne or Michel, if they want to make any statement or comment.

Mr. Michel Jolicoeur: Yes. Suzanne and I are residents of Beacon Hill in Ottawa. We are both retired from careers in the public service. In 2001, we created a corporation called New Edinburgh Property Management Service Ltd. Our goal was to seek and maintain contracts with owners of rental properties to coordinate and manage the maintenance and housekeeping of rental properties.

Unfortunately, between our jobs and raising our three children, we never followed up with the corporation, and after retirement, we finally decided to dissolve the corporation on November 16, 2020, pursuant to the articles of dissolution. The corporation was dissolved. No revenue has ever been generated.

In the spring of 2021, we discovered that we had made an error. At the time of dissolution, the corporation owned vacant land. In order to deal with the property, we’d like to revive the company and have consequently applied for private legislation.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Thank you very much. Any questions or comments from the government side? MPP Roberts, go ahead.

M. Jeremy Roberts: Monsieur et madame Jolicoeur, je vous remercie pour votre députation. Ça fait du sens pour moi, donc je suis en support de ce projet de loi. Merci.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): MPP Gilles Bisson?

M. Gilles Bisson: Madame et monsieur Jolicoeur, comment ça va? C’est beau. Écoute, je voulais seulement dire qu’on va supporter, naturellement, votre demande. Mais, vous avez le droit de vous exprimer en français ici au comité. La plupart parlent français ici. Sinon, il y a de la traduction. Merci beaucoup.

M. Michel Jolicoeur: OK, merci.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Any other comments or questions or debate? I see none, so we will move to the voting process. I will start with section 1 of Bill Pr55, An Act to revive New Edinburgh Property Management Service Ltd.

Section 1: Is there any debate? I see none. Are we ready to vote? All in favour? Any opposition? I see none. Section 1 is carried.

Section 2: Is there any debate? No. Are we ready to vote? All in favour? Any opposition? I see none. Section 2 is carried.

Section 3: Any debate? I see none. Are we ready to vote? All in favour? Any opposition? I see none. Section 3 carried.

We move to the preamble. Any debate? I see none. All in favour? Any opposition? None. The preamble is carried.

We move to the title. Any debate on the title of the bill? I see none. Are we ready to vote? All in favour? Any opposition? None. The title of the bill is carried.

Now we move to the entire bill. Any debate? I see none. Are we ready to vote? All in favour? Any opposition? As it stands, the entire bill will be carried.

Shall I report the bill to the House? All in favour? Any opposition? I see none. So I shall do that.

Thank you very much, Suzanne and Michel Jolicoeur, for your participation. You are free to leave. Thank you very much for your presence and participation.

Mr. Michel Jolicoeur: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Merci.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Have a nice day.

Since there is no further business, this committee stands adjourned. Thank you very much.

The committee adjourned at 0938.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON REGULATIONS AND PRIVATE BILLS

Chair / Président

Mr. Aris Babikian (Scarborough–Agincourt PC)

Vice-Chair / Vice-Président

Mr. John Fraser (Ottawa South / Ottawa-Sud L)

Mr. Aris Babikian (Scarborough–Agincourt PC)

Mr. Lorne Coe (Whitby PC)

Mr. John Fraser (Ottawa South / Ottawa-Sud L)

Mr. Vincent Ke (Don Valley North / Don Valley-Nord PC)

Ms. Laura Mae Lindo (Kitchener Centre / Kitchener-Centre ND)

Mr. Paul Miller (Hamilton East–Stoney Creek / Hamilton-Est–Stoney Creek ND)

Mr. Billy Pang (Markham–Unionville PC)

Mr. Jeremy Roberts (Ottawa West–Nepean / Ottawa-Ouest–Nepean PC)

Mr. Dave Smith (Peterborough–Kawartha PC)

Mrs. Daisy Wai (Richmond Hill PC)

Mr. Jamie West (Sudbury ND)

Substitutions / Membres remplaçants

Mr. Gilles Bisson (Timmins ND)

Also taking part / Autres participants et participantes

M^me Lucille Collard (Ottawa–Vanier L)

Clerk pro tem / Greffière par interim

Ms. Thushitha Kobikrishna

Staff / Personnel

Ms. Tamara Hauerstock, research officer,
Research Services

Ms. Catherine Oh, legislative counsel

Ms. Lauren Warner, research officer,
Research Services