Mandatory Annual Holdback Release, Expanded Adjudication, and Practical Risk Shifts Under Ontario’s New Regime
Ontario’s Construction Act has undergone its most consequential changes since the 2018 reforms. With mandatory annual holdback release, expanded adjudication rights, new lien presumptions for design professionals, and clarified trust and procedural rules, the 2026 amendments fundamentally reshape cash flow, risk allocation, and dispute strategy across the construction pyramid.
This practical, practitioner-focused webinar distills the key changes introduced through Bill 216 and Bill 60 and translates them into actionable guidance for construction lawyers, in-house counsel, and dispute practitioners. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of how the new rules affect owners, contractors, subcontractors, and consultants — and how to adjust contracts, workflows, and litigation strategy to stay compliant and protect their clients in 2026 and beyond.
Lawyer | Low Murchison Radnoff LLP
David is a commercial trial lawyer who is certified as a specialist in construction law by the Law Society of Ontario. He is the President of the Association of Certified Forensic Investigators of Canada. He also has a Masters in Forensic Accounting from the U of T and is a Fellow of the Chartered Accountants of Ontario. He is also a licensed adjudicator under Ontario’s prompt payment provisions in the Construction Act. David is the author of “The Law of Fraud and the Forensic Investigator” and “Executive Liability and the Law”, both published by Thomson Publishers. These books are based on David’s extensive experience in fraud cases, and cases involving the personal liability of Directors and Officers of corporations. David is a regular speaker and writer on legal, accounting and other matters in Canada and the United States. David is a Fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America and a member of the Trial Law Institute and Diversity Law Institute. David in a registered adjudicator under Ontario Construction Act and Canada’s Federal Prompt Payment for Construction Work Act.
