The Biomechanics of Concussion in Low-Speed Collisions
Synopsis: Please join us for a seminar focused on engineering and biomechanical assessments of low-speed motor vehicle collisions. Understanding the forces and motions experienced during these events can be an important consideration when evaluating injury causation in the context of personal injury litigation. Our experts will review the latest techniques that can be applied when reconstructing the severity of low-speed motor vehicle collisions, as well as the biomechanical techniques used to establish head impact severity and the risk of mild traumatic brain injury, such as concussion. Topics will include how physical damage relates to collision severity, acceleration-based head injury metrics, and the biomechanical methods used to assess concussion risk in low-speed collisions.

Low-Speed Collisions and Injury Causation: A Biomechanical Perspective
Synopsis: Please join us for a webinar on the biomechanical assessment of low-speed motor vehicle collisions, including rear, side, frontal, and sideswipe engagements. Understanding the forces and motions experienced by occupants during these events is central to evaluating injury causation in personal injury litigation. This session will review the latest biomechanical techniques used to assess occupant loading and risk of injury across body regions. It will also address the distinction between acute loading injuries and those arising from prolonged fatigue or degenerative processes, such as intervertebral disc herniations and rotator cuff tears.

Assessments of Pedestrian and Cyclist Motor Vehicle Collisions
Synopsis: Please join us for a seminar on pedestrian and cyclist motor vehicle investigations. This session will focus on what to look for when handling motor vehicle collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists, as well as the biomechanical insights that can be integrated into traditional reconstructions of these incidents. We will also provide an overview of the biomechanical techniques used to assess whether proper helmet use would have prevented or mitigated the severity of head injuries sustained by unhelmeted cyclists.

Assessments of Restraint Use and Effectiveness during Motor Vehicle Collisions
Synopsis: Please join us for a seminar on assessments of restraint use and effectiveness during motor vehicle collisions. Our Collision Reconstruction team will discuss key observations that can be made during vehicle examinations to determine whether restraints were used during a collision. Our Biomechanics & Personal Injury team will review the biomechanical techniques used to further establish whether an occupant was properly restrained or unbelted, discuss how proper restraint use would have prevented or mitigated injury severity, and provide an overview of child restraint system (CRS) effectiveness.

Advanced Investigation of Slips, Trips and Falls, and Personal Injury Claims
Synopsis: This seminar will help attendees understand the regulations governing the design, construction, and maintenance requirements intended to mitigate the risk of slips, trips, and falls and the resulting insurance claims. The session will address how people fall and become injured, including the differences between a slip and a trip and what information to look for when a fall is reported. Different methods of testing the slip resistance of walking surfaces will also be explored, enabling attendees to better evaluate expert opinions. Attendees will leave equipped with practical knowledge of fall mechanics and injury outcomes that supports better identification of relevant hazards and enhanced analysis of witness information.

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Premises Liability: Stairs, Barrier-Free Design, and Beyond
Synopsis: In slip, trip, and fall cases, the individual disciplines of building code, human factors, and biomechanics can each be important on their own — but there are significant advantages to combining them when identifying technical issues associated with personal injury. This seminar series brings together our Personal Injury and Building Code experts to explore the role of multidisciplinary investigations across a range of premises liability claims, including those arising from general slip-and-fall incidents, stairway falls, and incidents in barrier-free environments. Using real-world case examples, we will demonstrate when and how a multidisciplinary approach has proven effective, highlight common pitfalls of single-discipline assessments, and discuss best practices for maximizing the benefit of expert collaboration.

How to Stop Building Envelope and Environmental Issues from Turning Small Losses into Big Losses
Synopsis: Join experts from multiple disciplines at 30 Forensic Engineering to discuss how building envelope and environmental issues can transform a minor failure into a major one. We will define what building envelope and environmental failures are and present case studies demonstrating how routine assessments can uncover significant losses — and how critical decisions made early in the process can have a substantial impact on the scope of work required to return the insured to a pre-loss condition.

Building Envelope Investigations: From Start to Failure
Synopsis: Today’s emerging and innovative construction methods have propelled the boundaries of building science and civil/structural engineering forward at a record pace. Join our Building Science experts for a discussion focused on the technical fundamentals of the building envelope. We will review various roof and wall assemblies and construction types, from residential through to high-rise commercial and municipal structures. We will also describe what constitutes a building envelope failure and present case studies involving 30 Forensic Engineering, followed by an open Q&A.

Innovative Investigation of Complex Property and Infrastructure Losses
Synopsis: Innovative investigation techniques are required to make sense of complex property and infrastructure failures. When the perspectives of structural, geotechnical, materials failure, and fire and electrical forensic engineering are combined in a multidisciplinary approach, greater clarity and specificity are achieved. Developed by forensic experts with decades of combined engineering and academic experience, this session equips claims handlers, litigators, and risk management professionals with the knowledge needed to efficiently handle complex property loss files — including an understanding of how novel methodologies, advanced analysis, and site examination techniques are applied in these investigations.

Soil-Structure Interaction – Losses Requiring Geotechnical & Structural Expertise
Synopsis: With increasing pressure to expedite projects or reduce costs, insufficient expertise or field data has become a more prevalent issue leading to the failure or damage of structures and foundations. This webinar presents the typical requirements for losses where both structural and geotechnical expertise are necessary for forensic engineering investigations. Such investigations may involve determining the origin and cause of a loss, assessing the condition of structures and foundations, specifying emergency response and remediation actions, and evaluating risk at different stages of a project. The session is designed for insurance adjusters and lawyers involved in property losses comprising structures and foundations — including buildings, bridges, infrastructure, industrial plants, commercial facilities, and retaining structures. Attendees will learn what types of losses require this dual expertise, why assessing risk at each stage of a loss is valuable, and what methods are available to monitor the condition of structures and foundations

Roofing Types: Losses and Repairs
Synopsis: This presentation includes a brief introduction to different roofing types, with a focus on the consequent construction losses that may arise due to various incidents, including but not limited to deficiencies in workmanship and impact damage. The discussion will have particular emphasis on strategies and steps to conduct the necessary repairs and rehabilitation following a construction loss.

Digital Evidence and Modern Vehicle Technology in Collision Investigation
Synopsis: Join 30 Forensic Engineering’s Collision Reconstruction experts to explore how Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), autonomous vehicle technologies, and digital evidence can be used to answer critical questions in collision investigation. Participants will learn how vehicles equipped with these systems behave during pivotal moments, and how their stored data can provide actionable insights into driver behaviour and collision avoidance. The presentation will also address how photographic and video evidence can make or break liability assessments, including the photogrammetry process for extracting data that no longer exists and the importance of correctly interpreting digital evidence.

New Technologies for Assessing Vehicle Collision Claims
Synopsis: As vehicle technology and computerization continue to advance, the ability to capture and decode data measured by dozens of onboard sensors is becoming increasingly important. The historical data recorded by several different computer systems in modern passenger vehicles can shed light on vehicle motion, driver behaviour, and — in some cases — provide photographic documentation of events as they unfold. Join our Collision Reconstruction and Special Investigation experts for a discussion on new technologies adding to the growing body of electronic evidence available in collision claims, including Event Data Recorders, infotainment systems accessed via the Berla iVe system, and the Toyota-specific Vehicle Control History.

Engineering and Biomechanical Assessments of Rollover Collisions
Synopsis: Please join us for a seminar focused on assessments of rollover collisions. Our Collision Reconstruction experts will provide insight into the latest techniques used to reconstruct complex collision events such as rollovers. Our Biomechanics experts will discuss the techniques used to establish an occupant’s likely seated position, restraint use and effectiveness, and the likely severity of forces and accelerations experienced by vehicle occupants during a rollover.

Collision Reconstruction and Biomechanical Assessment of Injuries Associated with Public Transit
Synopsis: Please join our Collision Reconstruction and Biomechanics teams as they discuss the unique considerations involved in collisions and personal injury matters involving buses and public transit vehicles. Topics will include the type of data that can be retrieved and analyzed from public transit vehicles to aid in understanding the circumstances leading up to a collision, vehicle motion considerations, and injury mechanisms for passengers while on board or while entering or exiting the vehicle.

Assessments of Snowmobile and All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Collisions
Synopsis: Please join us for a seminar on snowmobile and ATV collision investigations. This session will focus on what to look for when handling matters involving these vehicles, as well as the challenges that may arise during engineering and biomechanical assessments. Our Collision Reconstruction team will discuss the reconstruction considerations unique to these incidents, while our Biomechanics & Personal Injury team will provide an overview of the techniques used to establish rider motion, injury causation, and helmet effectiveness.

Understanding Construction Files & The Role of Forensic Investigation
Synopsis: This presentation examines the complex web of construction documentation that lawyers encounter in litigation and transactional work. We will explore how architectural drawings, engineering specifications, contracts, permits, and inspection reports interconnect to tell the complete story of a construction project. Topics include identifying the key parties — owners, contractors, subcontractors, architects, and engineers — and understanding their respective roles and liabilities, as well as how building codes, zoning requirements, and industry standards shape project documentation and create potential dispute points. Our team brings unique expertise in building and fire codes, construction project management, dispute resolution, and forensic investigation. Attendees will gain practical skills in document review, evidence identification, and strategic case development for more effective representation of construction industry clients.

Benefits of a Construction Perspective in Subrogation
Synopsis: Please join our Construction experts for a discussion on common themes from recent subrogation files, with a focus on construction risks and costs. Topics will include scope definition and management, the double-edged sword of timing, the importance of a health and safety mindset, and the value of technical collaboration. This presentation will be of particular interest to insurance adjusters and examiners, restoration contractors, and lawyers involved on both sides of recovery litigation.

Construction with an Insurance Mindset
Synopsis: Our multidisciplinary Construction team will examine common cost and risk issues observed over the course of remedial construction projects. Because our team is often involved in the full lifecycle of an insurance event — from emergency response through restoration and recovery — our experts are well positioned to connect the dots between activities across a file that can lead to significantly different outcomes for insured parties, insurers, and restoration contractors. We will review critical decision points in the remedial construction process, covering impact assessment, management and documentation of scope, schedule and budget, contracts and dispute resolution, and post-event litigation. Regardless of project type, we will share common threads, practical tips, and issues to be mindful of to support better outcomes on construction-related matters.

Municipal Litigation Risk Management: Emerging Municipal Construction Challenges
Synopsis: Please join 30 Forensic Engineering’s Construction team as we review recent experience on files highlighting areas of litigation risk for municipalities and their agents. Topics will include the increased frequency and intensity of storms, small-scale renewable energy installations, innovative materials and methods of construction, and green infrastructure.

The Digital Witness: The Use and Limitations of Photo and Video Evidence
Synopsis: Join our Collision Reconstruction team for a look at how photographic and video evidence can make or break liability assessments in motor vehicle collisions. Participants will learn how engineers use photogrammetry to extract data that may no longer exist at a scene, how video evidence can be misleading, and why correctly interrogating these digital sources is essential to obtaining reliable information.

From Pixels to Proof: Leveraging Digital Media Analysis for Litigation
Synopsis: This session introduces attendees to the information embedded beyond the visual surface of image and video evidence, and explains why not all such evidence is equally reliable. Attendees will develop an understanding of how to use this type of evidence effectively in court. Subject matter includes how image and video clarification techniques can reveal details not immediately apparent, and how advanced methods such as photogrammetry and match moving are used by our experts to determine subject height, location of falls, and speed — from both stationary cameras (CCTV) and moving cameras (dashcams).

Energy and Power Industry Claims: Forensic Case Studies, Workplace Incidents, and Subrogation
Synopsis: This session brings together forensic and construction experts to explore investigations across the energy and power sector, from oil and gas facilities and pipelines to stationary and mobile power generation, hydroelectric turbines, and wind turbine generators. Drawing on real-world case studies, the presentation will cover the full investigation lifecycle, including evidence preservation, regulatory compliance, liability mitigation, and communication of findings to decision makers. Attendees will also gain insight into construction-related subrogation themes relevant to energy projects, including scope management, health and safety considerations, and the value of technical collaboration. This session is designed for insurance adjusters, in-house legal counsel, defense professionals, and restoration contractors seeking to strengthen their investigative and risk management approach.

Fire Losses from Start to Finish
Synopsis: This webinar presents the typical flow of a fire loss investigation, from the first client call through to a written report. Fire-related forensic investigations may require determining the origin and cause of a loss, assessing pre-existing conditions at the loss location, and exploring potential subrogation opportunities. Attendees will gain an understanding of the various stages of involvement in a fire loss investigation, the key questions to ask and documentation to collect when assessing pre-loss conditions and contributing factors, and how origin and cause determinations, fire classifications, and subrogation opportunities are reached.

Forensic Approach to Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Investigations
Synopsis: Please join us for a seminar focused on the technology in hybrid and electric vehicles (HEVs) and how it changes the approach to both collision reconstructions and vehicle fire investigations. We will discuss the differences between HEVs and conventional vehicles, health and safety considerations during investigations, how fire and reconstruction examinations are conducted, and the importance of understanding a vehicle’s maintenance and service history.

Product Liability – Fire & Water: An Iconic Insurance Duo
Synopsis: Join us for another instalment in our product liability series, focusing on the most destructive duo in insurance: fire losses and water losses. We will walk through the engineering fundamentals of product design and manufacturing, and explore where inadequacies lead to failures and catastrophic losses. Using electrical and materials failure examples, we will demonstrate the relationship between product liability, design, and engineering — and ultimately provide a greater understanding of how product design influences failure, to help attendees identify and pursue subrogation opportunities.

Renewable Electrical Failures – Prevention, Response and Safety
Synopsis: This discussion addresses the nature of rooftop solar installations and associated electrical systems from both a health and safety and an electrical perspective. The presentation will be of interest to insurers and property managers, and will draw on our multidisciplinary team’s experience with common electrical equipment failures and hazards, how those failures can contribute to secondary property damage and health and safety risks for maintenance and inspection staff, and practical suggestions for risk management.

Geo-Structural Failures and Multidisciplinary Investigations
Synopsis: With increasing pressure to expedite projects or reduce costs, insufficient expertise or field data has become a prevalent cause of failure or damage to structures and foundations. This webinar presents the requirements typical of losses where both structural and geotechnical expertise are necessary for forensic engineering investigations — including determining origin and cause, assessing the condition of structures and foundations, and implementing emergency response and remediation actions. Attendees will learn what types of losses require this expertise, the latest investigation methods for soil and foundation conditions, how to assess risk at different stages of a loss, and how to monitor the condition of structures and foundations over time.

Innovative Approaches in Forensic Geotechnical Investigations
Synopsis: The discipline of geotechnical engineering has expanded rapidly in recent years, extending across infrastructure, buildings, mining, and environmental sectors. This presentation illustrates novel approaches and methods in forensic geotechnical investigations — covering origin and cause analysis, repair and remediation strategy assessment, and construction risk assessment, monitoring, and mitigation. Following an introduction to general concepts and geotechnical failure modes, the session will focus on innovative technologies in forensic investigation, illustrated through real case histories. Attendees will gain an understanding of what types of losses require geotechnical expertise, the latest methodologies for investigating failures with geotechnical causes, and how innovative tools can improve the effectiveness of these investigations.

Crashes, Cognition, and Cases: Insights into Human Factors in Forensics
Synopsis: Join us for an engaging webinar exploring the critical role of human factors in forensic science. This session examines how cognitive processes, workload, and human behaviour inform forensic investigations involving vehicle collisions and other incidents. Attendees will gain insight into the research-based frameworks used to analyze response choices, reaction times, and actions leading up to an event — including how experts assess whether a hazard was perceivable and whether an opportunity to avoid the incident existed. Case studies and real-world applications will illustrate how human factors expertise transforms evidence into actionable conclusions.

What Would a ‘Normal’ Driver Do? Human Factors and Collision Liability
Synopsis: In many collision assessments, focusing solely on the vehicle falls short of understanding the full liability landscape. Join our Human Factors and Collision Reconstruction experts as they explore how human factors assessments uniquely complement traditional reconstruction work — helping to determine whether drivers behaved as a reasonable person would, whether the collision could have been avoided, and whether roadway design contributed to the incident. Through case examples and practical application, this session demonstrates the value of a combined engineering and human factors approach to comprehensive liability assessment.

Why People Slip, Trip, Miss, or Misjudge – and What Municipalities Can Do About It
Synopsis: In this session, we will demonstrate how human factors and biomechanics principles can help municipalities understand why people slip, trip, miss, or misjudge, and how that understanding can meaningfully reduce risk. Through relatable real-world examples, we will illustrate how cognitive load, perceptual limits, environmental design, and physical tolerances shape the way people navigate sidewalks, roadways, and other public infrastructure. Attendees will learn how human factors analysis exposes mismatches between intended design and actual user behaviour, why certain hazards like temporary obstructions, signage clutter, or subtle surface changes predictably lead to incidents, and what biomechanics can reveal about injury potential, fall mechanics, and whether an environment meaningfully contributed to an incident. Municipalities will leave with practical insight into incorporating human-centred reviews into planning, maintenance, and litigation risk management.

Building Strong Subrogation Cases: Joint Examinations & Actionable Conclusions in Product Liability
Synopsis: Effective product liability investigations require comprehensive analysis to support successful subrogation efforts. This presentation will explore how 30 Forensic Engineering approaches these cases through systematic investigation and collaborative joint examination processes. We will outline our methodology for identifying product defects, and explain how examinations involving multiple stakeholders can strengthen evidence and aid experts in forming actionable conclusions. Key topics will include our approach to product failure analysis, the value of joint examinations, and examples of common product failure investigations. Attendees will gain practical insight into best practices for building defensible product liability cases and the impact of coordinated examination processes on manufacturer accountability.

Product Liability Investigations: How Everyday Objects Can Cause Big Problems
Synopsis: Join our Materials and Product Failure team for an informative session on product liability and the investigation path for determining the causation of unique failures. We will discuss how failures in the everyday materials and mechanical systems we rely on can cause significant property damage and personal injury, and how the increasing interconnectedness of mechanical systems and technology is generating new types of failures and risks. Case examples will span a range of product categories, including pool equipment, glass failures (windows and beer bottles), gym equipment, doors and chairs, water leak detection devices, sprinkler systems, and CPVC piping, among others.

Equipment Failures: Fire, Breakdown, Failure
Synopsis: Losses associated with industrial equipment vary widely — from fires that spread throughout an entire facility to water leaks to mechanical failures that render equipment inoperative. In this presentation, we will discuss case studies covering a variety of industrial equipment, including presses, compressors, industrial diesel engines, hydroelectric turbines, gas turbines, and furnaces.

Sprinkler and Fire Alarm Systems Failures
Synopsis: Sprinkler and fire alarm systems are designed to prevent damage when fire events occur. Unfortunately, these systems sometimes fail, releasing large volumes of water and causing significant losses — often without the alarm system performing as intended to warn building operators. This presentation will cover the various types of sprinkler systems, their key components, and the most common failure modes. We will also address how fire alarm systems interconnect with sprinkler systems and what information can be downloaded from these systems to aid in investigation. In addition to discussing how failures occur and how these systems are investigated, we will review the requirements for system installation, maintenance, and testing.

Water Loss Investigations in Condo & Office Towers: Systems Overview & Failure Case Studies
Synopsis: Join our Materials Failure experts for an informative session on water losses and the investigation path for building system failures in condo and office towers. As buildings grow taller, the potential for larger and more complex losses increases. This presentation will trace the loss investigation path for water releases originating from plumbing systems (such as refrigerators, sinks, filters, and washing machines), HVAC systems (such as chillers, fan coils, and riser piping), and fire sprinkler systems (such as sprinkler heads and dry system piping). For each system type, we will provide background on component purpose, common failure mechanisms, and case study examples. Attendees will come away with practical tips and best practices for future water loss investigations, including guidance on gathering the right information at the outset of a claim to support the subrogation phase.

Occupational Health and Safety Forensics for Employment and Labour Lawyers
Synopsis: When a corporate client experiences a critical injury or fatality in the workplace, a Ministry investigation typically follows. Please join our Biomechanics and Occupational Health & Safety experts as they discuss the benefits of retaining independent experts following a critical workplace incident. Drawing on expertise in health and safety and human movement, we will address scene preservation, key areas of exploration with witnesses, responsibilities of workplace parties, review and analysis of Ministry reports, and how a multidisciplinary investigation can support a favourable outcome for your client.

Managing Risk and Regulatory Requirements of Designated Substances
Synopsis: Join 30 Forensic Engineering’s multidisciplinary Remediation team for a discussion on mitigating risk through designated substance surveys (DSSs) and addressing the legal requirements prescribed by the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations. This session will be of interest to insurers, building owners, and property managers, as it highlights their responsibilities under the Act and draws on recent experience with incorrect, incomplete, or missing DSSs. These deficiencies can result in designated substance spills and lead to expanded scope, exceeded budgets, and significant delays. The presentation will also address how these issues can contribute to secondary property damage, health and safety risks for operations and maintenance staff, and risk management strategies.

Asbestos Awareness
Synopsis: You have a new property loss claim — is asbestos a concern? Please join our Multidisciplinary Remediation and Environmental Health and Safety experts as we discuss the leading cause of occupational disease and fatality in Canada: asbestos exposure. This session will provide a brief background on the history of asbestos use in Canada, address the health concerns associated with exposure, and refresh attendees’ understanding of their responsibilities as employers, supervisors, and workers. We will also address the regulatory requirements for asbestos auditing, sampling, and abatement across various Canadian jurisdictions.

Environmental Forensics Evolved: Emerging Challenges and Approaches
Synopsis: Please join our Environmental and Multidisciplinary Remediation experts as they discuss emerging trends and issues relevant to environmental forensic matters. Topics will include poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and the geo-environmental issues associated with these “forever chemicals,” as well as the influence of climate change — from atmospheric rivers to increasing wildfire activity — on day-to-day practice. We will explore how applying environmental thinking to flood and fire investigations may improve outcomes for restoration. This seminar is recommended for insurance industry professionals handling personal and commercial property claims.

Post-loss Remediation: Technical Pitfalls Leading to Cost Escalation
Synopsis: This multidisciplinary presentation focuses on common technical issues that lead to cost escalation on remediation projects and discusses how to best manage a loss event and subsequent remediation in an insurance context. Topics will include life safety, code upgrades, building permits, temporary building envelopes, designated substances and impact mapping, and construction administration and controls. This presentation will appeal to insurers, adjusters, remedial contractors, and lawyers engaged in cost disputes on insurance projects.

Remediation of Water Damage in Complex Environments
Synopsis: Remediating water damage in complex environments requires a customized action plan that accounts for the risks the environment presents while meeting applicable regulatory requirements. Evolving Building and Fire codes can mandate code upgrades to the structural and fire protection elements of an existing building that has sustained a water loss, making it essential to assess a building’s design requirements and environmental impacts at the outset of a claim to avoid cost overruns and delays. Drawing on years of forensic investigation and litigation experience, our team will provide insight into construction regulations, code upgrades, and engineering oversight related to water losses. We will share experiences from files at airports, industrial facilities, healthcare sites, construction sites, and multi-tenant commercial properties — addressing topics such as health and safety for occupants and visitors, site-specific regulatory plans, general Building and Fire Code requirements as they apply to existing buildings, the design and inspection process, the roles of architects, engineers, and the authority having jurisdiction, and the management of remediation in and adjacent to active operational spaces.

Collision Reconstruction Assessments of Suspected Fraudulent Claims
Synopsis: This seminar discusses various fraudulent collision claims encountered in recent years, with a focus on claim types our team frequently assesses — including hit-and-runs. We will explore the telltale signs and methodologies that help determine whether collision damage supports the reported circumstances, as well as the technologies useful for validating those circumstances, including the Berla iVe system. Attendees will leave better equipped to identify collision claims that warrant further investigation.

Current Trends in Road Authority Liability
Synopsis: Our trial-experienced expert team will take you into the courtroom to examine the common reasons why road authorities are often found at fault for collision events, and how the application of new technology, emerging transportation modes, connected and autonomous vehicles, and evolving infrastructure will shift the current liability landscape. We will also deliver practical strategies that road authorities can implement today — and into the future — to reduce their litigation risk.

Pedestrian Safety, Bicycle Safety, and Risk Management
Synopsis: Please join us for a seminar on safety considerations for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. This session will address current trends and requirements for active roadway users, and the measures established to encourage safe non-motorized modes of transport. A portion of the seminar will focus on the fundamental biomechanics of pedestrian and cyclist impacts and why vehicle speed matters. We will also discuss the changing landscape of traffic safety — including issues arising from rideshare, bikeshare, scooter share, and other emerging mobility modes — and share risk management strategies for pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, land-use changes, and public space design.

Transportation Safety and Litigation Risk for Private Properties
Synopsis: Liability exposures related to transportation facilities on private properties are increasing, driven by rising litigation, collective redress, and court verdicts favouring plaintiffs on causality grounds. Retail stores, institutions, multi-residential complexes, and mixed-use properties are all affected by this trend. This presentation will cover common litigation risks arising from incidents in parking lots, driveways, walkways, parking ramps, access routes, and frontage areas — including slips and falls, defects, improper maintenance, outdated facility design, and failures to inspect. Drawing on case work completed by our Transportation team, we will provide practical insights into the transportation risks that property owners face, offering value to audiences ranging from those new to the topic through to experienced practitioners.

Winter Road Maintenance and Municipal Liability
Synopsis: Canadian municipalities spend over $1 billion annually to keep highways, streets, walkways, bicycle lanes, and parking lots safe and passable during winter. This presentation will discuss various provincial regulations and local winter maintenance bylaws that inform the required level of service for roads during winter months, as well as the strategies and actions transportation services can use to minimize weather impact. Three key strategy types will be explored: advisory strategies for assessing or predicting road conditions, control strategies for managing road surface conditions and traffic in winter, and treatment strategies for supplying resources to minimize or eliminate weather impacts on municipal roadways. Several case studies will be presented to illustrate the effectiveness of winter road maintenance programs and/or examples of insufficient systems leading to liability.