Source: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/71386535/Creditors-and-Debtors-Chapter-7
Timestamp: 2014-04-17 23:32:57
Document Index: 234057757

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 5', 'art 6', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 9', 'art 5']

Creditors and Debtors Chapter 7
CHAPTER TEN: CREDITORS’ REMEDIES
AND DEBTORS’ ASSISTANCE
I.             CREDITORS’ REMEDIES ..................................................................................................................... 1
A.     GOVERNING LEGISLATION...................................................................................................................................................... 1
B.     INTRODUCTION TO CREDITORS‟ REMEDIES ......................................................................................................................... 1
C.     CREDITORS‟ REMEDIES AGAINST DEBTORS ......................................................................................................................... 2
1. Secured Creditors ....................................................................................................................................................................... 2
a)    Definition ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
b)    General (An Introduction to the PPSA) ............................................................................................................................................. 2
c)    What Does the PPSA Govern? ............................................................................................................................................................. 2
d)    Perfection ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
e)    Methods of Perfection ............................................................................................................................................................................ 3
f)    Remedies .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
g)    Seizure ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
h)    Disposal of Collateral .............................................................................................................................................................................. 4
i)    Notice.......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
j)    Surplus/Deficiency .................................................................................................................................................................................. 6
k)    Voluntary Foreclosure............................................................................................................................................................................. 6
l)    Restrictions on Realization..................................................................................................................................................................... 6
(1)      Subordination of Unperfected Security Interests ................................................................................................................... 6
(2)      Restriction on the Right to Accelerate a Term Debt............................................................................................................. 7
(3)      Limitation of the Right of Seizure ............................................................................................................................................. 7
(4)      Obligation While in Possession of Collateral .......................................................................................................................... 7
(5)      Rights of a Debtor ......................................................................................................................................................................... 7
(6)      Rights of Redemption and Reinstatement ............................................................................................................................... 7
m)       Consumer Goods ................................................................................................................................................................................ 8
(1)      Definition......................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
(2)      Secured Party‟s Remedies ............................................................................................................................................................ 8
(3)      Disqualification from “Seize or Sue” ........................................................................................................................................ 9
(4)      Consequences of Electing to Proceed Against Collateral .................................................................................................... 9
(5)      Consequences of Electing to Sue ............................................................................................................................................... 9
2.        Unsecured Creditors ................................................................................................................................................................. 10
a)      The Creditor Assistance Act ................................................................................................................................................................ 10
(1)     Money to be Levied by Execution ........................................................................................................................................... 10
(2)     Contest of the Creditor‟s Claim ................................................................................................................................................ 11
b)      Execution ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 11
(1)     Seizure Under Execution ........................................................................................................................................................... 12
(2)     Execution Procedure: Chattels, Money, Shares, etc............................................................................................................. 13
(3)     Execution Procedure: Land ....................................................................................................................................................... 13
(4)     Legal Advice on Execution Orders ......................................................................................................................................... 14
c)      Garnishment of Bank Accounts and other Accounts Receivable ............................................................................................... 14
(1)     Garnishment Before or After Judgment ................................................................................................................................ 14
(2)     What Debts Can be Garnished? ............................................................................................................................................... 15
(3)     Procedure for Pre-Judgment Garnishing Order ................................................................................................................... 15
(4)     Procedure for Post-Judgment Garnishing Order ................................................................................................................. 16
(5)     Payment by Installments ............................................................................................................................................................ 16
d)      Garnishment of Wages.......................................................................................................................................................................... 16
(1)     Judgment Required...................................................................................................................................................................... 16
(2)     Deductions and Exempt Wages ............................................................................................................................................... 16
(3)     Variation of Exemption.............................................................................................................................................................. 17
(4)     Employer‟s Liability for Firing Employee.............................................................................................................................. 17
e)      Garnishment of statutory benefits ...................................................................................................................................................... 17
f)      Enforcing Your Judgment Outside of B.C. ..................................................................................................................................... 17
3.        Unsecured Creditors: Remedies and Options Before Judgment (Liens) ..................................................................................... 18
a)      Liens on Land (Builder‟s Liens) .......................................................................................................................................................... 18
(1)     Procedure....................................................................................................................................................................................... 18
(2)     Limitation Period ......................................................................................................................................................................... 19
b)   Liens on Chattels (Repairer‟s Liens) .................................................................................................................................................. 19
(1)     Possessory Lien and Right to Sell ............................................................................................................................................ 19
(2)     Lien on Automobile, Aircraft, Boats and Outboard Motors ............................................................................................. 20
(3)     Procedure....................................................................................................................................................................................... 20
(4)     Limitation Period ......................................................................................................................................................................... 20
c) Buyer‟s Lien ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 20
d) Liens for Storage .................................................................................................................................................................................... 21
e) Legal Advice on Liens ........................................................................................................................................................................... 21
II.         INTRODUCTION TO DEBTORS’ ASSISTANCE ..............................................................................21
A.        LEGAL ADVICE FOR DEBTORS UNDER SECURED TRANSACTIONS ................................................................................. 22
1.     Notice ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 22
2.     Limitation of the Right of Seizure ........................................................................................................................................... 22
3.     Rights of a Debtor on Realization ........................................................................................................................................... 22
4.     Rights of Redemption and Reinstatement ................................................................................................................................. 22
5.     Execution ................................................................................................................................................................................ 23
B.        LEGAL ADVICE FOR DEBTORS WHO ARE GARNISHED ..................................................................................................... 23
C.        HARASSMENT BY DEBT COLLECTORS .................................................................................................................................. 24
1.     Unreasonable Collection Practices............................................................................................................................................. 24
2.     Limits on Right of Seizure ...................................................................................................................................................... 25
3.     Consequences of Contravention of the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act ........................................................... 25
4.     Legal Advice for a Harassed Debtor ....................................................................................................................................... 25
D.        CREDIT REPORTING AGENCIES ............................................................................................................................................ 26
III.        GETTING OUT OF DEBT ................................................................................................................... 27
A.     INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................................ 27
B.     DEBTORS‟ ASSISTANCE REFERRALS AND RESOURCES ....................................................................................................... 27
C.     COMMUNICATING WITH CREDITORS WHEN UNABLE TO PAY AS AGREED ................................................................... 28
D.     DEBT CONSOLIDATION AND REFINANCING ...................................................................................................................... 29
E.     SETTLEMENTS ........................................................................................................................................................................... 29
F.     SERVICES A TRUSTEE PROVIDES UNDER THE BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY ACT ................................................. 29
1. Consumer Proposal .................................................................................................................................................................. 29
2. Personal Bankruptcy ................................................................................................................................................................ 29
a)       Debts Bankruptcy Will Not Discharge ............................................................................................................................................. 30
b)       Assets that May be Retained by the Bankrupt in B.C. ................................................................................................................... 30
IV.         APPENDIX INDEX ...............................................................................................................................31
APPENDIX A: GARNISHING ORDER BEFORE JUDGMENT ..................................................................................... 32
APPENDIX B: AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF GARNISHING ORDER BEFORE JUDGMENT.......................... 34
APPENDIX C: AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF GARNISHING ORDER BEFORE ACTION ................................. 36
APPENDIX D: AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF MOTION TO SET ASIDE GARNISHING ORDER ................... 38
APPENDIX E: ORDER TO SET ASIDE GARNISHING ORDER................................................................................... 39
APPENDIX F: GARNISHING ORDER AFTER JUDGMENT ......................................................................................... 41
APPENDIX G: AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF GARNISHING ORDER AFTER JUDGMENT............................. 43
APPENDIX H: GARNISHING ORDER ABSOLUTE.......................................................................................................... 44
APPENDIX I: CERTIFICATE (PURSUANT TO SCHEDULE 2, COEA) ...................................................................... 45
APPENDIX J: CHECKLIST FOR EXAMINATION IN AID OF EXECUTION.......................................................... 47
I.   CREDITORS’ REMEDIES
A.      Governing Legislation
Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. B-3 as am. by S.C. 1992, c.27 and S.C. 1997, c. 12.
Builder‟s Lien Act, S.B.C. 1997, c. 45.
Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority Act, S.B.C. 2004, c. 2.
Court Order Enforcement Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 78.
Creditor Assistance Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 83.
Interest Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. I-18.
Personal Property Security Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 359.
Pension Benefits Standards Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 352.
Repairer‟s Lien Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 404.
Winding Up and Restructuring Act, R.S. C. 1996, c. 6.
NOTE:            While matters involving bankruptcy or insolvency should almost always be referred to an
insolvency practitioner, if a student offers advice in this area he or she should ensure that
the advice is up-to-date in accordance with the applicable insolvency legislation. References
in this chapter may or may not be reliable, depending on amendments to the legislation.
B.      Introduction to Creditors’ Remedies
There are legal remedies available to creditors to enforce a debt, but the related procedures are
frequently time-consuming and potentially costly, and there is no guarantee that the creditor will
actually receive all of the funds owed. The single most important reason for starting civil
proceedings to collect a debt is to permit the creditor to execute on its judgment. Such execution
1.   examinations in aid of execution (to determine the debtor‟s ability to pay the debt);
2.   subpoena to debtor hearing (to provide for a court order compelling the debtor to make
payments on the judgment);
3.   garnishment (to compel third parties to pay funds into court to the credit of the judgment rather
than pay those funds to the debtor); and
4.   collection by execution (to lodge a writ of execution with the bailiff who will then seize and sell
the debtor‟s assets and pay proceeds to the credit of the judgment).
A judgment may also be filed on the title of real property owed by the debtor and will remain on the
title of that property for two years unless it is discharged by the debt being paid, or the creditor
commences execution proceedings against the land.
Before giving advice to creditors, a student should ask a number of questions. The first is whether
the good is a secured interest, and, if so, whether it is a consumer good. If the debt is unsecured, a
charge cannot be registered against the property, unless the property is the subject matter of the
dispute. However, after a judgment is obtained a charge can be registered against any property
owned by the judgment debtor. Although LSLAP helps comparatively few creditors, this half of the
chapter should answer most questions for matters that LSLAP may be able to help with.
C.   Creditors’ Remedies Against Debtors
Prior to taking action against a debtor, the creditor must provide a reasonable time for payment on a
demand loan or term loan. That time begins to run from the date of the demand for payment and
not the date of the loan. What constitutes a reasonable demand period depends upon the facts of
each case: see Redhawk Drilling Ltd. v. T.D. Bank (1986), 49 Alta. L.R. (2d) 38; Whonnock Industries v.
National Bank of Canada (1987), 16 B.C.L.R. (2d) 320, 42 D.L.R. (4th) 163; Lister v. Dunlop (Ronald
Elwyn Lister Ltd. v. Dunlop Canada Ltd.), [1982] 1 S. C.R. 726. For a list of factors to be considered see
Mister Broadloom Corporation (1968) Ltd. v. Bank of Montreal (1979), 25 O.R. (2d) 198.
1.       Secured Creditors
a)        Definition
A secured creditor holds a lien, mortgage, or charge against the debtor‟s assets or
collateral as security for the repayment of the debt.
b)        General (An Introduction to the PPSA)
The Personal Property Security Act [PPSA] establishes a system for the
registration, priority, and enforcement of secured loan and credit transactions
involving personal property in British Columbia.
Provisions have been made for secured creditors holding agreements that create
or provide for security interests (i.e. chattel mortgages and conditional sales
agreements) to register these security agreements. Registration does not entitle the
creditor to remedies; rather, it allows the secured party to “perfect” its interest and
establish its priority vis-&#224;-vis third parties.
For agreements that are subject to the PPSA, Part 5 of the PPSA outlines the
creditor‟s remedies (ss. 56 - Rights and remedies, 57 - Collection of payments
under intangibles or chattel paper, and 67 - Rights and remedies: consumer
goods). For agreements that involve fixtures, crops or accessions, ss. 36 – 38
apply. In addition, Part 6 contains some sections (i.e. ss. 68(2) - Good faith and
commercially reasonable, and 72 - Notice) that are of procedural importance.
c)        What Does the PPSA Govern?
The scope of the PPSA is defined in s. 2 as including every transaction that in
substance creates a “security interest” without regard to its form. Section 1 defines
“security interest” as an interest in goods, etc., which secures payment or
performance of an obligation. As well, under s. 3, a transaction involving either a
transfer of an account or chattel paper, a commercial consignment, or a lease for a
term of more than one year that does not secure payment or performance of an
obligation (i.e. does not create a security interest) is subject to the PPSA. Section
55 provides that Part 5 does not apply to transactions brought within the PPSA by
s. 3. It is necessary to look to the terms and the common law.
NOTE:             Section 4 lists types of transactions that are exempt from the PPSA. The
PPSA does not apply to a “lien, charge or other interest given by a rule
of law or an enactment unless the enactment contains an express
provision that the PPSA applies”. Generally this excludes real property
d)      Perfection
For a creditor‟s interest in a good to be practically effective, s. 35(1)(b) of the
PPSA states that the interest must be “perfected”, whereby the creditor becomes a
“secured” party. By virtue of s. 19, a security interest must satisfy two conditions
to be “perfected”:
i)    the security interest must have “attached” (see below); and
ii)   the secured party must ensure that “all steps required for perfection under
this Act have been completed” (see below).
In general, attachment will ensure that the security interest is enforceable against
the debtor, while perfection will protect the security interest against competing
i)    value is given;
ii)   the debtor has rights in the collateral; and
iii) except for the purpose of enforcing rights between the parties to the security
agreement, the security interest becomes enforceable under s. 10 unless the
parties specifically agreed to postpone the time for attachment in which case
the security interest will attach at the time specified in the agreement.
e)      Methods of Perfection
a)    perfection by possession of collateral applies to all forms of security interests
(s. 24);
b) perfection by registration. Subject to s. 19, registration of a financing
statement perfects a security interest in collateral. (s. 25); and
c)    temporary perfection (cf. ss. 5(3), 7(3), 26, 28(3), 29(4) and 51).
f)      Remedies
Where a debtor defaults on a security agreement, s. 56 provides that the secured
party has against the debtor only the rights and remedies provided in the security
agreement (provided they do not derogate those rights given to the debtor by the
PPSA), as well as those specifically provided by the PPSA (s. 17 and ss. 36 – 38).
Important sections of the PPSA for the creditor are ss. 58 and 59, which contains
rules for seizing and disposing of collateral, and section 67, known as the “seize or
sue” rule (formerly, under legislation repealed by the PPSA, creditors could only
seize or sue but not both). These sections provide that, unless the security
agreement states otherwise, where the debtor defaults on their payment, the
creditor may elect to take possession of the collateral pursuant to the contract,
dispose of the collateral and then sue for any amount still owing. The principle of
“seize or sue” still applies to “consumer goods” (see Section I.C.1.g: Seizure,
g)      Seizure
Where the security interest does not involve fixtures, accessions, crops, or
consumer goods, s. 58 provides the fundamental rule for realization upon non-
possessory security interest in tangible personal property: the secured party has a
right to seize (in the case of a secured loan transaction) or to repossess (in the case
of a secured credit sales transaction) the collateral. Upon seizing the collateral, s.
17 defines the rights and obligations of secured parties in possession of collateral.
The section imposes a standard of reasonable care on the secured party in
possession of the collateral and the secured party must follow the notice
provisions outlined in ss. 59(6) – (12) before he or she is entitled to carry through
with disposal.
h)      Disposal of Collateral
After seizing collateral, the secured party under s. 59(2) may dispose of it either in
its present condition or after repairing it (though s. 68(2) protects the debtor from
incurring unnecessary expenses because all rights, etc., under the PPSA must be
discharged “in good faith”). Further, s. 59(3) provides that the secured party may
dispose of the collateral by a private or public sale either as a whole, or in
commercial units or parts and, if the security agreement provides, by lease.
See also Section I.C.1.k: Voluntary Foreclosure.
Section 59(2) provides a priority scheme regarding application of the proceeds of
sale: first, toward the reasonable expenses of seizing, repairing, etc.; second,
toward the satisfaction of the obligations owed to the secured party; and last, if
any surplus exists, to the satisfaction of obligations owed to persons holding a
subordinate security interest, and then toward the debtor (s. 60).
i)      Notice
NOTE:            The forms of notices under the PPSA depend on a number of factors,
including the nature of the security and the terms of the security
agreement. Advice concerning the validity of notices should be referred
Subject to the circumstances where notice is not required as per s. 59(17) (i.e. for
perishable collateral, collateral requiring disproportionately high storage costs
relative to its value, etc.), the requirements for notice are outlined in ss. 59(6) and
(10). These sections require that the secured party, or receiver, as the case may be,
must provide at least 20 days notice of his or her intention to dispose of the
collateral to parties including the debtor and any other creditor.
When a secured party is considering methods of disposal, he or she must give
a)    the debtor;
b) any other person who is known by the secured party as the owner of the
collateral (where that is not the debtor);
c)    any creditor or person with a security interest in the collateral whose interest
is subordinate to the secured party who registered a financing statement or
whose security interest is perfected by possession at the time of seizure or
repossession of the collateral; and
d) any other person with an interest in the collateral who has given notice to the
secured party of his or her interest in the collateral before the notice of
disposition is given to the debtor.
The secured party is required to include specific information in the notice (see s.
59(7)):
i)    a description of the collateral;
ii)   the amount required to satisfy the obligation secured by the security interest;
v)    the date, time and place of disposition.
In the case of a receiver attending to the disposition of the collateral, the secured
creditor must give notice to (see s. 59(6)):
i)    the debtor;
ii)   any other person known by the secured party to be an owner of the collateral;
iii) any creditor with a security interest subordinate to that other secured party,
who has either registered the financing statement, or who has perfected its
security interest by possession at the time of the seizure or repossession of
the collateral; and
iv) any other person with an interest in the collateral who has notified the
receiver of that interest in the collateral before its disposition.
The notice that the receiver must provide need contain only (see s. 59(11)):
iii) the particulars relating to the place of disposition or where tenders may be
A person who buys an item from a disposal sale takes the good free and clear of
the debtor, the secured party, and any subordinate creditors whether or not the
secured party complied with the requirements of the section. In the case of a prior
secured creditor‟s interest, if the goods are “consumer goods” of a value less than
$1,000 and the purchaser gave value for the goods, the purchaser takes them free
of the prior secured creditor‟s interest (see s. 59(14)).
j)   Surplus/Deficiency
When a secured party is left with a surplus after disposal of the collateral, it must
be accounted for and paid to the parties in the order specified in s. 60(2). If a
dispute regarding entitlement arises, s. 60(4) provides for the secured party to pay
the secured funds into court, which gives those claiming entitlement the
opportunity to make an application under s. 70 for payment.
Under s. 60(5), the debtor is responsible for any deficiency balance unless the
secured party and the debtor have agreed otherwise and made provisions for such
k)   Voluntary Foreclosure
After default, a secured party may make a proposal to the debtor and other
interested parties to take the collateral to satisfy obligations secured by it (s. 61).
This provision will likely be used in situations where there is a substantial shortfall
and there is no practical means of collecting the security.
The debtor and other interested parties have 15 days to object to the secured
party‟s proposal. Failure to object is deemed to be an irrevocable election to
forfeit all rights and interests in the good and entitles the secured party to retain
If the debtor or other secured party provides notice of objection to the secured
party within 15 days after the notice is given, the secured party must dispose of
the collateral in accordance with the provisions of s. 59. In such circumstances,
the secured party may make an application to the court for an order that an
objection to the secured party‟s proposal is ineffective because:
a)    the objection was made for a purpose other than protecting an interest in the
collateral or the proceeds of the disposition of the collateral; or
b) the market value of the collateral is less than the total amount owing to the
secured party plus the costs of disposition.
l)   Restrictions on Realization
(1)       Subordination of Unperfected Security Interests
Under s. 20, an unperfected security interest is subordinate to the interest
a judgment creditor who has seized the collateral, garnished,
obtained a charging order or equitable execution;
a sheriff acting under the Creditor Assistance Act and the persons
entitled to participate in the distribution of property seized under
legal process; and
a representative of a creditor enforcing the rights of a person
Also, an unperfected interest is not effective against a trustee in
bankruptcy or a liquidator under the Winding-Up Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. 27
if the security interest is unperfected at the date of the bankruptcy or
In addition, several provisions confirm the subordination of the interest
of a secured party to a bona fide purchaser for value under various
circumstances (see ss. 20(c), 30(3) and 31).
(2)   Restriction on the Right to Accelerate a Term Debt
The security agreement may contain an “acceleration clause” that
provides that the total amount owing becomes due upon default in
payments or whenever the secured party has “commercially reasonable
grounds” to believe that he or she may not be repaid or that the collateral
is “in jeopardy”. Thus, if there is an acceleration clause in the security
agreement, it may not be invoked unless this objective test of
“commercially reasonable grounds” has been satisfied.
(3)   Limitation of the Right of Seizure
For collateral that is a “consumer good” (refer to the definition in
Section I.C.1.m: Consumer Goods) where the debtor has paid at least
two-thirds of the total amount secured, the creditor may not seize the
good without first obtaining a court order.
(4)   Obligation While in Possession of Collateral
Section 17 of the PPSA imposes a standard of reasonable care on any
secured party in possession of the collateral.
(5)   Rights of a Debtor
The PPSA preserves the debtor‟s (but not the secured party‟s) rights and
remedies under other statutes that are not inconsistent with the PPSA as
well as the specific rights and remedies provided in the security
agreement, Part 5 and s. 17 (s. 56(2)(b)).
(6)   Rights of Redemption and Reinstatement
Under s. 62, a debtor has redemption rights, but not against a receiver.
Any person entitled to notice of a pending disposition of collateral may
redeem the collateral by tendering to the secured party fulfilment of the
obligations secured by the collateral plus the reasonable expenses
incurred by the secured party associated in seizing the collateral or
otherwise preparing it for disposition. The debtor may waive this right
but any such agreement must be in writing after default.
Where the collateral is a “consumer good”, the calculation of the
obligation secured and the obligation that must be tendered is varied.
The debtor may reinstate the security agreement by paying monies
actually in arrears as opposed to the sum that would be due and owing by
operation of an acceleration clause included in the security agreement.
Note that the number of times the debtor may reinstate the security
agreement is limited depending on the period of time for repayment set
out in the security agreement; however, the frequency of redemption and
reinstatement may be varied by agreement between the parties.
Where the collateral is not a “consumer good” and the security
agreement contains an acceleration clause, the debtor may apply to court
for relief from the consequences of default or stay enforcement of the
security agreement‟s acceleration provision. Also, the court may make
such an order in the proceeding to enforce rights under the security
m)   Consumer Goods
(1)     Definition
Section 1 of the PPSA defines consumer goods as “goods that are used
or acquired for use primarily for personal, family or household
(2)     Secured Party‟s Remedies
Section 67(1) lists the option available to a secured party. The secured
party may elect to pursue one of the following remedies:
seize or repossess the goods;
enact the voluntary foreclosure remedy (s. 61) (discussed above);
start an action to recover a judgment against the debtor for the
amount of the unpaid debt or unperformed obligations under the
NOTE:            If the debtor pays at least two-thirds of the total amount of the
secured obligation, the secured party may not seize the
consumer good used as collateral (s. 58(3)). However, the
secured party may apply to court for an order that the “two-
thirds rule” should not apply and the court will make a decision
based on (s. 58(4), (5)):
a)     the value of the collateral;
b) the amount of the obligation that has been discharged;
c)     the reasons for default; and
d) the current and future financial circumstances of the
(3)     Disqualification from “Seize or Sue”
A secured party with a security interest in “consumer goods” may escape
the seize or sue provisions when:
the debtor has engaged in wilful or reckless acts or neglect that has
caused substantial damage or deterioration to the goods; the secured
party may seek a court order pursuant to s. 67(8) disqualifying the
debtor from the rights and remedies ordinarily available under s.
67(1)-(5) (s. 67(8)); or
the secured party discovers after seizure that an accession that was
collateral has been removed and not replaced by other goods of
equivalent value and free from prior security interests, a claim may
be advanced against the debtor for the value of the accession (s.
67(8)).
NOTE:            The “seize or sue” rule does not apply to “true leases”. The
“seize or sue” rule does apply to “security leases” or
“conditional sales agreements”. BC courts have been
developing tests to distinguish between true leases and security
leases. Disputes often arise over car leases. Clients should
consult with a lawyer who is familiar with this area of law when
trying to figure out whether their contract is a true lease or a
security lease. If the lease is a true lease the creditor has the
option to seize and sue.
(4)     Consequences of Electing to Proceed Against Collateral
Under s. 67(2), an election to proceed against the collateral results in the
extinguishment of the debtor‟s obligations under the security agreement
or any related agreement (with the exception of land mortgages executed
before July 1, 1973), thereby automatically releasing any guarantor or
indemnitor of the obligations contained in the security agreement.
However, ss. 67(3) and 67(4) contain exceptions.
Since proceeding against the collateral precludes the creditor from
recovering the deficiency of the debt, the creditor is well advised to
collect as much of the debt as possible, from other sources prior to
seizing the goods. Remember, however, that if the creditor collects 2/3
or more of the debt they lose the right to seize the goods.
(5)     Consequences of Electing to Sue
Under s. 67(6), if the creditor gets a judgment against the debtor and
seizes the collateral pursuant to a writ of seizure and sale, the right
of recovery is limited to the gross amount realized from the sale of
Under s. 67(10), commencement of proceedings against the debtor
extinguishes the security interest of the creditor in the goods.
the goods become subject to a bankruptcy stay; and
the creditor may have to share proceeds of the seizure and sale
with other creditors as he or she will no longer have priority
based on secured creditor status.
These are examples of issues that may be encountered by clinicians while
dealing with the PPSA. Again, remember that PPSA issues, particularly
those involving priority disputes or matters relating to the transitional
provisions, are complex and may have to be referred to a lawyer.
2.   Unsecured Creditors
A creditor initiates legal proceedings for one obvious and specific purpose: to permit that
creditor to obtain a judgment and collect the debt owed. There may be cases where such
action is not taken, for example, if the debtor has no assets and is not likely to ever have
assets. There are also instances where a creditor may be legally prevented from initiating
proceedings against a debtor, for example, if the debtor files an assignment in court. These
issues will be discovered when the debtor‟s assets, if any, are identified at Payment Hearing
in Small Claims Court, or in the Examination in Aid of Execution or Subpoena to Debtor
Hearing in Supreme Court (see Appendix J: Checklist for Examination in Aid of
Execution). However, when a debtor has or may have assets, the creditor may wish to
obtain a judgment on the debt to execute against assets of the debtor.
a)       The Creditor Assistance Act
Before this Act, the common law position was that priorities among execution
creditors were determined in relation to the time the writs were filed. The creditor
who filed the first writ would be paid in full, and then the next, and so on.
The principles of the Creditor Assistance Act allow creditors to give debtors time
to pay, and not prejudice the patient creditor over another who files as soon as the
debt is due. Section 3 provides that on execution, all creditors who have filed a
writ will receive their share on a pro rata or rateable basis, which means that each
creditor will receive an amount proportionate to the debt owed to that creditor of
Exceptions to this principle of pro rata distribution allow preference to sheriff‟s
costs, costs to the creditor at whose instance the seizure and levy was made, and
wage claims that do not exceed three month‟s wages, or salary. Further, the Family
Maintenance Enforcement Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 127 provides that proceeds
realized on execution under that Act are not subject to distribution under the
Creditor Assistance Act. In addition, some statutory liens and charges may take
priority over the rateable distribution under the Act.
NOTE:             Payments made pursuant to a foreclosure sale will be made in the order a
judgment is registered at the Land Title Office, and not on a pro rata
(1)      Money to be Levied by Execution
Under s. 3, once the sheriff collects money, an event called a levy, the
persons who qualify under the Act distribute it. These persons must have
filed a writ of execution prior to the levy or file a writ within one month
of the date the levy was entered. Where the creditor does not have a
judgment against the debtor at the time of levy, and the claim is for debt,
the creditor may obtain a certificate of claim under the Creditor
Assistance Act. If this certificate is delivered to the sheriff within one
month of the levy, the creditor may participate in the rateable
distribution. The procedure for the certificate of claim is in ss. 6 – 21 of
(2)       Contest of the Creditor‟s Claim
Under s. 14, on receiving an affidavit of claim the execution debtor may
file and serve an affidavit of good defense to the claim within 10 days of
the original service. The court may vary this length of time upon
application. The distribution is halted pending verification of the validity
Besides the debtor, another creditor may contest the claim (s. 15).
Grounds for filing include an allegation that there is no debt due in good
faith from the debtor to the claimant, or an allegation that the claim is
not one of debt as required by s. 6 of the Creditor Assistance Act. A
claimant whose claim is contested must make an application to Supreme
Court within eight days of being notified; otherwise, the claim will be
deemed to have been abandoned.
Students should further note that under s. 12, if the amount levied does
not satisfy all of the writs of execution and certificates of claim, the
sheriff is authorized to make a further seizure of the execution debtor‟s
personal property to satisfy all writs and certificates of claim. In addition,
the certificate, if issued, remains in force for three years and may be
renewed similarly to a writ of execution.
b)   Execution
Under s. 55 of the Court Order Enforcement Act [COEA], any judgment creditor
(a creditor who has obtained judgment against the debtor) may have property of
the judgment debtor seized and sold by the sheriff to satisfy the amount owing
under the judgment. Section 60 of the COEA directs that any surplus after
payment of the judgment, interest, and reasonable costs of seizure and sale be paid
to the debtor. Section 71(1) of the COEA creates categories of exemptions for the
personal property of debtors with the specific amounts set by regulation. Debtors
1.    $4,000 for household furnishings and appliances (calculated using
approximately 10% of the original purchase price);
2.    $5,000 for one motor vehicle if the debtor is not a maintenance debtor
(calculated using net equity and current value);
3.    $2,000 for one motor vehicle if the debtor is a maintenance debtor (calculated
using net equity and current value); and
4.    $10,000 for tools and other personal property that the debtor uses in his or
her occupation. (calculated using approximately 10% of the original purchase
A “maintenance debtor” has the same meaning as a “debtor” in s. 1(1) of the
Family Maintenance Enforcement Act. In addition, s. 71.1(1) of the COEA
exempts the principal residence of the debtor; $12,000 is the prescribed amount of
equity exemption if the debtor‟s principal residence is located within the
boundaries of the Capital Regional District or the Greater Vancouver Regional
District. If the debtor‟s principle residence is located outside of these boundaries,
$9,000 is the prescribed amount of equity exemption. These values are calculated
using the net equity in bankruptcy.
NOTE:            Refer to B.C. Reg. 28/98 (Court Order Enforcement Exemption
Regulations) for further details regarding exemptions under the COEA.
Where there are competing priority interests between judgment creditors
and secured parties, each party should seek the assistance of counsel.
The execution remedy is available to an unsecured creditor only after he
or she has obtained judgment against the debtor.
(1)      Seizure Under Execution
Any goods, chattels and effects of the judgment debtor (COEA, s. 55),
money, bank notes, cheques, or other securities for money, such as
shares of an incorporated company in British Columbia (s. 64; Peligren et
al. v. Ajac’s Equip. (1982) Inc. et al. (1984), 56 B.C.L.R. 17, [1984] 5
W.W.R. 563 (S.C.)), and any legal or equitable present, future, executory
or contingent interest in land (s. 81) may be seized after the exemptions
from s. 71(1) of the COEA are applied.
Where the debtor is a conditional buyer or a chattel mortgagor, a sheriff
or bailiff may seize secured goods. Sheriffs, however, are usually
reluctant to seize collateral unless there is clearly equity in it. In such
cases, the secured creditor cannot seize a greater interest than the debtor
has. The secured creditor takes the secured goods subject to the security
interest of the conditional seller or chattel mortgagee.
Sections 71(2) and (3) set out two exceptions to exemptions provided in
s. 71(1) of the COEA and regulations 28/98:
a)   the debtor cannot exempt goods identical to the goods that were the
subject of the contract in question (no other exceptions than those
found in s. 71(1)); and
b) a trader cannot claim any goods that are part of his or her stock-in-
In addition, s. 54 of the Insurance Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 226 allows for
the exemption of certain insurance policies. Specifically, s. 54(2) of the
Insurance Act states that insurance money and the rights and interests of
the insured in a life insurance contract are exempt from execution or
seizure, as long as there is a designation in favour of the beneficiary of
In a recent trilogy of cases, B.C.‟s Court of Appeal held that Registered
Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) in the form of delayed annuities could
satisfy the requirements of s. 54(2) of the Insurance Act, and are shielded
from execution and seizure: see Smythe McMahon Inc. v. Sykes (1998),
Vancouver CA016762 (B.C.C.A.); Robson v. Robson (1995), Vancouver
CA020118 (B.C.C.A.); and Thomson v. Stock (1997), Vancouver CA020458
(B.C.C.A.).
However, you must determine what kind of RRSP is in question (i.e. an
annuity, an investment certificate, life insurance, etc.) to determine if it
can be shielded from execution and seizure. When you know what type
of RRSP it is, students should consider the case law in this area because
the eligibility of RRSPs may vary.
Because the law in this area is continually developing, students should
generally refer clients to an experienced practitioner or take extra care
Certain interests have been held to fall outside s. 71 and therefore are not
exempt from seizure. Partial interest and equitable interests do not fall
within s. 71 and thus, for example, a purchaser under a conditional sales
agreement cannot prevent seizure of the goods sold under the
agreement. Similarly, the section does not apply to a charging order or a
garnishing order since the section only refers to “forced seizure and
sale”. Thus, monies in court and debts or wages being garnished cannot
form part of the judgment debtor‟s exemption under the COEA.
(2)     Execution Procedure: Chattels, Money, Shares, etc.
The judgment creditor obtains a warrant of execution (Small Claims
Court) or a writ of seizure and sale (Supreme Court) directing the sheriff
or bailiff to seize and sell sufficient goods or securities to satisfy the debt
plus expenses (COEA, ss. 58 and 60). Seizure of shares involves
particular problems: see ss. 64 and 65; see also Peligren et al. v. Ajac&#39;s
Equipment (1982) Inc. et al. (1984), 56 B.C.L.R. 17, [1984] 5 W.W.R. 563
Where the sheriff seizes goods, the sheriff‟s officers are entitled to
assume that all the goods and chattels on the premises are the property of
the judgment debtor at the time of the seizure. The judgment debtor has
a duty to claim that some of the property is personal property or the
personal property of others: see Supreme Auto Body v. B.C. (1987), 21
B.C.L.R. (2d) 101 (C.A.).
(3)     Execution Procedure: Land
NOTE:            LSLAP students cannot help with issues relating to land.
These cases must be referred to a lawyer.
If the judgment creditor registers a judgment in any Land Title Office, a
lien is created against the interest in the real property of the judgment
debtor that is registered in the land registration district in which the
judgment is registered (s. 82). Once a lien is formed, the judgment
creditor may seek a court order to have the sheriff sell the land (ss. 92
and 96), unless the land is held in joint ownership and the debt is in one
party‟s name only. In that case, an application must be brought for
partition and sale of the property. The execution procedure, however, is
slow and potentially expensive. The judgment creditor must renew the
judgment after two years or it is extinguished, unless it is a non-expiring
judgment (i.e. a judgment registered under the Family Maintenance
Enforcement Act).
NOTE:            Where there is a conflict between the PPSA and the Land Title
Act [LTA], the LTA prevails (PPSA, s. 74).
(4)   Legal Advice on Execution Orders
Once the execution process has begun, the debtor usually has one final
opportunity to pay. In the case of land, the sheriff may not sell until one
month after receiving the order for sale (s. 100). The debtor should be
advised to pay if possible because the amount recovered on a forced sale
may not be as high as otherwise obtained on a normal sale of property.
c)   Garnishment of Bank Accounts and other Accounts Receivable
(1)   Garnishment Before or After Judgment
Garnishment is a judicial proceeding in which a creditor asks the court to
order a third party who is indebted to the debtor to turn over to the
creditor any of the debtor‟s property. The creditor is the garnishor. The
third party is the garnishee.
The COEA provides that a garnishing order may be obtained before
judgment to pay into court pending outcome or after judgment through a
pre-judgment garnishing order. A pre-judgment garnishing order is not
available against wages. The creditor‟s action against the debtor must be
for a liquidated or ascertained sum. A definition of liquidated sum is
found in Hydro Fuels v. Wilder, [1968] 1 O.R. 169 at 276 (H.C.J.). The
accompanying affidavit must disclose the nature of the cause of action
and liquidated damages, not unspecified damages. Therefore, damages
for breach of contract must be specified (see Gibbons v. Specialty Cars (27
January 1989), F.5885590 (B.C. County Ct.)). Note that recourse to a
pre-judgment garnishing order is extraordinary and therefore the
provisions of the COEA must be strictly complied with or it may be
overturned. Never swear an affidavit in support of a pre-judgment
garnishing order for a client. Have the client swear the affidavit him or
A creditor who begins an action for a liquidated sum may seek to garnish
a debt owed to the debtor to have the money paid into court to “ensure”
payment if the creditor is successful in court. However, remember other
judgment creditors may also be trying to ensure payment.
If the order has not yet been made and the debt is valid, pay the creditor
if possible, since the debtor is liable for payment of the costs of the
garnishing proceedings.
If the order has already been made, examine the possibility of having the
garnishment released and an order for payment by instalments
substituted under s. 5, or in the case of garnishment of wages, having the
exemption increased under s. 4. Hardship may be used as a defence.
If the client is a garnishee who wishes to dispute indebtedness to the
defendant or judgment debtor, he or she should file a dispute notice as
soon as possible with the court. If he or she does not dispute, a second
order, called an order absolute may be issued (see Appendix G:
Affidavit in Support of Garnishing Order After Judgment); this order
operates as a judgment and execution may be taken against him or her.
Inactivity could render a garnishee liable even if he or she never
owed the money to the defendant/judgment debtor.
(2)   What Debts Can be Garnished?
Any debt that is “due or accruing due” to a judgment debtor may be
garnished by a judgment creditor. This formula requires that the debt be
an existing or perfected debt even though payment is not yet due. Bank
accounts can be garnished as long as it is not a joint bank account. Term
deposits may be garnished as long as any conditions on withdrawal are
mere matters of procedure and administration, though there may be
complications where the account is transferable. The majority of RRSPs
that qualify as insurance policies are exempt from execution. Locked-in
RRSPs that hold money transferred from a pension plan on termination
of employment after pension rights have vested may also be exempt
from seizure upon bankruptcy. Each RRSP must be examined separately.
Also, many pension plan payments are exempt pursuant to s. 63 of the
Pension Benefits Standards Act. Section 15 of the COEA provides that a
creditor may seek a garnishing order that will attach a debt maturing in
the future. This form of garnishing order may be useful in attaching
monthly payments, since all future monthly payments can be attached by
one order rather than issuing a garnishing order for each payment. Check
for guidelines for garnishing joint accounts - FCAC Financial Consumer
Agency of Canada – for CBA.ca Canadian Bankers Association.
(3)   Procedure for Pre-Judgment Garnishing Order
The creditor must swear in an affidavit that an action is pending, provide
the date of its commencement, the nature of the cause of action, and the
actual amount (i.e. liquidated or ascertained sum) of the debt, claim or
demand, and that the same is justly due and owing. The affidavit may be
sworn before or after the action is commenced (although the form of the
affidavit will differ). The affidavit must also state that another person, the
garnishee, is indebted to the debtor, and provide the garnishee‟s
residential address (COEA, ss. 3(2)(e) and (f)).
The garnishing order may be set aside if the procedural requirements are
not strictly complied with because it is considered an extraordinary
remedy. For example, a pre-judgment garnishing order will be set aside
where the affidavit in support sets out an amount including interest and
the affidavit does not allege the existence of an agreement on the part of
the debtor to pay interest: see Nevin Sadler-Brown Goodbrand Ltd. v. Adola
Mining Corp. and Prophecy Developments Ltd. (1988), 24 B.C.L.R. (2d) 341.
Never claim court ordered interest in the affidavit.
The court has discretion to set aside a pre-judgment garnishing order, but
the applicant must submit a meritorious set-off claim or show
extraordinary hardship arising out of the garnishment. While there is
some conflicting law regarding whether the plaintiff‟s solicitor may swear
in an affidavit as to what is the amount owing (see Caribou Construction v.
Cementation Co. (Canada) (1987), 11 B.C.L.R. (2d) 122 (S.C.); Trade Fortune
Inc. v. Amalgamated Mill Supplies (1994), 89 B.C.L.R. (2d) 132 (S.C.)), most
practitioners prefer never to swear an affidavit to support a pre-judgment
garnishing order. Whenever possible, the client should swear the
affidavit: see Samuel and Sons Travel v. Right on Travel (1987), 19 B.C.L.R.
(2d) 199. The remaining procedure is the same as for post-judgment
garnishing orders (below) except that the court retains the money
pending the action‟s outcome.
(4)   Procedure for Post-Judgment Garnishing Order
A judgment creditor or his or her solicitor must swear an affidavit
a)   that a judgment has been recovered;
c)   that another person, the garnishee, is indebted to the judgment
d) the address of the garnishee‟s residence in the jurisdiction (s. 3(2)).
The affidavit is filed in the court registry along with the form of order
requested. Barring any technical problem resulting in the registry
declining to issue the order, the garnishing order will usually be issued on
the same day. The garnishee is then served with a copy of the order,
which commands him or her to pay the money into court. A copy of the
order is then served on the debtor as soon as possible after service on the
garnishee. The garnishee may dispute indebtedness to the judgment
debtor (see below). Where the garnishee pays money, the court keeps the
money until it is paid out to the judgment creditor under ss. 11, 12, and
Funds held jointly to the credit of the defendant and another person,
who is not a party to the action, cannot be garnished: see 238344 B.C.
Ltd. v. Patriquin et al. (1984), 57 B.C.L.R. 224.
(5)   Payment by Installments
A debtor against whom a garnishing order has been made may apply for
a release of the garnishing order, and for an order for the payment of the
debt by instalments on the basis of hardship (see Bank of Montreal v.
Monsell (1994), 58 B.C.L.R. 11 (S. C.)). This order, if granted (it is rare),
will bind the debtor‟s creditors, but will only continue for as long as the
debtor is not in default on any payment for more than five days, and so
long as no other garnishing order is issued against him or her for any
other debt (s. 5). The creditor may apply to have the order varied if new
evidence of the debtor‟s finances comes to light.
d)   Garnishment of Wages
(1)   Judgment Required
Garnishment of wages can only occur after a judgment (s. 3(4)).
(2)   Deductions and Exempt Wages
Only 30 percent of wages after statutory deductions (i.e. Employment
Insurance premiums, Canada Pension Plan, Income Tax, etc.) can be
garnished (i.e. 70 percent are exempt). However, a single person cannot
be left with less than $100 per month or pro rata for a shorter period,
and a person with dependants cannot be left with less that $200 per
month or pro rata for a shorter period (s. 5). However, where wages are
garnished to pay maintenance or support for the debtor‟s family, the
exemptions allowed to that person is 50 percent of wages not exceeding
$600 per month or 33.33 percent of wages exceeding $600 per month.
These exemptions must not be less than $100 per month (s. 4(6)).
Garnishment by the Family Maintenance Enforcement Program is called
a Notice of Attachment. The Family Maintenance Enforcement Act
Regulation contains rules about exemptions from attachment. These
rules are different than those found in the COEA.
(3)      Variation of Exemption
A debtor whose wages are garnished may apply under s. 4 to have the
exemption varied. The registrar or judge shall, within three days after
receiving the application, notify persons affected by it and a hearing will
be held within seven days.
With respect to maintenance orders, under s. 18(2) of the Family
Maintenance Enforcement Act, upon application by a creditor, the court
can issue a garnishing order against the debtor without giving notice.
A separate garnishing order must be sworn and issued for each payment
of wages to the debtor, since one garnishing order is good for only one
debt that is owed to the debtor.
(4)      Employer‟s Liability for Firing Employee
No employer may fire or demote an employee because that employee has
his or her wages garnished. An employer who does is liable on summary
conviction to a fine of up to $500 or up to three months in jail or both,
and an employee can be reinstated with back pay if he or she is fired for
garnishment of wages (s. 27). One should consider the fact that the
garnishment may have been the final reason among others for
termination, and may be difficult to prove.
e)   Garnishment of statutory benefits
Benefits including Employment Insurance, Canada Pension Plan, Old Age
Security, workers compensation, social assistance and provincial disability benefits
are exempt from garnishment, seizure or attachment. The exemptions are found in
the statutes that govern these respective benefit programs.
This exemption from garnishment might not apply to set-offs or to debts to the
government. For example debts to the federal crown may be collected from
This protection against garnishment may not extend to a bank account into which
the exempt income is deposited. However, if the debtor is careful they might be
able to retain the exempt character of their income while it is in a bank account.
f)   Enforcing Your Judgment Outside of B.C.
It is possible to register a B.C. judgment in many foreign jurisdictions (including
other Canadian provinces). The requirements for registration may differ from
jurisdiction to jurisdiction, so the judgment creditor should consult with counsel
in the (destination) jurisdiction to determine the specific requirements.
It is also possible, and sometimes more efficient, to sue on the judgment in the
province or country where the judgment debtor‟s assets are located. Normally the
foreign court requires a certificate similar to that found at Appendix I.
3.   Unsecured Creditors: Remedies and Options Before Judgment (Liens)
A lien is a claim, encumbrance, or charge on property (real or personal) for payment of a
debt, obligation, or duty. In many cases, a creditor is entitled to place a hold or lien over
specific property that has benefitted from the individual‟s material or labour. It acts as
security from the individual‟s material or labour and as security for the payment to the
creditor. Property liens are complicated and potentially serious. Please refer clients
The most common liens are:
a)       Liens on Land (Builder’s Liens)
NOTE:             Builder‟s lien issues involve limitation periods and real property
registrations and filings. The time limitations are extremely strict;
solicitors have been known to lose suits because of filing a day late. All
cases should be referred to a lawyer.
Also, it is important to note that a new Builder‟s Lien Act, S.B.C. 1997, c.
45 came into force on February 1, 1998. This new Act repealed the
Builder‟s Lien Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 41.
Under the current Builder‟s Lien Act, a worker, material supplier, contractor, or
sub-contractor who does or causes to be done any work upon, or supplies
material, or both, for an improvement, has a lien for the price of the work and
material, upon the interest of the owner in the improvement, upon the
improvement itself, upon the material delivered to the land, and upon the land
itself (s. 2). “Price” does not include interest on outstanding accounts: see
Horseman Bros. Holdings Ltd. et al. v. Lee et al. (1985), 12 C.L.R. 145 (B.C.C.A.).
After a claim of lien is filed against land, the lien-holder may enforce his or her
claim by obtaining a court order for the land to be sold (s. 31). When a writ is
issued, the lien holder must register a certificate of pending litigation against the
land (s. 33(1)), which prevents any dealings with the title to the land until after the
court determines the validity of the claim. No claim of lien can be filed if the
claim is for less than $200 (s. 17).
(1)      Procedure
A claim of lien on land is filed in the Land Title Office (s. 33(1)). A claim
of lien must be in the prescribed form or it is extinguished (s. 22). It
takes effect from when work began, or when the first material was
supplied for which the lien is claimed. A claim of lien has priority over all
judgments, executions, attachments, and receiving orders recovered,
issued, or made after that date (s. 22).
(2)     Limitation Period
The time for filing a claim of lien is governed by s. 20 and the time
limitations are strict. If a certificate of completion has been issued for a
contract or subcontract, the claims of lien of the contractor,
subcontractor, or any person engaged by or under the contractor or
subcontractor must be filed no later than 45 days after the date on which
the certificate of completion was issued. If there is no certificate of
completion, a claim of lien may be filed no later than 45 days after the
head contract or improvement has been completed, abandoned, or
If a person agrees to have repairs done, he or she must withhold 10
percent of the value of the work or material as they are actually provided
under the contract or subcontract, or the amount of any payment made
on account of the contract or subcontract price, whichever is greater,
from the contractor for a period of 55 days after the certificate of
completion is issued. This covers the possibility of having to pay
workers, subcontractors, and suppliers who were not paid for their
services by the contractor. This holdback must not be retained from a
worker, material supplier, architect, or engineer (s. 4(6)).
In addition, all improvements done with the knowledge, but not at the
request, of the owner will be held to be done at the request of the owner
(s. 3(1)). This rule does not apply to improvements made after the owner
files a notice of interest in the Land Title Office. A notice of interest is a
prescribed form warning other persons that the owner‟s interest in the
land is not bound by a lien claimed under the Act for an improvement on
the land unless that improvement is undertaken at the express request of
the owner (s. 1).
Unless an action to enforce a claim of lien is started and a certificate of
pending litigation is registered in a Land Title Office within one year, the
lien is extinguished (s. 33(5)). Note that the owner may require the lien-
holder to commence an action within 21 days, by sending the holder of a
claim of lien notice in writing (s. 33(2)).
NOTE:            Students should be aware that builder‟s liens may be filed in
Supreme Court only, and only in the same jurisdiction as the
land on which the lien is to be placed. As already mentioned,
time limits are extremely strict here, so clients should take
b)   Liens on Chattels (Repairer’s Liens)
(1)     Possessory Lien and Right to Sell
Under the Repairer‟s Lien Act [RLA] every mechanic or other person
who has bestowed money, skill or materials upon any chattel for its
improvement, has a common law possessory lien on the chattel while it
remains in his or her possession. The lien holder may keep the chattel
until paid. Where the person holds the chattel for 90 days, he or she may
sell it upon compliance with statutory provisions (s. 2). If the lien holder
gives up possession prior to filing a lien, he or she loses the lien (except
with liens on automobiles and aircraft, etc.) and is restricted to ordinary
remedies in court.
(2)      Lien on Automobile, Aircraft, Boats and Outboard Motors
If a mechanic relinquishes possession of an automobile, aircraft, boat or
outboard motor, he or she does not lose the lien, provided that the
debtor, before giving up possession, signed an acknowledgement of
indebtedness (invoice, statement of account, etc.).
The garage keeper has, pursuant to s. 3 of the RLA, 21 days to register a
lien once he or she has given up possession of an automobile, aircraft,
inboard or outboard motor; the registration is made at the Personal
(3)      Procedure
Where a mechanic gives up possession of an automobile, etc., and
afterwards files an affidavit with the registrar, that person may enforce
the lien by issuing a warrant for seizure to a licensed bailiff or the sheriff
(s. 11). The auto or aircraft may then be sold by following the procedures
for the sale of chattels set out in s. 2 (s. 12). A warrant may only be
issued within 180 days of filing the lien (s. 11).
(4)      Limitation Period
When an affidavit of lien is filed, the lien will expire after 180 days,
unless the automobile, etc., has been seized within that period (s. 4).
A copy of the acknowledgement of indebtedness must be included in the
affidavit. If the acknowledgement has not been obtained or is not
included, the affidavit is invalid.
If a client‟s car has been seized, check with the Registrar-General to
determine whether the acknowledgement of indebtedness was properly
included, and whether the automobile, etc. was seized before the end of
the limitation period: see Rudd’s Heavy Equip. Repairs Ltd. v. Blackstone
Paving Ltd. et al. (1985), 34 A.C.W.S. (2d).
c)   Buyer’s Lien
When a buyer has made a part or full payment to a seller, and the seller goes
bankrupt, and the goods are unascertained or future consumer goods, the buyer
can place a lien against all goods that are in, or will come into, the possession of
the seller that correspond with the description or sample of goods agreed upon
(See Part 9 of the Sale of Goods Act). This holds as long as the goods were not
sold to someone else. The buyer also has a lien against any bank account where
the seller normally deposits the proceeds of sales. This lien has priority over all
The seller can discharge the lien by handing over the good or returning the buyer‟s
deposit, but the latter will not relieve the seller from the possibility of suit for
breach of contract. The buyer‟s lien permits the buyer, upon application to court,
to have goods seized and sold and have the proceeds delivered, or just have the
goods delivered. Note that this section does not apply to goods bought under s. 79
of the Sale of Goods Act. Please read the Sale of Goods Act for details of
proceedings and application.
d)        Liens for Storage
The Warehouse Lien Act provides that every warehouse owner or operator has a
lien on goods deposited with him or her for storage, whether deposited by the
owner of goods or by his or her authority, or by any person entrusted with
possession of the goods by the owner, or by his or her authority (s. 2(1)). This
right does not apply to unpaid charges for goods previously stored: see Re Dutton
Pacific Forest Products Ltd. (1980), 117 D.L.R. (3d) 507 (S.C.), sub nom Squamish
Terminals Ltd. v. Price-Waterhouse Limited. After the warehouser gives the appropriate
notices, the goods may be sold to collect the charges (ss. 3 and 4).
e)        Legal Advice on Liens
If the lien is valid and the client wishes to discharge the lien, but disputes the
amount of the claim, the client may wish to make the payment to the lien-holder.
The client should send an accompanying letter stating an intention to dispute the
claim, and if he or she is required to sign documents acknowledging indebtedness
before the chattels will be released, he or she should write the words “Without
Prejudice” above the signature. In every case, the client should always ensure that
the proper steps have been taken to discharge the lien upon payment.
II.   INTRODUCTION TO DEBTORS’ ASSISTANCE
Due to restructuring of services, the provincial Debtor Assistance Program is closed as of April 30 th, 2002.
Being in serious debt is obviously stressful for debtors. Debtors should be made aware that measures can be
taken against overeager creditors.
A debtor should not assume that he or she can ignore his or her responsibilities because it is unlikely the
creditor will initiate legal action. The debtor should normally try to communicate with the creditor(s) in hopes
of reaching an agreement about repayment, and to avoid potentially costly legal battles. If such
communication occurs, both the debtor and the creditor must be realistic about the situation. Both parties
must assess the costs and delay involved in any litigation. In such negotiations, the latter factors may work in
favour of the debtor. All of this is, of course, assuming that the debtor indeed owes the money to the creditor
in the first place. The debtor should seek legal advice before discussing a debt with a collector. Such
discussions could affect limitation periods regarding collecting and reporting the debt.
A debtor should also seek legal advice where he or she disputes the amount owing. Where a creditor is
pressuring a debtor for payment, a student may write a “without prejudice” letter to the creditor explaining
your client‟s position and offering a settlement. If the creditor is unwilling to accept the settlement, the
creditor‟s only legal alternative is to proceed with legal action and your client should be prepared to make his
or her case in court and to accept what the court decides.
A debtor cannot seek to avoid defending an action in debt where that action takes place in another province
on the grounds that the court lacks jurisdiction. An action under s. 29 of the COEA to enforce an extra-
provincial default judgment may proceed where the debtor was served but chose not to offer any defence to
the original statement of claim. The creditor simply registers a judgment from another province in B.C., and it
becomes a B.C. judgment. Furthermore, as a result of the decision in Morguard Investments v. De Savoye, [1990] 3
S. C.R. 1077, American and other international default judgments can be easily enforced in B.C. A creditor
seeking to register a judgment in B.C. should be aware that only judgments from a reciprocating state can be
registered. To determine if a reciprocating agreement exists go to the schedule in the COEA. If there is no
reciprocating agreement in place, a creditor can bring an action on the judgment or on the original cause of
A.   Legal Advice for Debtors Under Secured Transactions
The information in this section is specific to the defendant‟s point of view but can also available for
reference in Section I: Creditors’ Remedies from the creditor‟s point of view. If a student needs
more information, that section may be helpful.
Where the debtor is in default under a security agreement, s. 56 of the PPSA provides that the
secured party has against the debtor the rights and remedies provided in the security agreement
(provided such do not derogate those rights given to the debtor by the PPSA) as well as those
specifically provided by the Act.
Important sections of the PPSA for the creditor are ss. 58 and 59, which contains rules for seizing
and disposing of collateral, and section 67, known as the “seize or sue” rule (formerly, under
legislation which was repealed by the PPSA, creditors could only seize or sue, but not both). These
sections provide that, unless the security agreement states otherwise, where the debtor defaults in
payment the creditor may elect to take possession of the collateral pursuant to the contract, dispose
of the collateral and then sue for any amount still owing. The principle of “seize OR sue” still
applies to consumer goods (see Section I.C.1.g: Seizure).
1.       Notice
NOTE:             The forms of notices under the PPSA depend on a number of variables, including
the nature of the security and the terms of the security agreement. Clients seeking
advice concerning the validity of notices should be referred to a lawyer.
Subject to the circumstances where notice is not required as per s. 59 (17) (i.e. for
perishable collateral, collateral requiring disproportionately high storage costs relative to its
value, etc.), the requirements for notice are outlined in ss. 59(6) and (10): the secured party
or receiver, as the case may be, must provide at least 20 days notice of an intention to
dispose of the collateral to parties including the debtor and any other creditor. The clinician
should check to make sure that the debtor received notice in time.
2.       Limitation of the Right of Seizure
With respect to collateral which is a “consumer good,” where the debtor has paid at least
two-thirds of the total amount secured, the creditor may not seize the good without first
3.       Rights of a Debtor on Realization
The PPSA preserves the debtor‟s (but not the secured party‟s) rights and remedies under
other statutes that are not inconsistent with the PPSA, as well as the specific rights and
remedies provided in the security agreement, Part 5 and s. 17 (s. 56(2)(b)).
4.       Rights of Redemption and Reinstatement
Under s. 62, a debtor has redemption rights, although they do not apply against a receiver.
Any person entitled to notice of a pending disposition of collateral may redeem the
collateral by tendering to the secured party fulfilment of the obligations secured by the
collateral plus the reasonable expenses incurred by the secured party associated with seizing
the collateral or otherwise preparing it for disposition. The debtor may waive this right, but
any such agreement must be in writing after default.
Where the collateral is a “consumer good”, the calculation of the obligation secured, and
hence, that which must be tendered, is varied in that the debtor may reinstate the security
agreement by paying monies actually in arrears (as opposed to the sum which would be due
and owing by operation of an acceleration clause included in the security agreement). Note
that the number of times the debtor may reinstate the security agreement is limited
depending upon the period of time for repayment set out in the security agreement;
however, the frequency of redemption and reinstatement may be varied by agreement
Where the collateral is not a “consumer good” and the security agreement contains an
acceleration clause, the debtor may apply to court for relief from the consequences of
default or stay enforcement of the security agreement‟s acceleration provision. Also, the
court may make such an order in the proceeding for the enforcement of rights under the
5.       Execution
See Section I.C.2.b: Execution.
B.   Legal Advice for Debtors Who are Garnished
The details of how an order for garnishment is obtained are found in the creditor‟s remedy portion
of the chapter, but debtors should be reminded that hardship may be a defence to garnishment.
Therefore, a pre or post-judgment garnishment order may be varied where it would be unfair to the
judgment debtor (it is easier to have a pre-judgment order varied).
Under ss. 3 or 4 of the COEA, a judge has the discretion to set aside a garnishing order once the
debtor has made an application. A judge will consider:
1.   strengths and weaknesses of defendant‟s defence to the claim.
1.   whether the judgment leaves the debtor with an inordinately low cash flow;
2.   whether there is a risk that the grant or continuance of the order will cause an injustice to the
3.   whether there is a possibility of abuse of process by the creditor; and
4.   whether the garnishment of certain payments, such as social assistance benefits, run counter to
Furthermore, s. 4(4) of the COEA describes the limits to which a debtor‟s wages may be garnished.
Thus, if a debtor has a low income or has savings he or she depends on for the necessities of life, he
or she can have the amount that is being garnished (or proposed to be garnished) reduced, the terms
of the order varied, or the garnishment ended. A person who is subject to a Notice of Attachment
under the Family Maintenance Enforcement Program can also try to have the amount that is being
„garnished‟ reduced.
If the debtor receives income from a statutory benefit that is exempt from garnishment (see Section
I.c.2.e) they should be advised on how to protect their money after it is paid. Their income should
be safe if it is paid by direct deposit into an account at an institution to which they do not owe any
money. No other deposits should ever be made into this account. It is also helpful to speak to a
branch manager so that they understand the purpose of the account – this may be easier to do at a
credit union than a bank.
NOTE:            A garnishing order from a civil action has to be renewed monthly, while a garnishing order
for maintenance does not.
C.      Harassment by Debt Collectors
The Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act provides for the licensing and regulation of
debt collectors. Under the statute, the Director of Debt Collection has wide powers of investigation.
1.       Unreasonable Collection Practices
A collector must not communicate with a debtor, a member of the debtor‟s family, a
relative, a neighbour or the debtor‟s employer in a manner or with a frequency as to
constitute harassment. The following constitutes harassment:
a)   using threatening, profane, intimidating or coercive language;
c)   publishing or threatening to publish a debtor&#39;s failure to pay (s.114).
A collector cannot communicate with a debtor at the debtor‟s place of employment unless
a)   the collector does not have the home address or telephone number for the debtor and
the collector contacts the debtor solely for the purpose of requesting the debtor&#39;s
home address or telephone number or both;
b) the collector has attempted to contact the debtor at the debtor‟s home address or
telephone number, but the collector has not contacted the debtor in any of these
attempts (the collector is limited to one verbal attempt (s.116 (2)), or
c)   the collector has been authorized by the debtor to communicate with the debtor at the
debtor‟s place of employment (s.116 (1)).
When the collector is contacting the debtor, they must indicate the name of the creditor
with whom the debt was incurred, the amount of the debt, and the identity and authority of
the collector to collect the debt from the debtor (s.116 (3)).
The collector must only contact a debtor through writing if the debtor provides a mailing
address and notifies the collector in writing that they wish to be contacted only by writing.
(s.116 (4)). If the debtor does not respond or make an effort to respond to the collector‟s
written correspondence, the collector can contact the debtor is other ways.
In collecting or attempting to collect payment of debt, a collector must not supply any false
or misleading information; misrepresent the purpose of communication; misrepresent the
identity of the collector or, if different, the creditor; or use, without lawful authority, a
summons, notice, demand, or other document that suggest or implies a connection with any
court inside Canada (s.123).
2.   Limits on Right of Seizure
Under s. 122, no collector, whether on his or her own behalf or on behalf of another,
directly, indirectly, or through others, shall:
a)   unless there is a court order to the contrary, remove from the debtor‟s private dwelling
any personal property claimed under seizure, distress, or repossession, in the absence
of the debtor, the debtor‟s spouse, the debtor‟s agent, or an adult resident in the
debtor‟s dwelling;
b) seize, repossess or levy distress against any chattel not specifically charged or
mortgaged, or to which legal claim may not be made under a statute, court judgment,
or court order; or
c)   remove, seize, repossess, or levy distress against any chattel during a day or during the
hours of a day when such removal, seizure, repossession or distress is prohibited by
3.   Consequences of Contravention of the Business Practices and
Where there is evidence of misconduct by the debt collector, the Director may suspend,
cancel, or refuse to issue his or her license (s.146(1)). Such conduct includes (s.146(2)):
a)   contravening this Act or regulations;
b) failing to meet the minimum requirements for a license;
c)   conduct by the debt collector that shows that he or she is unfit to have a license; or
4.   Legal Advice for a Harassed Debtor
If there may be a violation of the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act, the
debtor should do the following:
a)    find out the name of the collector and/or agency;
b)    record the exact words or practice followed by the debt collector or the agency; and
c)    detail the time and dates of the calls or visits.
With the above information the debtor should contact the Business Practices and
Consumer Protection Authority at 1-888-564-9963 for the name of the complaints manager
for the collection agency the debtor is dealing with. This complaints manager will work
with the debtor to resolve the complaint, including disciplinary action, if appropriate.
www.bpcpa.ca/Consumers/help/consumers-help-debt-collection.htm
Finally, if the debtor suffered damages or inconvenience as a result of the agency‟s
collection practices, a Small Claims action may be commenced.
D.   Credit Reporting Agencies
Businesses offering goods or services on credit often rely on credit bureaus for financial and prior
debt information on their customers.
The Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act regulates the activities of these agencies in
order to minimize unfair treatment of the party seeking credit. Federal legislation, such as the
Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act [PIPEDA] and the Privacy Act,
also outline the requirements for organizations in their use, collection, and disclosure of personal
information in their business practices. Credit information that these bureaus can disclose is the most
common type of personal information, and includes one‟s:
a)   name, age and address;
b) marital status;
c)   place of work;
e)   debts owing.
A credit reporting agency can NOT give out an individual‟s personal credit report without that
individual‟s consent. When one seeks credit, he or she will be asked to consent to obtaining a credit
report or a credit check.
Certain information cannot be included in a credit report – for example, criminal charges (unless the
individual was convicted), convictions more than six years old, and information about race, religion
Credit reporting agencies‟ records are not always accurate and up to date. The quality and accuracy
of the credit information depends on the credit information provided by the credit granting
companies who sign up with the credit reporting agencies. If an individual finds incorrect
information on his or her file, he or she can report the error to the agency that provided the
information to have it corrected. If an individual has proof that their credit report contains an error
and they are unable to resolve it with the creditor directly, the individual should contact the credit
reporting agencies who are reporting the incorrect information. The agencies will assist them with
finding a resolution. Consumers may obtain their own credit report for free at least once a year.
There are currently two main credit reporting agencies in Western Canada:
304-4190 Lougheed Highway
Burnaby, B.C. V5C 6A8
Telelphone: (604) 291-8600
Toll-free: 1-877-323-2598 or 1-800-465-7166
TransUnion (by appointment only)
215 - 9600 Cameron Street
Monday – Friday 8:00am-4:00pm PST
Telelphone: (604) 683-2426
Toll-free: 1-866-525-0262 (English); 1-877-713-3393 (French)
NOTE:            Individuals should check their credit history regularly. Credit counselors suggest once per
year. Credit reporting agencies will send a person a copy of their credit history by regular
mail for free. To obtain a copy call Equifax or TransUnion at the above numbers or visit
http://www.equifax.com/EFX_Canada/consumer_information_centre/ownreport_e.
III.   GETTING OUT OF DEBT
NOTE:            The following applies to individuals only.
Before advising a client about getting out of debt, the student should ensure that he or she is, in
fact, liable for the alleged debts.
Most clients do not seek legal advice until long after they have become overburdened with debts.
Financial counselling may be of assistance.
NOTE:            Problems dealing with bankruptcy should be referred to a Trustee.
B.      Debtors’ Assistance Referrals and Resources
The Credit Counselling Society is a non-profit organization that assists people who are experiencing
difficulties with debts. They provide free and confidential counselling with highly trained
counsellors. They can answer questions over the phone or by online chat.
Telephone: 1-888-527-8999
Web site: www.nomoredebts.org
The Law Services Society‟s LawLINK web site has a helpful section titled “Consumers and
Debt”.Articles and information on various topics relating to consumer protection, debt and Small
Claims Court in British Columbia can be found online at:
www.lawlink.bc.ca/Consumer_and_Debt.htm.
Information on how to deal with debt collectors and collection agencies and harassment can be
found either on the LawLINK web site or through the Business Practices and Consumer Protection
Authority of British Columbia online at: www.bpcpa.ca or by telephone at: 1-888-564-9963.
The Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy in Canada, an agency of Industry Canada, assists
debtors by providing them with many useful online resources such as “Dealing with Debt: A
Consumer‟s Guide” and “Debtor‟s Frequently Asked Questions”. A directory of licensed bankruptcy
trustees can also be found on their web site at: osb-bsf.ic.gc.ca. For further information the Office of
the Superintendent of Bankruptcy can be contacted at:
1900 - 300 West Georgia Street
Tel: (604) 666-5007
The following are other useful web sites that provide general information on bankruptcy in B.C.:
Web-site: www.bankruptcy-canada.ca
Web-site: www.bankruptcycanada.com
Students may also want to refer clients to a private debt counsellor. These range in price and quality
and should be approached with this in mind.
Trustees are a third source. A trustee is someone who would look out for your interest for you.
Numerous companies act as trustees and the same care should be taken in hiring one as is outlined
for debt counsellors.
C.      Communicating with Creditors when Unable to Pay as Agreed
Depending on a consumer‟s circumstances, they may need to contact their creditors to ask for
assistance in getting through financially difficult times. Most people truly want to honour their
commitments; however, they may not be able to do so at this time. If someone needs help with
determining what their budget is and if they have surplus income to offer their creditors a reduced
payment, the Credit Counselling Society is able to help consumers at no cost: 1.888.527.8999.
If the client has enough surplus income in their budget to repay their debt, they may wish to contact
their creditors in writing and offer reduced payments until they are in a position to make contractual
payments again. This is NOT a legal arrangement.
1.   determine the amount(s) owed and to whom (verify with the creditors rather than relying on the
2.   determine how much money is available to pay to creditors, keeping the basic standard of living
3.   consider if the client has assets, bank accounts or investments at risk;
4.   consider the nature of the debt and if someone else would be impacted if the client is unable to
make full payment, e.g. a joint credit card;
5.   work out a payment plan for the creditors on a pro rata basis;
6.   write the creditor a short letter outlining your situation and providing proof of reduced financial
capacity, eg. EI stub;
7.   send or fax the above letter with supporting documentation and retain proof of the creditor
receiving said letter (e.g. fax transmission report), retain a copy for your file;
8.   update creditor periodically, e.g. if client‟s situation stays the same or improves and if they‟re
able to resume contractual payments.
NOTE:            Contact the Credit Counselling Society for free help with this process if needed.
The creditors may feel the reduced payments are not acceptable, but would likely not pursue
alternative legal action if this is all the client can afford at this time. Communication with the
creditors is vital, especially if a consumer has no ability make payments at this time.
D.   Debt Consolidation and Refinancing
Creditors will often offer refinancing or debt consolidation as the solution to the debtor‟s financial
problem. The interest rate may be higher for the consolidation. Terms and conditions will determine
total interest paid and the payment period. If making payments in the first place is the problem,
consolidation loans may not be the solution.
E.   Settlements
Depending on the consumer‟s circumstances, their creditors may be willing to accept a settlement on
a portion of what is owed. If a consumer has funds available, they can approach their creditors in
writing to accept a one time lump sum payment. In exchange, the creditors agree in writing to report
the debt as “settled in full‟ to all credit reporting agencies.
F.   Services a Trustee Provides Under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act
The first appointment with a trustee in B.C. is always free. During this appointment, the trustee
should outline the implications and information a consumer needs to consider before making an
assignment. This is the time to ask questions to understand the process and long term effect on your
1.       Consumer Proposal
Depending on the nature and amount of the debt(s) and the consumer’s ability to pay, a
consumer proposal could be considered. A consumer proposal is a legal arrangement with
creditors to repay a portion of the amounts owing. Assets are not usually jeopardized (as
they may be in bankruptcy) and the interests stop accruing as long as payments are being
made. Legal action and most garnishments are not effective while the consumer proposal
arrangement is in place. Please consult a trustee for more detailed information.
2.       Personal Bankruptcy
NOTE:             Parliament passed Bill C-55 which has been published but not proclaimed as
enforceable law. This Bill changes various aspects of personal bankruptcy. Before
a student provides advice about personal bankruptcy, they should check the status
This procedure is governed by the BIA (including amendments), and is based on the
premise that the client is completely unable to pay his or her debts, even at a reduced rate,
and does not have assets to liquidate (client is insolvent). Bankruptcy is one option to deal
with a heavy debt burden. The record of a bankruptcy stays on a person‟s credit record for
a minimum of six years from the day the debts are discharged. This does not necessarily
mean that credit will be denied, only that the bankruptcy will be a factor that a potential
creditor will consider when deciding whether or not to extend credit to that person.
Declaring bankruptcy may also effect one‟s professional designation and/or ability to gain
The debtor is required by law to engage a trustee to administer his or her bankruptcy.
Personal bankruptcy using a trustee will cost the debtor approximately $1,850 (including
$85 per counselling session, of which two are mandatory for a first time bankruptcy and
GST). Usually the trustee will require a minimum payment to initiate the proceedings. For a
first time bankruptcy, all debts are automatically discharged nine months from the date of
bankruptcy but only if the terms and condition of the bankruptcy are fulfilled and surplus
income is not a factor. The period of the discharge may be extended at the discretion of the
a)       Debts Bankruptcy Will Not Discharge
A client should know that filing for bankruptcy will not discharge his or her
a)   an amount owing on a fine or penalty imposed by law;
b) a court order or a separation agreement regarding alimony or maintenance;
c)   an amount obtained under false pretences, or by a fraudulent
d) a restitution order resulting from a criminal conviction (consult a lawyer for
more details regarding this and orders resulting from civil proceedings); and
e)   any debt or obligation for federal and provincial student loans where the date
of bankruptcy occurs before the date on which the bankrupt ceased to be a
full or part-time student or, as of June 18, 1998 through an amendment to the
Act, within 10 years after the date on which the bankrupt ceased to be a full
or part-time student (BIA, s. 178(1)(g)).
Questions about bankruptcy, including specific questions regarding Canada
Student Loans, may be directed to the Superintendent of Bankruptcy, Vancouver,
B.C. at: (604) 666-5007.
b)       Assets that May be Retained by the Bankrupt in B.C.
The bankrupt may retain household furnishings and appliances to the value of
$4,000 and any other goods or property exempt from execution under provincial
and federal statutes (COEA, s. 71(1); B.C. Reg. 28/98 (court order enforcement
exemption regulation), BIA, s. 67(1) and relevant amendments).
Also, s. 71(1) of the COEA allows a debtor to retain $5,000 for one motor vehicle
if he or she is not a maintenance debtor, and $2,000 for one motor vehicle if he or
she is a maintenance debtor. Section 71(1) also allows a bankrupt to retain $10,000
for tools and other personal property used in his or her occupation. Also, s.
71.1(1) allows an equity exemption of $12,000 if the debtor‟s principal residence is
within the GVRD and Capital Regional District, or $9,000 if outside the GVRD
and Capital Regional District. The debtor can retain items related to his or her
essential needs such as medical equipment (s. 67(1)(b.1)).
NOTE:             If the debtor chooses a trustee and is rejected (due to a fee charge) he or
she should contact the Superintendent of Bankruptcy, Vancouver, B.C.:
at (604) 666-5007.
IV.   APPENDIX INDEX
A. FORM A: GARNISHING ORDER BEFORE JUDGMENT (SUPREME COURT)
B. FORM B: AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF GARNISHING ORDER BEFORE JUDGMENT
C. FORM C: AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF GARNISHING ORDER BEFORE ACTION
D. AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF MOTION TO SET ASIDE GARNISHING ORDER
E. ORDER TO SET ASIDE GARNISHING ORDER
F. FORM A: GARNISHING ORDER AFTER JUDGMENT
G. FORM B: AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF GARNISHING ORDER AFTER JUDGMENT
H. FORM C: GARNISHING ORDER (ABSOLUTE)
I.   ENFORCING A BRITISH COLUMBIA JUDGMENT IN A RECIPROCATING FOREIGN
J.   CHECKLIST FOR EXAMINATION IN AID OF EXECUTION
APPENDIX A: GARNISHING ORDER BEFORE JUDGMENT
WHEN MAKING PAYMENT INTO COURT THIS ACTION NUMBER MUST BE QUOTED: NO. [number]
[location] Registry
Before [Mr./Madam] [name], District Registrar
[name of garnishee]
On reading the affidavit of [name], sworn [month, day, year], and on it appearing that the indebtedness,
obligation, or liability of the garnishee[s] is not for wages or salary, I order that all debts, obligations, and
liabilities owing, payable, or accruing due from the above-named garnishee (or garnishees or any of them) to
the above-named defendant[s], [name[s]], other than for wages or salary, be attached to the total amount set
out below and paid into court.
Dated [month, day, year]
[District] REGISTRAR
TO: The Defendant[s]                                 AND TO: The Garnishee
[name and address]                                   [name and address]
Amount due                                                                           $
Cost of attachment proceedings*                                                      $
Total Amount Attached:                                                               $
*THIS IS CALCULATED BY ADDING THE FOLLOWING: (NB- NOT TO BE INCLUDED AS PART OF GARNISHING ORDER)
Fee for garnishment process per Schedule 2 of
Appendix B of the Supreme Court Rules
Fee taxable on entry of default judgment per
Schedule 1 of Appendix B of the Supreme Court Rules
File garnishing order
Service of writ per Schedule 2 of Appendix C
of the Supreme Court Rules
Service of garnishing order per
Schedule 2 of Appendix C of the Supreme Court Rules
If you do not pay into court at once the amount of your indebtedness to the defendant, an order may be
made against you for the payment of the full amount with costs.
You may apply to the registrar or the court and, if considered just in all the circumstances, an order may be
made releasing all or part of this garnishment.
APPENDIX B: AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF GARNISHING ORDER BEFORE
AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF GARNISHING ORDER
I, [name of person swearing affidavit], [occupation], of [address], [city], British Columbia, make oath and say that:
1.     [I am/I am the [describe office] of] the plaintiff, and am aware of the facts referred to in this affidavit.
1.     I am the solicitor of the plaintiff, and am aware of the facts referred to in this affidavit.
1.     I am acting for the plaintiff, and am aware of the facts referred to in this affidavit.
2.     This action is pending and was commenced on [month, day, year].
3.     The nature of the cause of action for which this action is brought is [state the nature of the cause of action],
which claim is more particularized in the [i.e. writ of summons with attached statement of claim] to be filed in this
proceeding, a copy of which is marked as Exhibit A and attached to this affidavit.
4.     In respect of the cause of action, the defendant is justly indebted to the plaintiff for $ [amount], after
making all just discounts, and that sum is justly due and owing.
5.     To the best of my information and belief, [name, description and address of the garnishee], the garnishee, is
indebted, under obligation, or liable to the defendant and the garnishee is in the jurisdiction of this
court, and the indebtedness, obligation, or liability of the garnishee is not for salary or wages.
SWORN BEFORE ME at                 )
[location], British Columbia,      )
on [month, day, year]              )
________________________________   )     ________________________________
A Commissioner for taking          )      [Person swearing affidavit]
Affidavits for British Columbia    )
APPENDIX C: AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF GARNISHING ORDER BEFORE
[name of intended plaintiff]
[name of intended defendant]
1.     [I am/I am the [describe office] of] the above-named intended plaintiff, and am aware of the facts referred to in
1.     I am the solicitor of the above-named intended plaintiff, and am aware of the facts referred to in this
1.     I am acting for the above-named intended plaintiff, and am aware of the facts referred to in this
[Use the following if the plaintiff is an individual]
2.     I wish to commence an action against the above-named intended defendant, which claim includes a
claim for [state the nature of the intended action] and is more particularized in the [i.e. writ of summons with attached
statement of claim] to be filed in this proceeding, a copy of which is marked as Exhibit A and attached to
[Use the following if the plaintiff is a corporation]
2.     The intended plaintiff wishes to commence an action against the above-named intended defendant,
which claim includes a claim for [state the nature of the intended action] and is more particularized in the [writ of
summons with attached statement of claim] to be filed in this proceeding, a copy of which is marked as Exhibit A
and attached to this affidavit.
3.    The actual amount of the debt, claim, or demand in the cause of action is $ [amount] and that sum is
justly due and owing by the intended defendant to the intended plaintiff after making all just discounts.
4.    To the best of my information and belief, [name, description, and address of the garnishee], the garnishee, is
indebted, under obligation, or liable to the intended defendant and the garnishee is in the jurisdiction of
this court, and the indebtedness, obligation, or liability of the garnishee is not for salary or wages.
SWORN BEFORE ME at                                    )
[location], British Columbia,                         )
on [month, day, year]                                 )
_________________________________                     )     ________________________________
A Commissioner for taking                             )      [Person swearing affidavit]
Affidavits for British Columbia                       )
APPENDIX D: AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF MOTION TO SET ASIDE
1.    I am the [i.e. president] of [name of corporation], the defendant in this proceeding, and as such have personal
knowledge of the facts and matters hereinafter deposed to, save and except where stated to be on
information and belief, and where so stated I verily believe them to be true. I am authorized by the
defendant to make this affidavit.
2.    I was informed by one of the defendant‟s customers that has outlets in British Columbia that a
garnishing order had been served on it. I took steps to investigate who had issued the garnishing order
and determined that a company known as [name of company], the plaintiff in this proceeding, had
commenced a lawsuit against the defendant and named a number of the defendant‟s customers as
3.    In the course of investigating who issued the garnishing order, I obtained a copy of the affidavit in
support of garnishing order, which attaches the writ of summons and statement of claim. A copy of the
affidavit in support of garnishing order is marked as Exhibit A and attached to this my affidavit.
4.    To the best of my knowledge, the defendant has not been served with the writ of summons and
5.    [Set out succinctly the reasons why the garnishing order should be set aside.]
SWORN BEFORE ME at                                              )
[location], British Columbia,                                   )
on [month, day, year]                                           )
_________________________________                               )      ________________________________
A Commissioner for taking                                       )       [Person swearing affidavit]
Affidavits for British Columbia                                 )
APPENDIX E: ORDER TO SET ASIDE GARNISHING ORDER
BEFORE THE HONOURABLE                                   )
[MR./MADAM] JUSTICE [name]                              )
[or]                                )     [day of week]
BEFORE MASTER [name]                                    )     [month, day, year]
[or]                                )
BEFORE [District] REGISTRAR [name]                      )
THE APPLICATION of the [party, and optionally, name of the party], coming on for hearing at [place of hearing] on
[month, day, year], and on hearing [name], counsel for the [party], and [name], counsel for the [party], [[or], and no one
appearing for the [party]]:
1.   the garnishing order before judgment dated [month, day, year] is hereby set aside;
2.   any funds which have been paid into court pursuant to the garnishing order will be paid out to the
credit of the defendant; and
3.   the defendant‟s costs of this application, at scale [3], be costs in the cause.
Solicitor for the [party]
APPENDIX F: GARNISHING ORDER AFTER JUDGMENT
WHEN MAKING PAYMENT INTO COURT THIS ACTION NUMBER MUST
BE QUOTED: NO. [number]
On reading the affidavit of [name], sworn [month, day, year], I order that, except as otherwise ordered, all debts,
obligations, and liabilities owing, payable, or accruing due from the garnishee (or garnishees or any of them)
to the defendant be attached up to the total amount set out below and paid into court. If any of the debts,
obligations, and liabilities are owing, payable, or accruing due for wages, then only as much of them as is
permitted by s. 3 of the Court Order Enforcement Act, is to be attached and paid into court [see over].
TO: The Defendant(s)                                 AND TO: The Garnishee
(a)       Amount due                 $
Service of garnishing order per Schedule 2 of Appendix C of the Supreme Court Rules
If you do not pay into court at once the amount of your indebtedness to the defendant or judgment debtor, or the
amount limited by the above attaching order, or if you do not dispute your liability, an order may be made against you
for the payment of the full amount with costs.
If you dispute your liability you should at once file a dispute note, and the registrar will then send you notice of the day
on which you are to appear in court.
“Owing, payable, or accruing due” means owing, payable, or accruing due at the time this order was served on you but,
in the case of wages or salary, includes wages or salary that will, in the ordinary course of employment, become due
and payable within seven days after the day on which the affidavit above mentioned first was sworn.
Section 27 of the Court Order Enforcement Act makes it an offence to dismiss or demote an employee or terminate a
contract of employment of an employee merely because of the service of a garnishing order on the employer issued
To prevent further garnishment proceedings you may apply to the registrar or the court and, if considered just in all the
circumstances, an order may be made releasing all or part of this garnishment and providing for payment of the
judgment against you by installments.
APPENDIX G: AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF GARNISHING ORDER AFTER
1.     I am the person entitled to enforce the judgment or order referred to in this affidavit.
1.     I am the solicitor of the person entitled to enforce the judgment or order referred to in this affidavit.
1.     I am acting for the person entitled to enforce the judgment or order referred to in this affidavit, and am
aware of the facts referred to in this affidavit.
2.     On a judgment entered in this action, the above-named [name of defendant] (hereinafter called the
“judgment debtor”) was found to be indebted to the above-named [name of plaintiff] for $ [amount], [and the
whole sum remains due/of which $ [amount] still remains due], and it is justly due and owing by [name of defendant] to
[name of plaintiff] after making all just discounts.
3.     To the best of my information and belief, [name, description, and address of the garnishee], the garnishee, is
SWORN BEFORE ME at                                        )
[location], British Columbia,                             )
on [month, day, year]                                     )
_______________________________________                  )     _____________________________________________________________
A Commissioner for taking                                 )     [Person swearing affidavit]
Affidavits for British Columbia                           )
APPENDIX H: GARNISHING ORDER ABSOLUTE
WHEN MAKING PAYMENT INTO COURT THIS ACTION NUMBER MUST BE QUOTED: NO.
GARNISHING ORDER ABSOLUTE
On reading the affidavit of [name of person swearing affidavit], filed [month, day, year], and the order made by [the Honourable
[Mr./Madam] Justice [name]/[Mr./Madam] [name], registrar at [location of court registry]], whereby it was ordered that all
debts, obligations, and liabilities owing, payable, or accruing due from the above-named garnishee [or as the case may be]
to answer [continue as in attaching order and refer to any other material used on the motion], and on hearing [name of counsel],
counsel for the [party], and [name of counsel], counsel for the [party], [[or], and no one appearing for the [party]],
I order that the above-named garnishee [or as the case may be] at once [or on [month, day, year]] pay to the plaintiff
$ [amount] [due/payable/on that day to become due or payable] from the garnishee [or as the case may be] to the defendant [or as
APPENDIX I: CERTIFICATE (PURSUANT TO SCHEDULE 2, COEA)
CANADA                                                  )
PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA                            )
It is certified that, among the records of the Supreme Court of British Columbia, at [location], British
Columbia, before [the Honourable [Mr./Madam] Justice [name], in the Procedure Book there is record of an action,
numbered as No. [number] between [name of plaintiff] as plaintiff and [name of defendant] as defendant.
1.     The writ of summons and statement of claim was issued on [month, day, year] and proof was furnished to
this court that it was served on the defendant by delivery of a copy of it to [him/her] and leaving it with
[him/her].
2.     No defence was entered, and the judgment was allowed by [i.e. default].
2.     A defence was entered and judgment was allowed [at the trial].
3.     Judgment was given on [month, day, year].
4.     The default judgment has not been set aside and there is no application pending to set aside the default
4.     Time for appeal has expired and no appeal is pending.
5.     Particulars:
Claim as allowed                                                                 $
Costs to judgment                                                                $
Subsequent costs                                                                 $
Interest                                                                         $
Paid on [month, day, year]                                                       $
And the balance remaining due on the judgment for debt, interest and costs is:
IN TESTIMONY of which we have fixed the seal of the Supreme Court of British Columbia, at [location],
British Columbia, this [month, day, year].
CLERK OF THE COURT OF [location]
APPENDIX J: CHECKLIST FOR EXAMINATION IN AID OF EXECUTION
Students should consult the B.C. Law Society web site for an extensive checklist for examination in aid of execution.
Although this checklist is for the Supreme Court process, it is useful for Small Claims payment hearings as well.
At time of printing, the Law Society‟s web site address is: www.lawsociety.bc.ca/library/checklist/docs/e-5.pdf
1.   Preliminary Matters
3.   Real Property
4.   Other Property (Legal or Equitable)
5.   Dispositions of Property
6.   Spouse
7.   Family
8.   Debts
9.   Personal Budget
11. Satisfaction of the Judgment
12. Supplementary Questions for a Corporate Debtor
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