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Stay of Proceedings (Section 69)
Section 69 of The Bankruptcy & Insolvency Act
Note: Entire Bankruptcy & Insolvency Act can be found at http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/b-3/
Whether you choose a bankruptcy or a proposal, when you engage Bromwich+Smith and we agree to assist you, there is an immediate Stay of Proceedings that is put into place. What this means is that our involvement stops the creditors actions immediately. There is no negotiation process or attempt at reaching an agreement to have them stop…they are stopped by the law when we get involved.
If you are being garnisheed this will stop (unless the garnishee is for your current child or spousal support). All telephone calls will stop (but this sometimes takes a few days). If you are being sued the lawsuit will stop immediately too.
The reason why this happens is so that you can concentrate on your rehabilitation and fresh start.
Stay of proceedings — Notice of intention
69 (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3) and sections 69.4, 69.5 and 69.6, on the filing of a notice of intention under section 50.4 by an insolvent person,
(a) no creditor has any remedy against the insolvent person or the insolvent person’s property, or shall commence or continue any action, execution or other proceedings, for the recovery of a claim provable in bankruptcy,
(b) no provision of a security agreement between the insolvent person and a secured creditor that provides, in substance, that on
(i) the insolvent person’s insolvency,
(ii) the default by the insolvent person of an obligation under the security agreement, or
(iii) the filing by the insolvent person of a notice of intention under section 50.4,
the insolvent person ceases to have such rights to use or deal with assets secured under the agreement as he would otherwise have, has any force or effect,
(c) Her Majesty in right of Canada may not exercise Her rights under
(i) subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act, or
(ii) any provision of the Canada Pension Plan or of the Employment Insurance Act that
(A) refers to subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act, and
(B) provides for the collection of a contribution, as defined in the Canada Pension Plan, an employee’s premium or employer’s premium, as defined in the Employment Insurance Act, or a premium under Part VII.1 of that Act, and of any related interest, penalties or other amounts,
in respect of the insolvent person where the insolvent person is a tax debtor under that subsection or provision, and
(d) Her Majesty in right of a province may not exercise her rights under any provision of provincial legislation in respect of the insolvent person where the insolvent person is a debtor under the provincial legislation and the provision has a similar purpose to subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act, or refers to that subsection, to the extent that it provides for the collection of a sum, and of any related interest, penalties or other amounts, where the sum
(i) has been withheld or deducted by a person from a payment to another person and is in respect of a tax similar in nature to the income tax imposed on individuals under the Income Tax Act, or
(ii) is of the same nature as a contribution under the Canada Pension Plan if the province is a province providing a comprehensive pension plan as defined in subsection 3(1) of the Canada Pension Plan and the provincial legislation establishes a provincial pension plan as defined in that subsection,
until the filing of a proposal under subsection 62(1) in respect of the insolvent person or the bankruptcy of the insolvent person.
Limitation
(2) The stays provided by subsection (1) do not apply
(a) to prevent a secured creditor who took possession of secured assets of the insolvent person for the purpose of realization before the notice of intention under section 50.4 was filed from dealing with those assets;
(b) to prevent a secured creditor who gave notice of intention under subsection 244(1) to enforce that creditor’s security against the insolvent person more than ten days before the notice of intention under section 50.4 was filed, from enforcing that security, unless the secured creditor consents to the stay;
(c) to prevent a secured creditor who gave notice of intention under subsection 244(1) to enforce that creditor’s security from enforcing the security if the insolvent person has, under subsection 244(2), consented to the enforcement action; or
(d) [Repealed, 2012, c. 31, s. 416]
Limitation
(3) A stay provided by paragraph (1)(c) or (d) does not apply, or terminates, in respect of Her Majesty in right of Canada and every province if
(a) the insolvent person defaults on payment of any amount that becomes due to Her Majesty after the filing of the notice of intention and could be subject to a demand under
(i) subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act,
(ii) any provision of the Canada Pension Plan or of the Employment Insurance Act that refers to subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act and provides for the collection of a contribution, as defined in the Canada Pension Plan, an employee’s premium, or employer’s premium, as defined in the Employment Insurance Act, or a premium under Part VII.1 of that Act, and of any related interest, penalties or other amounts, or
(iii) any provision of provincial legislation that has a similar purpose to subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act, or that refers to that subsection, to the extent that it provides for the collection of a sum, and of any related interest, penalties or other amounts, where the sum
(A) has been withheld or deducted by a person from a payment to another person and is in respect of a tax similar in nature to the income tax imposed on individuals under the Income Tax Act, or
(B) is of the same nature as a contribution under the Canada Pension Plan if the province is a province providing a comprehensive pension plan as defined in subsection 3(1) of the Canada Pension Plan and the provincial legislation establishes a provincial pension plan as defined in that subsection; or
(b) any other creditor is or becomes entitled to realize a security on any property that could be claimed by Her Majesty in exercising Her rights under
(i) subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act,
(ii) any provision of the Canada Pension Plan or of the Employment Insurance Act that refers to subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act and provides for the collection of a contribution, as defined in the Canada Pension Plan, an employee’s premium, or employer’s premium, as defined in the Employment Insurance Act, or a premium under Part VII.1 of that Act, and of any related interest, penalties or other amounts, or
(iii) any provision of provincial legislation that has a similar purpose to subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act, or that refers to that subsection, to the extent that it provides for the collection of a sum, and of any related interest, penalties or other amounts, where the sum
(A) has been withheld or deducted by a person from a payment to another person and is in respect of a tax similar in nature to the income tax imposed on individuals under the Income Tax Act, or
(B) is of the same nature as a contribution under the Canada Pension Plan if the province is a province providing a comprehensive pension plan as defined in subsection 3(1) of the Canada Pension Plan and the provincial legislation establishes a provincial pension plan as defined in that subsection.
Stay of proceedings — Division I proposals
69.1 (1) Subject to subsections (2) to (6) and sections 69.4, 69.5 and 69.6, on the filing of a proposal under subsection 62(1) in respect of an insolvent person,
(a) no creditor has any remedy against the insolvent person or the insolvent person’s property, or shall commence or continue any action, execution or other proceedings, for the recovery of a claim provable in bankruptcy, until the trustee has been discharged or the insolvent person becomes bankrupt;
(b) no provision of a security agreement between the insolvent person and a secured creditor that provides, in substance, that on
(i) the insolvent person’s insolvency,
(ii) the default by the insolvent person of an obligation under the security agreement, or
(iii) the filing of a notice of intention under section 50.4 or of a proposal under subsection 62(1) in respect of the insolvent person,
the insolvent person ceases to have such rights to use or deal with assets secured under the agreement as the insolvent person would otherwise have, has any force or effect until the trustee has been discharged or the insolvent person becomes bankrupt;
(c) Her Majesty in right of Canada may not exercise Her rights under subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act or any provision of the Canada Pension Plan or of the Employment Insurance Act that refers to subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act and provides for the collection of a contribution, as defined in the Canada Pension Plan, an employee’s premium, or employer’s premium, as defined in the Employment Insurance Act, or a premium under Part VII.1 of that Act, and of any related interest, penalties or other amounts, in respect of the insolvent person where the insolvent person is a tax debtor under that subsection or provision, until
(i) the trustee has been discharged,
(ii) six months have elapsed following court approval of the proposal, or
(iii) the insolvent person becomes bankrupt; and
(d) Her Majesty in right of a province may not exercise Her rights under any provision of provincial legislation that has a similar purpose to subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act, or that refers to that subsection, to the extent that it provides for the collection of a sum, and of any related interest, penalties or other amounts, where the sum
(i) has been withheld or deducted by a person from a payment to another person and is in respect of a tax similar in nature to the income tax imposed on individuals under the Income Tax Act, or
(ii) is of the same nature as a contribution under the Canada Pension Plan if the province is a province providing a comprehensive pension plan as defined in subsection 3(1) of the Canada Pension Plan and the provincial legislation establishes a provincial pension plan as defined in that subsection,
in respect of the insolvent person where the insolvent person is a debtor under the provincial legislation, until
(iii) the trustee has been discharged,
(iv) six months have elapsed following court approval of the proposal, or
(v) the insolvent person becomes bankrupt.
Limitation
(2) The stays provided by subsection (1) do not apply
(a) to prevent a secured creditor who took possession of secured assets of the insolvent person for the purpose of realization before the proposal was filed from dealing with those assets;
(b) unless the secured creditor otherwise agrees, to prevent a secured creditor who gave notice of intention under subsection 244(1) to enforce that creditor’s security against the insolvent person more than ten days before
(i) a notice of intention was filed in respect of the insolvent person under section 50.4, or
(ii) the proposal was filed, if no notice of intention under section 50.4 was filed
from enforcing that security;
(c) to prevent a secured creditor who gave notice of intention under subsection 244(1) to enforce that creditor’s security from enforcing the security if the insolvent person has, under subsection 244(2), consented to the enforcement action; or
(d) [Repealed, 2012, c. 31, s. 417]
Limitation
(3) A stay provided by paragraph (1)(c) or (d) does not apply, or terminates, in respect of Her Majesty in right of Canada and every province if
(a) the insolvent person defaults on payment of any amount that becomes due to Her Majesty after the filing of the proposal and could be subject to a demand under
(i) subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act,
(ii) any provision of the Canada Pension Plan or of the Employment Insurance Act that refers to subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act and provides for the collection of a contribution, as defined in the Canada Pension Plan, an employee’s premium, or employer’s premium, as defined in the Employment Insurance Act, or a premium under Part VII.1 of that Act, and of any related interest, penalties or other amounts, or
(iii) any provision of provincial legislation that has a similar purpose to subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act, or that refers to that subsection, to the extent that it provides for the collection of a sum, and of any related interest, penalties or other amounts, where the sum
(A) has been withheld or deducted by a person from a payment to another person and is in respect of a tax similar in nature to the income tax imposed on individuals under the Income Tax Act, or
(B) is of the same nature as a contribution under the Canada Pension Plan if the province is a province providing a comprehensive pension plan as defined in subsection 3(1) of the Canada Pension Plan and the provincial legislation establishes a provincial pension plan as defined in that subsection; or
(b) any other creditor is or becomes entitled to realize a security on any property that could be claimed by Her Majesty in exercising Her rights under
(i) subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act,
(ii) any provision of the Canada Pension Plan or of the Employment Insurance Act that refers to subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act and provides for the collection of a contribution, as defined in the Canada Pension Plan, an employee’s premium, or employer’s premium, as defined in the Employment Insurance Act, or a premium under Part VII.1 of that Act, and of any related interest, penalties or other amounts, or
(iii) any provision of provincial legislation that has a similar purpose to subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act, or that refers to that subsection, to the extent that it provides for the collection of a sum, and of any related interest, penalties or other amounts, where the sum
(A) has been withheld or deducted by a person from a payment to another person and is in respect of a tax similar in nature to the income tax imposed on individuals under the Income Tax Act, or
(B) is of the same nature as a contribution under the Canada Pension Plan if the province is a province providing a comprehensive pension plan as defined in subsection 3(1) of the Canada Pension Plan and the provincial legislation establishes a provincial pension plan as defined in that subsection.
Limitation
(4) If, by virtue of subsection 69(3), the stay provided by paragraph 69(1)(c) or (d) does not apply or terminates, the stay provided by paragraph (1)(c) or (d) of this section does not apply.
Secured creditors to whom proposal not made
(5) Subject to sections 79 and 127 to 135 and subsection 248(1), the filing of a proposal under subsection 62(1) does not prevent a secured creditor to whom the proposal has not been made in respect of a particular security from realizing or otherwise dealing with that security in the same manner as he would have been entitled to realize or deal with it if this section had not been passed.
Where secured creditors vote against proposal
(6) Subject to sections 79 and 127 to 135 and subsection 248(1), where secured creditors holding a particular class of secured claim vote for the refusal of a proposal, a secured creditor holding a secured claim of that class may henceforth realize or otherwise deal with his security in the same manner as he would have been entitled to realize or deal with it if this section had not been passed.
Stay of proceedings — Consumer Proposals
69.2 (1) Subject to subsections (2) to (4) and sections 69.4 and 69.5, on the filing of a consumer proposal under subsection 66.13(2) or of an amendment to a consumer proposal under subsection 66.37(1) in respect of a consumer debtor, no creditor has any remedy against the debtor or the debtor’s property, or shall commence or continue any action, execution or other proceedings, for the recovery of a claim provable in bankruptcy until
(a) the consumer proposal or the amended consumer proposal, as the case may be, has been withdrawn, refused, annulled or deemed annulled; or
(b) the administrator has been discharged.
Exception
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply where the consumer proposal, other than an amendment to a consumer proposal referred to in section 66.37, is filed within six months after the filing of a previous consumer proposal in respect of the same debtor.
Idem
(3) Subsection (1) does not apply where an amendment to a consumer proposal is filed within six months after the filing of a previous amendment to the same consumer proposal.
Secured creditors
(4) Subject to sections 79 and 127 to 135 and subsection 248(1), the filing of a consumer proposal under subsection 66.13(2) does not prevent a secured creditor from realizing or otherwise dealing with his security in the same manner as he would have been entitled to realize or deal with it if this section had not been passed, unless the court otherwise orders, but in so ordering the court shall not postpone the right of the secured creditor to realize or otherwise deal with his security, except as follows:
(a) in the case of a security for a debt that is due at the date of the approval or deemed approval of the consumer proposal or that becomes due not later than six months thereafter, that right shall not be postponed for more than six months from that date; and
(b) in the case of a security for a debt that does not become due until more than six months after the date of the approval or deemed approval of the consumer proposal, that right shall not be postponed for more than six months from that date, unless all instalments of interest that are more than six months in arrears are paid and all other defaults of more than six months standing are cured, and then only so long as no instalment of interest remains in arrears or defaults remain uncured for more than six months, but, in any event, not beyond the date at which the debt secured by the security becomes payable under the instrument or act, or law, creating the security.
Exception
(5) No order may be made under subsection (4) if the order would have the effect of preventing a secured creditor from realizing or otherwise dealing with financial collateral.
1992, c. 27, s. 36; 1997, c. 12, s. 64; 2004, c. 25, s. 43(E); 2007, c. 29, s. 95.
Stays of proceedings — Bankruptcies
69.3 (1) Subject to subsections (1.1) and (2) and sections 69.4 and 69.5, on the bankruptcy of any debtor, no creditor has any remedy against the debtor or the debtor’s property, or shall commence or continue any action, execution or other proceedings, for the recovery of a claim provable in bankruptcy.
End of stay
(1.1) Subsection (1) ceases to apply in respect of a creditor on the day on which the trustee is discharged.
Secured creditors
(2) Subject to sections 79 and 127 to 135 and subsection 248(1), the bankruptcy of a debtor does not prevent a secured creditor from realizing or otherwise dealing with his or her security in the same manner as he or she would have been entitled to realize or deal with it if this section had not been passed, unless the court otherwise orders, but in so ordering the court shall not postpone the right of the secured creditor to realize or otherwise deal with his or her security, except as follows:
(a) in the case of a security for a debt that is due at the date the bankrupt became bankrupt or that becomes due not later than six months thereafter, that right shall not be postponed for more than six months from that date; and
(b) in the case of a security for a debt that does not become due until more than six months after the date the bankrupt became bankrupt, that right shall not be postponed for more than six months from that date, unless all instalments of interest that are more than six months in arrears are paid and all other defaults of more than six months standing are cured, and then only so long as no instalment of interest remains in arrears or defaults remain uncured for more than six months, but, in any event, not beyond the date at which the debt secured by the security becomes payable under the instrument or law creating the security.
Exception
(2.1) No order may be made under subsection (2) if the order would have the effect of preventing a secured creditor from realizing or otherwise dealing with financial collateral.
(3) [Repealed, 2012, c. 31, s. 418]
1992, c. 27, s. 36; 2005, c. 3, s. 14, c. 47, s. 62; 2007, c. 29, s. 96, c. 36, s. 36; 2012, c. 31, s. 418.
Stay of proceedings — Directors
69.31 (1) Where a notice of intention under subsection 50.4(1) has been filed or a proposal has been made by an insolvent corporation, no person may commence or continue any action against a director of the corporation on any claim against directors that arose before the commencement of proceedings under this Act and that relates to obligations of the corporation where directors are under any law liable in their capacity as directors for the payment of such obligations, until the proposal, if one has been filed, is approved by the court or the corporation becomes bankrupt.
Exception
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of an action against a director on a guarantee given by the director relating to the corporation’s obligations or an action seeking injunctive relief against a director in relation to the corporation.
Resignation or removal of directors
(3) Where all of the directors have resigned or have been removed by the shareholders without replacement, any person who manages or supervises the management of the business and affairs of the corporation shall be deemed to be a director for the purposes of this section.
1997, c. 12, s. 65.
Court may declare that stays, etc., cease
69.4 A creditor who is affected by the operation of sections 69 to 69.31 or any other person affected by the operation of section 69.31 may apply to the court for a declaration that those sections no longer operate in respect of that creditor or person, and the court may make such a declaration, subject to any qualifications that the court considers proper, if it is satisfied
(a) that the creditor or person is likely to be materially prejudiced by the continued operation of those sections; or
(b) that it is equitable on other grounds to make such a declaration.
1992, c. 27, s. 36; 1997, c. 12, s. 65.
Non-application of certain provisions
69.41 (1) Sections 69 to 69.31 do not apply in respect of a claim referred to in subsection 121(4).
Marginal note:No remedy, etc.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), no creditor with a claim referred to in subsection 121(4) has any remedy, or shall commence or continue any action, execution or other proceeding, against
(a) property of a bankrupt that has vested in the trustee; or
(b) amounts that are payable to the estate of the bankrupt under section 68.
1997, c. 12, s. 65.
No stay, etc., in certain cases
69.42 Despite anything in this Act, no provision of this Act shall have the effect of staying or restraining, and no order may be made under this Act staying or restraining,
(a) the exercise by the Minister of Finance or the Superintendent of Financial Institutions of any power, duty or function assigned to them by the Bank Act, the Cooperative Credit Associations Act, the Insurance Companies Act or the Trust and Loan Companies Act;
(b) the exercise by the Governor in Council, the Minister of Finance or the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation of any power, duty or function assigned to them by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act; or
(c) the exercise by the Attorney General of Canada of any power, assigned to him or her by the Winding-up and Restructuring Act.
2001, c. 9, s. 574.
Provincial legislation
69.5 Except for paragraphs 69(1)(c) and (d) and 69.1(1)(c) and (d), sections 69 to 69.3 do not affect the operation of any provision of provincial legislation that has a similar purpose to subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act, or that refers to that subsection, to the extent that it provides for the collection of a sum, and of any related interest, penalties or other amounts, where the sum
(a) has been withheld or deducted by a person from a payment to another person and is in respect of a tax similar in nature to the income tax imposed on individuals under the Income Tax Act, or
(b) is of the same nature as a contribution under the Canada Pension Plan if the province is a province providing a comprehensive pension plan as defined in subsection 3(1) of the Canada Pension Plan and the provincial legislation establishes a provincial pension plan as defined in that subsection,
and for the purpose of this section, the provision is, despite any Act of Canada or of a province or any other law, deemed to have the same effect and scope against any creditor, however secured, as subsection 224(1.2) of the Income Tax Act in respect of a sum referred to in paragraph (a), or as subsection 23(2) of the Canada Pension Plan in respect of a sum referred to in paragraph (b), and in respect of any related interest, penalties or other amounts.
Meaning of regulatory body
69.6 (1) In this section, regulatory body means a person or body that has powers, duties or functions relating to the enforcement or administration of an Act of Parliament or of the legislature of a province and includes a person or body that is prescribed to be a regulatory body for the purpose of this Act.
Regulatory bodies — sections 69 and 69.1
(2) Subject to subsection (3), no stay provided by section 69 or 69.1 affects a regulatory body’s investigation in respect of an insolvent person or an action, suit or proceeding that is taken in respect of the insolvent person by or before the regulatory body, other than the enforcement of a payment ordered by the regulatory body or the court.
Exception
(3) On application by the insolvent person and on notice to the regulatory body and to the persons who are likely to be affected by the order, the court may order that subsection (2) not apply in respect of one or more of the actions, suits or proceedings taken by or before the regulatory body if in the court’s opinion
(a) a viable proposal could not be made in respect of the insolvent person if that subsection were to apply; and
(b) it is not contrary to the public interest that the regulatory body be affected by the stay provided by section 69 or 69.1.
Declaration — enforcement of a payment
(4) If there is a dispute as to whether a regulatory body is seeking to enforce its rights as a creditor, the court may, on application by the insolvent person and on notice to the regulatory body, make an order declaring both that the regulatory body is seeking to enforce its rights as a creditor and that the enforcement of those rights is stayed.
2007, c. 36, s. 37.