ATAC LAW

If you are a property owner in BC, this is a court decision you should not ignore.

A recent BC Court of Appeal case confirmed that when an owner receives notice of a subcontractor’s lien claim but continues paying the general contractor anyway, those payments may not reduce the amount that must be paid into court to clear the lien.

In plain terms: ignoring lien notice can become a very expensive mistake.

This case is an important reminder for:

- Owners trying to protect a project
- Contractors dealing with payment disputes
- Subcontractors looking to preserve lien rights

The key lesson is simple: once notice is received, every payment decision matters.

Read the full article to understand what this ruling means and how it could affect your legal and financial position on a construction project.

What do you think owners should do first when they receive a subcontractor’s lien notice?

Why Owners should not take lightly a notice of claim of lien from a subcontractor | ATAC LAW In Lonsdale Quay Market Corporation v. Klondike Contracting Corporation 2025 BCCA 461, the British Columbia Court of Appeal confirmed that if an owner, despite receiving notice of a subcontractor’s claim of lien, continues to pay a defaulting contractor, the payments will not reduce the “amount ...

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Please note that our office will be closed on Good Friday (April 3) and Easter Monday (April 6). We will resume regular business hours on the following business day.

Thank you for your understanding, and we wish you a joyful Easter weekend!