Wanting to learn more about Canadian laws may be a bit intimidating to others, and this includes those who are in the construction industry. Construction law courses are now offered by various bodies as part of legal education and career advancement. These cater to lawyers and construction industry leaders.
Find out more about construction law courses, who they’re for, and how to sign up.
What are construction law courses?
Construction law courses are resources or classes (online or in-person) that discuss Canada’s construction law. While these courses may not make one a lawyer, it enhances one’s legal understanding to converse more effectively with their construction lawyers.
Depending on who offers these courses, the following can sign up:
- students from law schools, colleges, and universities
- professionals from the construction industry
- construction lawyers, or even lawyers from the other field
A construction law course can be used by a first-time learner of Canadian construction laws, or anyone who want to deepen their knowledge of these laws.
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Where to sign up for construction law courses
Three institutions offer construction law courses:
- law schools
- colleges and universities
- associations and organizations
Let’s go over each one.
Law schools
The main source of construction law courses are the different law schools or faculties of law in the country. They are primarily offered to law students, either as a main course to be taken up, or as an elective for the upper years.
In University of Toronto's Faculty of Law, they offer From Blueprints to Buildings: Legal Issues in the Construction Industry as its construction law course. Similar courses are also offered by other law schools, such as the University of Saskatchewan – College of Law, which also offers a Construction Law course.
Specific to lawyers are the graduate programs, such as the Master of Law (LLM) or Doctor of Philosophy in Law (PhD) with a focus on construction law.
Certificate in Construction Law
Generally, only law students can take up these courses offered by law schools, but with a few exceptions. For example, some faculties of law offer a Certificate of Construction Law.
These Certificate programs target those engaged in the construction industry. It includes construction lawyers themselves, leaders of construction companies, or even those who resolve construction disputes as mediators or arbitrators.
This construction law course can be taken online, in-person, or a mix of both. It is usually taken for a short period, ranging from 1 to 3 months.
Professors of these courses include faculty members of the law school, or even practicing lawyers in the construction industry.
These certificate-providers, since they are also faculties of law, are accredited by legal education regulators in the province or territory.
For example, York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto offers the Certificate in Construction Law, which is a 5-module course and is open for lawyers or non-lawyers.
Colleges and universities
Aside from Canadian law schools, other educational institutions also offer construction law courses. This can be:
- a stand-alone course under a certificate program, which can be taken by both students and industry leaders
- part of the undergraduate or graduate programs, which can be taken by enrolled students
Centennial College’s Construction Project Management, a 1-year graduate certificate program, offers Construction Contracts & Construction Law as one of its courses.
Similarly, Algonquin College’s Construction Project Management graduate certificate program offers Law and Contracts for the Construction Industry.
Associations and organizations
Construction associations and organizations in Canada also offer construction law courses. While some may be unregulated according to the standards of the legal and construction industry, some are offered by the regulators themselves.
The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) accredits institutions that offers construction law courses, among other courses related to the industry.
As for schools and colleges, some examples of courses that the CCA has accredited are:
- George Brown College’s Construction Law course
- Osgoode’s Certificate in Construction Law program
- Thompson Rivers University’s Construction Law course
The CCA has also accredited other construction law courses offered by independent providers, such as construction associations, educational institutes, among others. Examples of these Construction Law course providers are:
- Association de la construction du Québec
- BuildForce Canada
- Northern Regional Construction Association
- Ottawa Construction Association
- The Construction Institute of Canada
These accreditations of the CCA are also related to achieving Gold Seal Certification for construction industry stakeholders.
Aside from the accredited CCA courses or programs, other bodies also offer their own construction law courses.
What are the pros and cons of construction law courses?
There are advantages and disadvantages when taking up a construction law course.
For construction industry participants, it’s better to consult with their in-house construction lawyer first if they do need to take one, and what specific course to take.
Time and cost factors
These courses are normally costly and time-consuming. This may also be one of the reasons why workers in the construction industry forgo doing these courses.
Some institutions offer flexible methods, such as through online modality, or part-time methods.
Educational pathways for lawyers
Lawyers who want to specialize in the construction sector turn to construction law courses, either from certificate or graduate programs. It can also be a part of the lawyers’ continuing education when they are already part of this industry.
Career development for contractors and builders
Contractors, property developers, project managers, and even other professionals such as architects and engineers can use a construction law course for career development.
This adds credibility to the projects they handle. Not only are they experts on the construction industry’s technicalities, but they also become well-versed in construction law.
Help clients understand their construction lawyers better
Lastly, a construction law course is not a substitute for the services of lawyers but is a tool to understand the law and lawyers better. It puts the law into a better perspective for construction companies and their heads, for better dealings with their lawyers and with industry regulators.
Interested in taking up a construction law course? Get the suggestion of the best construction lawyers in Canada as ranked by Lexpert.