Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. B-3)

Marginal note:Bankruptcy application

• 43 (1) Subject to this section, one or more creditors may file in court an application for a bankruptcy order against a debtor if it is alleged in the application that

  • (a) the debt or debts owing to the applicant creditor or creditors amount to one thousand dollars; and

  • (b) the debtor has committed an act of bankruptcy within the six months preceding the filing of the application.

• Marginal note:If applicant creditor is a secured creditor

  (2) If the applicant creditor referred to in subsection (1) is a secured creditor, they shall in their application either state that they are willing to give up their security for the benefit of the creditors, in the event of a bankruptcy order being made against the debtor, or give an estimate of the value of the applicant creditor’s security, and in the latter case they may be admitted as an applicant creditor to the extent of the balance of the debt due to them after deducting the value so estimated, in the same manner as if they were an unsecured creditor.

• Marginal note:Affidavit

  (3) The application shall be verified by affidavit of the applicant or by someone duly authorized on their behalf having personal knowledge of the facts alleged in the application.

• Marginal note:Consolidation of applications

  (4) If two or more applications are filed against the same debtor or against joint debtors, the court may consolidate the proceedings or any of them on any terms that the court thinks fit.

• Marginal note:Place of filing

  (5) The application shall be filed in the court having jurisdiction in the judicial district of the locality of the debtor.

• Marginal note:Proof of facts, etc.

  (6) At the hearing of the application, the court shall require proof of the facts alleged in the application and of the service of the application, and, if satisfied with the proof, may make a bankruptcy order.

• Marginal note:Dismissal of application

  (7) If the court is not satisfied with the proof of the facts alleged in the application or of the service of the application, or is satisfied by the debtor that the debtor is able to pay their debts, or that for other sufficient cause no order ought to be made, it shall dismiss the application.

• Marginal note:Dismissal with respect to some respondents only

  (8) If there are more respondents than one to an application, the court may dismiss the application with respect to one or more of them, without prejudice to the effect of the application as against the other or others of them.

• Marginal note:Appointment of trustee

  (9) On a bankruptcy order being made, the court shall appoint a licensed trustee as trustee of the property of the bankrupt, having regard, as far as the court considers just, to the wishes of the creditors.

• Marginal note:Stay of proceedings if facts denied

  (10) If the debtor appears at the hearing of the application and denies the truth of the facts alleged in the application, the court may, instead of dismissing the application, stay all proceedings on the application on any terms that it may see fit to impose on the applicant as to costs or on the debtor to prevent alienation of the debtor’s property and for any period of time that may be required for trial of the issue relating to the disputed facts.

• Marginal note:Stay of proceedings for other reasons

  (11) The court may for other sufficient reason make an order staying the proceedings under an application, either altogether or for a limited time, on any terms and subject to any conditions that the court may think just.

• Marginal note:Security for costs

  (12) Applicants who are resident out of Canada may be ordered to give security for costs to the debtor, and proceedings under the application may be stayed until the security is furnished.

• Marginal note:Bankruptcy order on another application

  (13) If proceedings on an application have been stayed or have not been prosecuted with due diligence and effect, the court may, if by reason of the delay or for any other cause it is considered just, substitute or add as applicant any other creditor to whom the debtor may be indebted in the amount required by this Act and make a bankruptcy order on the application of the other creditor, and shall, immediately after making the order, dismiss on any terms that it may consider just the application in the stayed or non-prosecuted proceedings.

• Marginal note:Withdrawing application

  (14) An application shall not be withdrawn without the leave of the court.

• Marginal note:Application against one partner

  (15) Any creditor whose claim against a partnership is sufficient to entitle the creditor to present a bankruptcy application may present an application against any one or more partners of the firm without including the others.

• Marginal note:Court may consolidate proceedings

  (16) If a bankruptcy order has been made against one member of a partnership, any other application against a member of the same partnership shall be filed in or transferred to the same court, and the court may give any directions for consolidating the proceedings under the applications that it thinks just.

• Marginal note:Continuance of proceedings on death of debtor

  (17) If a debtor against whom an application has been filed dies, the proceedings shall, unless the court otherwise orders, be continued as if the debtor were alive.