My uncle and aunt got hammered last year on their variety store/gas station business and fell behind on their payments on the property (which they also own). The mortgage company indicated they will do a power of sale on the land at the end of March if full payment is not made. There is no way the two of them will be able to do this and it will kill me to see them basically lose everything while in their early sixties.

My friend had an idea though which consisted of me signing a lease to for the business portion because the commercial lease will have to be upheld by the next owner. This way, while they will lose the land, they will able to make a living by running the business that I've 'leased' from them, the original owners.

I know that normally this type of agreement between family members is fine here in Ontario but with my relatives' financial situation and the fact they already knew a power of sale would be coming, would this type of lease still be binding/legal?

Will the mortgage company challenge this, especially as we know the company would like to sell it to one of their clients (who we know want a lease-free purchase).

This is quite URGENT as all the lawyers, mortgage company, has been screwing over my uncle and aunt over the past year, I desperately want to be able to provide some way to help them.

If it is foreclosed then the lease will not be valid to a new owner. Only if it is sold prior by the owners.

So unless you can make up their payments and allow them to sell the property.