Navigating Ontario’s Closure of Non-Essential Businesses
On March 24, 2020, the Ontario provincial government passed Regulation 82/20 under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. This regulation ordered the closure of all “non-essential” businesses beginning at […]
Tax-Effective Charitable Giving: RRSPs and RRIFs, Public Securities and Life Insurance
While the most common method of philanthropic giving is a gift of cash, Canadians should note other options for giving to charity both during their lifetimes and after death. Structuring […]
Ontario Litigation Update: COVID-19
COVID-19 is impacting all aspects of life including Ontario’s Courts. Thanks to the hard work, and responsiveness of the various justices, court staff, legislators, and other stakeholders – in a […]
Privacy in the AI Era? OPC Launches Consultation on Regulation of AI
American writer Kurt Vonnegut once penned the line, “You asked the impossible of a machine and the machine complied.” Our society has voraciously devoured the possibilities offered by artificial intelligence […]
Protecting Limitation Periods During COVID-19
The last two weeks have been unprecedented for every person and business in Canada. Courts across Canada have been shutting down many of their operations in order to respond to […]
Municipal Business in the Face of an Emergency: Ontario Enacts the Municipal Emergency Act, 2020
Yesterday, the Ontario government enacted the Municipal Emergency Act, 2020 which amends the Municipal Act, 2001 and the City of Toronto Act, 2006 to provide that, during emergencies, members of […]
A Novel Type of Leave in the Wake of COVID-19: The Ontario Government’s Changes to the Employment Standards Act, 2000
On March 19, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ontario Legislature passed Bill 186, the Employment Standards Amendment Act (Infectious Disease Emergencies), 2020 (”Bill 186”). The Act amends […]
COVID-19 Updates: Canadian Securities Regulators and Exchanges
As the world fights to stop the spread of COVID-19 by implementing social distancing measures, companies are faced with the challenges of ensuring the health and safety of their employees […]
Keeping the Lights On: Preventing and Responding to Work Refusals in the Wake of COVID-19
While some employers have chosen to temporarily suspend operations, or have been ordered to do so, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many others, will do their best to remain […]
Don’t Let Notice Requirements in Your Construction Contracts Go Unnoticed
Notice as a Prerequisite to Claims under Construction Contracts Construction projects will be impacted by COVID-19. Although you might not know exactly how your project will be affected yet, you […]
A New Cause of Action: The Supreme Court Expands the Scope of Corporate Liability for International Human Rights Violations
On February 28, 2020, the Supreme Court of Canada released its decision in Nevsun Resources Ltd. v Araya,[1] in which it held that a Canadian corporation could potentially be held […]
A Shot in the Arm: Canada Announces Sweeping Stimulus Measures to Assist Employees and Businesses
In the last two days the federal and Ontario provincial governments have announced proposed substantial emergency legislation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 16, 2020, Ontario’s provincial government […]
COVID-19: Time to Check your Construction Contract’s Force Majeure Clause
If you are considering submitting a claim in respect of delays caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, or if you have already received notice in respect of the same by contractors […]
COVID-19 – Taking Action Together
The last two weeks have been unprecedented for every person and business in Canada. In line with growing public health advice and reaffirmed by our Prime Minister yesterday, we have […]
Preparing Your Workplace to Respond to COVID-19: Questions and Answers for Employers
The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a pandemic, and in Canada the various levels of government in each jurisdiction have taken significant steps to control and contain the spread […]