Federal electoral law is imposing significant and important changes on the digital advertising landscape. On June 13, 2019, Bill C-76 An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act and other Acts and to make certain consequential...more
Recent changes to the Canada Elections Act (Act) will have wide-ranging and important implications for businesses, industry associations, advocacy groups, community groups, unions and other persons who communicate with...more
British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and Ontario have recently introduced significant changes to their respective lobbying and election finance regimes; the Yukon has introduced a new lobbying regime, and Prince Edward...more
Ontario has now passed Bill 36: Cannabis Statute Law Amendment Act, 2018 (Bill 36), which sets out the government’s updated approach to the regulation of recreational cannabis. Bill 36 introduces the Cannabis Licence Act,...more
The provinces of Alberta and Prince Edward Island recently introduced significant changes to their respective lobbying and election finance legislation.
ALBERTA -
The Province of Alberta recently revised its Lobbyists...more
On June 29, 2018, the new Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, and his cabinet were sworn in, the first change in government in 15 years. The new government has announced wide-ranging plans that will impact sectors as varied as...more
On June 7, 2018, the Senate passed Bill C-45, Canada’s cannabis legalization bill, the Cannabis Act (Bill), but not before making a number of amendments. The Bill will now return to the House of Commons, where members of...more
Canada’s lobbying landscape is rapidly changing — a number of amendments have recently come into force or been proposed that revise lobbying, election finance and conflict of interest requirements in Alberta, British...more
Election finance rules in British Columbia, Manitoba and New Brunswick have undergone significant reform over the past several months. British Columbia has now imposed monetary limits on political contributions, prohibited...more
Recently, the Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly passed the Lobbyists Registration Act (Act). The passage of this legislation marks an important step towards establishing a lobbying regime in the province. A...more
Lobbying law in Canada is constantly evolving, with new developments occurring monthly. Two such recent developments include the release of an updated interpretation bulletin by the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada...more
It’s been a busy summer for lobbying law in Canada. With the recent enactment of lobbying legislation in New Brunswick, almost all Canadian jurisdictions now have some form of lobbying law, other than the three territories...more
The licencing, sale and use of cannabis (both medically and recreationally) is likely to result in an increased risk of product liability claims on behalf of patients and consumers, including class action risk for the...more
Sales of illegal marijuana have long been subject to tax in Canada (notwithstanding the illegality of the sales), and legal sales of medical marijuana are also currently treated as taxable. From the outset, the federal...more
The extent to which the new law will restrict the advertising and branding of cannabis was, and still is, one of the key unknowns. From industry’s perspective, cannabis should be regulated more like alcohol than tobacco, and...more
Cannabis, similar to any other commodity, is subject to Canada’s customs laws respecting international trade in goods. However, in the case of cannabis, additional rules apply regarding the fact that trade in cannabis is...more
The new legislation will inevitably result in a flurry of discussions between the government and affected stakeholders....more
Bank Act -
The Bank Act gives scheduled banks the right to take security interests in farm assets, crops and other agricultural products in exchange for the extension of credit. When a borrower makes a grant of security...more
The pending legalization of non-medical cannabis raises a host of issues for employers. Upon passage of the new legislation, employers can expect to encounter difficult decisions relating to the appropriateness of drug...more
Canadian Capital Markets -
As changes in the regulatory regime open up significant opportunities in the cannabis sector, industry players will be seeking access to capital to fund growth, and investors will be looking...more
On April 1, 2017, the New Brunswick Lobbyists’ Registration Act (Act) came into force, creating the first regime in New Brunswick to regulate lobbyists and lobbying activity in the province. The proclamation of the Act...more
A new election finance regime will take effect in Ontario in 2017, with significant implications for elected officials, candidates, donors and third-party advertisers.
Under the new regime, corporate and union...more
Canada’s public-sector entities include all levels of government, Crown corporations, government agencies, boards and commissions, public utilities, and a wide variety of public institutions, including hospitals and...more
On August 23, 2016, Saskatchewan proclaimed into force the Lobbyists Act (Act) and the Lobbyists Regulations (Regulations). Saskatchewan has also launched a searchable online lobbyist registry. Current lobbyists in...more
The Ontario government announced on May 16, 2016, that amendments to the province’s lobbying legislation will come into force on July 1, 2016. These amendments will impact not only lobbyists, but also businesses and other...more