Extended Producer Responsibility And Single-Use Plastics Update

On September 3, 2026, amendments to Canada's Physical Activities Regulations came into force, removing several project categories from federal Impact Assessment Act oversight and consolidating review authority with the Canada Energy Regulator. These changes eliminate overlapping federal review processes for international and interprovincial pipelines, electrical transmission lines, and certain energy facilities, aiming to streamline major project approvals while raising questions about Indigenous

Minimum fines for provincial environmental offences in Quebec have significantly increased for companies operating in certain industrial sectors.

The Government of Canada has amended regulations under the Impact Assessment Act to streamline environmental reviews for major infrastructure projects, particularly interprovincial pipelines. These changes shift regulatory responsibility for certain energy projects to the Canada Energy Regulator while removing other project types from federal review following the Supreme Court's 2024 constitutional ruling.

On July 18, 2026, Environment and Climate Change Canada (“ECCC”) published a Notice of Intent to develop a new regulation under the Species at Risk Act (“SARA”) for the protection of the critical...

Canada is proposing to eliminate its federal zero-emission vehicle sales mandate and replace it with technology-neutral greenhouse gas emission standards. The shift comes amid declining EV sales, affordability concerns, and trade uncertainty with the United States, raising questions about how the automotive industry will balance climate goals with market realities. What will this regulatory transformation mean for manufacturers, consumers, and Canada's electrification timeline?

Le régime québécois de sanctions pénales en matière d'environnement a été considérablement renforcé pour certains secteurs industriels, avec des amendes minimales multipliées par dix pour des infractions spécifiques. Les modifications réglementaires entrées en vigueur en août 2026 visent neuf catégories d'activités industrielles à haut risque environnemental, transformant radicalement l'exposition financière des entrep

Le ministère de l'Environnement de l'Ontario propose d'importants changements aux règles de délivrance des permis environnementaux qui pourraient faire économiser aux exploitants des dizaines de milliers de dollars en 2026. Cette proposition remplacerait la date butoir fixe du 31 janvier 2027 pour l'enregistrement au REAS par une approche fondée sur l'existence de changements aux activités des installations. Quelles sont les implications pour les installations industrielles ont

Starting August 13, 2026, certain companies engaged in industrial activities deemed high-risk will be subject to minimum fines ten times higher in the event of a violation of the Environment Quality Act (EQA). This reform is part of a broader trend aimed at strengthening the deterrent effect of environmental sanctions and encouraging companies to ensure their compliance with applicable legislative and regulatory requirements.

À compter du 13 août 2026, certaines entreprises exerçant des activités industrielles jugées à risque élevé s'exposent à des amendes minimales dix fois plus élevées en cas d'infraction à la Loi sur la qualité de l'environnement (LQE). Cette réforme s'inscrit dans une tendance plus large visant à renforcer l'effet dissuasif des sanctions environnementales et inciter les entreprises à s’assurer de leur conformité aux exigences législatives et réglementaires applicables.

La réglementation des substances chimiques au Canada évolue rapidement, créant des risques juridiques et opérationnels importants pour les entreprises. Les obligations de conformité s'étendent désormais bien au-delà des simples interdictions de substances, englobant la documentation rigoureuse, la transparence de la chaîne d'approvisionnement et une surveillance réglementaire continue sous le régime de la Loi canadienne sur la protection de l'environnem

Canada's privacy regulator has released new draft guidance establishing comprehensive due diligence standards for organizations evaluating third-party service providers under PIPEDA. The framework introduces eleven best practices covering everything from data flow mapping and AI training data sourcing to vendor lock-in risks and ongoing monitoring obligations, signaling heightened expectations for privacy accountability in vendor relationships.

The Government of Canada has amended the Physical Activities Regulations, removing certain intraprovincial energy projects and facilities regulated by the Canada Energy Regulator from the federal Impact Assessment Act's Project List. This regulatory change eliminates automatic federal oversight for fossil fuel-fired power plants and specific oil sands facilities, while transferring assessment responsibilities for interprovincial pipelines and transmission lines to the Canada Energy Regulator, potentially re

The BC Court of Appeal has reaffirmed the courts' gatekeeping role at certification, upholding a lower court's refusal to certify a privacy class action where plaintiffs failed to provide any evidentiary basis for their central allegation that shopping mall directory software recorded facial images and converted them into biometric data. This decision clarifies the evidentiary burden required to satisfy the "some basis in fact" standard at the certification stage in British Columbia.

The Government of Canada has introduced new rules governing the second allocation period for electric vehicle imports from China, increasing the available quota to 33,397 vehicles while maintaining strict permit requirements and a first-come, first-served allocation system. Global Affairs Canada signals potential intervention measures to ensure equitable access, particularly for original equipment manufacturers and new market entrants navigating this highly regulated import regime.

The Ontario Court of Appeal has ruled that employees are entitled to continued vesting of RSUs and equity-based compensation during the statutory notice period, striking down forfeiture provisions that attempt to end vesting immediately upon termination. In a landmark decision awarding Dr. Wigdor nearly US$4.7 million in unvested RSUs, the Court clarified that equity compensation constitutes a "term or condition of employment" protected under the Employment Standards Act. What does this mean for employers w

Following the Trump administration's imposition of 50% tariffs on Canadian exports worth C$27.6 billion, Prime Minister Carney has announced comprehensive countermeasures targeting American goods. The Canadian response includes dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs ranging from 15% to 50% on US products, alongside C$7.5 billion in support programs for affected workers and businesses. What relief measures and remission frameworks are available to Canadian importers navigating this escalating trade dispute?

The Bank of Canada (the Bank) has begun to exercise its enforcement powers under the Retail Payment Activities Act (RPAA), publishing its first enforcement decisions involving Notices of Violation against payment service providers (PSPs). Each published enforcement decision to date has involved a zero dollar administrative monetary penalty (AMP).

The Court of Appeal for Ontario has resolved conflicting lower court decisions on employment termination clauses, clarifying when language permitting termination "at any time" or "for any reason" remains enforceable under provincial employment standards legislation. This landmark ruling establishes new interpretive principles that will reshape how courts evaluate the validity of termination provisions in employment agreements across Ontario's non-union workplaces.

This article examines Build Canada Homes' strategic use of the Buy Canadian policy and government lands in addressing Canada's housing challenges. The analysis explores both the implementation of these approaches and the significant critiques and challenges facing BCH and the broader commercial real estate sector.

Change of control provisions are a common feature of commercial leases, yet, in practice, their meaning and operation remain a recurring source of uncertainty.