Client Alert: Phase 2 of Ontario Pension Reform

Canada's gig economy continues to grow steadily, with nearly half a million Canadians now engaged in this type of work. Many businesses rely on this form of highly flexible labour...

Keeping up with employment law in Canada used to be a marathon. Now, it's a sprint. For employers in Québec, Ontario, and British Columbia, a significant volume of new legislation...

Since the end of the First World War, Canadians have recognized November 11 as Remembrance Day, a day to honour members of our armed forces who have died in the line of duty.

WorkSafeBC is proposing significant amendments to British Columbia's Occupational Health and Safety Regulation that would fundamentally reshape how employers address workplace harassment, violence, and psychological health. The proposed changes introduce expanded definitions, new prevention program requirements, and obligations to identify and control psychosocial hazards. These amendments could require most B.C. employers to substantially revise their existing workplace policies and procedures.

On March 1, 2018, An Act to amend the Holidays Act (Remembrance Day) received royal assent and became law.

Starting November 1, 2026, BC's pay transparency reporting obligation expands to cover employers with 50 or more employees, significantly broadening the scope of the Pay Transparency Act and Pay Transparency Regulation (the "Act").

The Canadian province of British Columbia has introduced measures that prohibit employers from asking job applicants for pay history information.

The federal government has tabled Bill C-39, introducing sweeping reforms to the Canada Labour Code that will fundamentally reshape union negotiations, dispute resolution, and workplace enforcement for federally regulated employers. These changes, stemming from extensive public consultations with over 26,000 responses, grant new ministerial powers while expanding government enforcement capacity by 70% through the hiring of 100 additional health and safety officers.

On April 20, 2026, the Ontario government introduced Bill 105, known as the Protecting Ontario's Workers and Economic Resilience Act, 2026 (the "POWER Act"), for first reading.

The Ontario Ministry of Labour has announced that inspectors will be conducting safety inspection blitzes, targetting the industrial and construction sector.

The eighth annual Blakes Canadian Public M&A Deal Study focuses on recurring and emerging issues in the structuring and negotiation of Target-supported public company acquisitions in Canada.

On October 7, the Government of British Columbia introduced Bill 20 in the B.C. legislature. Bill 20 implements long-anticipated reforms aimed at providing greater payment and cash-flow certainty for stakeholders...

Canada has announced C$27.6-billion in counter-tariffs on U.S. imports, effective September 8, 2026, targeting over 700 product classifications across steel, aluminum, dairy, electronics, and other sectors. The measures represent a dollar-for-dollar response to U.S. Section 338 tariffs, with rates ranging from 15% to 50% depending on the product category. The government has also introduced a C$7.5-billion support package for affected Canadian workers and businesses.

On December 11, 2025, Hydro-Québec announced that a new call for tenders for wind power projects will be launched in spring 2026 to meet Quebec's growing demand for electricity.

On October 20, 2026, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) published its Consultation on Legislative and Regulatory Modernization for Space Activities (Consultation), which seeks input on the potential modernization of Canada’s legislative framework for space activities through the creation of a new Space Act.

The Government of Canada has introduced new regulations aimed at further reducing the presence of certain...

Welcome to the October issue of Blakes Competitive Edge, a monthly publication of the Blakes Competition, Antitrust & Foreign Investment group. Blakes Competitive Edge provides an overview of recent developments in Canadian competition and foreign investment law, including updates on enforcement activity by the Canadian Competition Bureau (Bureau), recent initiatives and key trends.

Effective January 1, 2027, Manitoba is expanding its land transfer tax regime to apply to beneficial (unregistered) transfers of land, even where legal (registered) title is not being transferred. The amendments bring Manitoba’s regime more closely in line with Ontario’s and Quebec’s current regimes and will affect transactions involving bare trusts, nominees and other ownership structures that separate legal and beneficial ownership of land.

Canada’s mining sector is at an important inflection point. Against a backdrop of growing global demand for critical minerals and increased competition for investment capital, the Canadian federal government has recently introduced a series of tax measures designed to encourage investment and strengthen the competitiveness of Canada’s mining industry. For investors, these measures may meaningfully influence the after-tax economics of projects and financing structures across the mining value chain.

A recent federal policy update and Quebec legislative changes are changing the healthcare landscape in Quebec, and may impact a variety of businesses operating in this sector.