Employment & Labour Law Seminar - May 6, 2015

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice recently provided important guidance regarding the repudiation of employment agreements and common law notice entitlements...

Canada's federal government has announced a $3.5 billion rapid response support package in anticipation of retaliatory tariffs against the United States, introducing new temporary employment insurance measures and workforce retention programs. The package extends EI benefits, waives waiting periods, and creates funding opportunities for employers to retain and retrain workers rather than implement large-scale layoffs.

On March 9, 2023, British Columbia's Bill 2, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Act (Bill 2) received Royal Assent. Bill 2 came into force on the date of Royal Assent.

The Ontario Superior Court recently reminded employers that employment agreements aren't optional – they're enforceable. In Timmins v. Artisan Cells, 2025 CanLII 2387...

Le moment de passer aux urnes approche à grands pas. Les élections municipales se tiendront le dimanche 5 novembre prochain à travers le Québec.

A financial planner's wrongful dismissal case against RBC resulted in over $2.5 million in damages after the bank filed an inaccurate termination notice that destroyed her career prospects. The Ontario Superior Court found the bank's conduct vindictive and its allegations of cause unproven, raising critical questions about employer obligations when reporting terminations in the investment industry.

Today the federal government announced four new initiatives to support workers and employers as they continue to face business uncertainties as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

When workplace investigators face difficult decisions, many default to marking allegations as "unsubstantiated" to avoid risk. However, this seemingly safe approach carries significant organizational costs, undermines complainant trust, and often stems from insufficient training in credibility assessment and the balance of probabilities standard.

On January 14, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced that effective January 21, 2025, open work permit...

Manitoba and federal governments have announced increases to minimum wage rates that will take effect in 2026. Provincially regulated employers must prepare for the October 1 increase to $16.40, while federally regulated employers face an April 1 adjustment to $18.15 per hour.

The term "Hansa" has re-emerged in modern geopolitical discourse, most notably through the 2026 Germany-Norway defence cooperation framework. This article examines how the principles of the medieval Hanseatic League—flexible coordination, shared standards, and mutual benefit without centralization—are being adapted to address contemporary challenges in defence, security, and cross-border collaboration.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on September 15, 2026, that the federal government will open Canada’s four largest airports to private investment through long-term concession arrangements. Speaking at the inaugural investment summit, Prime Minister Carney outlined a vision to unlock new capital and operational expertise while retaining public ownership of the underlying land and assets.

The National Cyber Security Centre emphasizes five critical areas requiring director-level attention: risk management, strategy, people, incident planning and response, and assurance oversight. Organizations must establish robust governance frameworks to address evolving cyber threats and ensure comprehensive resilience across their operations.

Starting October 5, 2026, Québec will introduce a new statutory warranty of good working order for consumer goods such as appliances and electronics, with minimum warranty periods ranging from 3 to 6 years. The legislation imposes disclosure obligations on manufacturers and merchants while prohibiting any attempts to exclude or limit this warranty. Businesses operating in Québec must adapt their practices to comply with these consumer protection requirements or face potential compliance issues.

Canada has initiated anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations into truck and bus tires from China, with preliminary determinations expected by November 30, 2026. Producers, exporters, and importers—including companies from Korea, Japan, and Singapore with Chinese operations—face critical September and October deadlines to submit comprehensive responses or risk significantly higher duty rates.

Canada's new Productivity Mega Deduction promises to slash the marginal effective tax rate on business investment to just 6.4%, positioning the country as the most competitive G7 nation for capital deployment. This permanent tax incentive extends immediate expensing to roughly 65% of capital assets, fundamentally reshaping the economics of investing in Canadian operations across manufacturing, energy, technology, and resource sectors.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has invited Canada to become the first associate member of the EU, with Prime Minister Mark Carney accepting the proposal to pursue an "Alliance for the Future." The partnership would build on existing bilateral agreements with Germany, Spain, and Italy, potentially enabling free flow of goods, services, and workers across strategic sectors including energy, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, defence, and advanced manufacturing.

Health Canada's recent enforcement action against unauthorized injectable peptides signals a regulatory shift that wellness companies cannot afford to ignore. While peptides dominate influencer marketing and online wellness spaces, their legal status in Canada depends on factors far more complex than social media trends suggest. Understanding how route of administration, therapeutic claims, and market authorization intersect is now critical for compliance.

Yesterday, the Federal Court released David Robert Wells v Canada (Attorney General) et al and Sandra Frances Wells v Canada (Attorney General) et al, reported together in 2018 FC 483...

On September 21, 2026, the federal government introduced Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act. It is the latest and most comprehensive instalment in a series of federal reforms that began in 2025 with the Building Canada Act and the creation of the Major Projects Office.