Neil McCrank And Alan Ross Author Article On Carbon Emissions For The Financial Post

Canada's Minister of the Environment issued a notice on July 27, 2024, announcing a new mandatory PFAS reporting rule. In some ways, the notice is similar to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)...

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.

The Canadian government has removed seven types of energy projects from federal impact assessment requirements, shifting review responsibilities to the Canada Energy Regulator and provincial processes. This regulatory change affects pipelines, electrical transmission lines, oil sands facilities, and power plants, fundamentally altering how major energy infrastructure projects will be evaluated and approved across Canada.

Ontario has launched its first call for expressions of interest in carbon capture and storage licences under the new Geologic Carbon Storage Act, targeting Crown-owned pore space beneath lakebeds surrounding the Ontario Peninsula. The detailed submission requirements reveal expectations that proponents have advanced well beyond initial planning stages, with the process serving as a critical test of Ontario's emerging CCS framework and its attractiveness to industry.

Dianne spoke last month at the annual Canadian Water and Wastewater Association "Window on Ottawa", on potential risks to municipalities of the new Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations under the Fisheries Act, expected to appear shortly in the Canada Gazette.

Canadian governments and producer-responsibility organizations are refining extended producer responsibility programs across the country, affecting packaging, batteries, electronics, and hazardous products. Recent regulatory changes include expanded collection obligations, adjusted compliance timelines, and new enforcement measures, with significant developments in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic provinces.

Canada's carbon markets are undergoing significant transformation as federal and provincial governments reshape their climate policies. The federal consumer carbon tax has been eliminated while industrial carbon pricing remains in effect, and provinces like Québec and Alberta have introduced major regulatory reforms to their cap-and-trade and emissions reduction systems.

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?

On October 15, 2026, amendments to Canada's Fisheries Act Authorizations Regulations will streamline the application process for projects affecting fish and fish habitat. How will the new risk-based approach to offsetting requirements, deferred financial guarantees, and expanded ministerial powers reshape regulatory compliance for proponents navigating federal environmental approvals?

Yesterday, the Federal Government announced changes to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act to exempt various projects funded under the Building Canada Plan from federal environmental assessment ("EA") requirements.

The United States has escalated its trade dispute with Canada by imposing import bans on alcoholic beverages, dairy products, and motorcycles under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, while Canada responds with matched counter-tariffs on $27.6 billion worth of U.S. goods. Following the collapse of bilateral negotiations in August 2026, both nations have entered an unprecedented phase of trade restrictions that extends beyond traditional tariffs to include procurement exclusions and threatens further auto

On July 2, 2026, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) published its updated Guidance on the Common Reporting Standard (Updated CRS Guidance).

Canada's inaugural Investment Summit in September 2026 aims to attract $1 trillion in investment across defence, infrastructure, Indigenous partnerships, technology, energy, critical minerals and agriculture. This analysis examines the federal measures shaping the Summit's agenda and outlines the key legal, regulatory and structuring considerations businesses and investors should evaluate when assessing nation-building opportunities in Canada.

The Government of Alberta recently confirmed its plan to implement a data centre levy framework as part of its broader AI Data Centre Strategy. The levy framework requires that large-scale data...

Newfoundland and Labrador's House of Assembly has approved a landmark definitive cooperation and implementation agreement that would replace the 1969 Churchill Falls Power Contract, pair the redevelopment of Churchill Falls with the Gull Island project, and establish new transmission pathways through Québec. The agreement faces political uncertainty in Québec ahead of the October 2026 provincial election...

Agentic AI, a new threat: The report identifies AI agents as an emerging trend that presents many risks to investors, firms, and markets, such as agents acting beyond the user's intention and the unintentional use or disclosure of sensitive information. Firms are encouraged to develop the necessary supervisory frameworks specific to agentic AI

The Supreme Court of Canada annulled a federal election in Terrebonne, Quebec after a single mail-in ballot went uncounted due to an Elections Canada administrative error—a postal code mistake that directly affected the one-vote margin of victory. In a 6-3 decision, the majority clarified that serious administrative errors can constitute "irregularities" under the Canada Elections Act even without fraud or intentional wrongdoing, fundamentally reshaping how courts balance electoral integrity against v

The Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) released its latest annual compliance report (the Report) which details areas of focus for CIRO-regulated dealers in 2026 and beyond.

A major U.S. vendor agreement has established a rigorous new AI safety standard for educational technology, prohibiting the use of student data for AI training and enforcing strict data minimization. While the standard does not directly bind vendors in Canada, Canadian school boards can leverage this precedent to demand equivalent contractual protections and strengthen their own AI governance frameworks.

As all registrants know, reporting entities including advisers and dealers are required to report suspicious transactions for money laundering or terrorist financing to the Financial Transactions and Reports Centre of Canada.