Protecting Innovation In-House With Tanya Rothe Of D-Wave Systems (Video)

The regulations affecting trademarks weren't fully in effect until 2025. More than a year later, the number of complaints against businesses has never been higher.

Canada's Intellectual Property Office has introduced a new expedited examination program for patent applications in critical technology sectors. The Key Technology Expedited Program waives the advanced examination fee and promises first office action within seven months for qualifying applications related to critical minerals supply chain innovations.

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office has issued new guidance on when trademark applicants can redact postal addresses or remove documents from public records. Understanding these strict requirements and exceptional circumstances is crucial for protecting privacy while maintaining compliance with Canada's trademark registration transparency obligations.

In Ontario, business owners typically consider franchising versus licensing as they plan to grow their company. Both methods promote growth through the resources of a third party, but they work in dramatically different ways.

CanLII, Canada's free legal database, and Caseway, an AI legal research platform, have reportedly reached a settlement in their copyright dispute over the use of legal case data for artificial intelligence training purposes. The resolution addresses concerns about unauthorized use of publicly available legal materials and the boundaries of AI development in the legal technology sector.

The rapid expansion of data centre infrastructure has made these facilities a focal point for technological innovation and intellectual property investment. From server configurations to advanced cooling systems, the technologies deployed inside data centres represent significant R&D expenditure and competitive advantages. Patent protection offers operators and developers opportunities to safeguard innovations...

Canada's Trademarks Opposition Board has introduced new requirements for handling confidential evidence in trademark proceedings, mandating the use of Canada Post's secure digital platform.

Recent US case law has raised the possibility that the common practice of including an expiry date in a non-disclosure agreement or "NDA" (also known as a confidentiality agreement)...

Welcome to the next video in our Legal Steps to Startups Video Series – What You Need to Know About Patents. What is a patent? Why should you think about hiring a patent agent...

Canada's Intellectual Property Office has introduced a new expedited examination program for patent applications in critical technology areas, including a dedicated stream for innovations related to the processing, extraction, and refining of minerals on Canada's critical minerals list. The program offers accelerated patent examination on a first-come, first-served basis with specific eligibility requirements and annual application limits.

British Columbia's snap election on October 24, 2026, brings unprecedented compliance challenges for businesses seeking to engage in policy discussions. With some of Canada's strictest lobbying rules, stringent election financing laws, and new foreign influence regulations all converging during the campaign period, organizations must navigate a complex web of registration requirements, spending caps, and reporting obligations while avoiding significant legal and reputational risks.

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.

The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC), on behalf of the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA), recently granted ZED Network Inc.

Le 29 août 2026, Environnement et Changement climatique Canada a publié deux avis obligeant certaines entreprises ayant fabriqué, importé ou utilisé 200 substances spécifiques en 2025 à déclarer des renseignements détaillés. Ces exigences de déclaration s'appliquent largement aux importateurs, fabricants et utilisateurs de produits contenant ces substances, avec des seuils quantitatifs et des échéances strictes à respecter.

Ontario's Ministry of Energy and Mines has proposed exempting electricity transmission projects procured by the Independent Electricity System Operator from the traditional leave to construct approval requirement. This regulatory change could significantly streamline the development timeline for bulk system transmission infrastructure, including the pending Toronto Third Line procurement, while maintaining environmental assessment and Indigenous consultation requirements.

The issue of whether compensation should be paid to Canadian local over-the-air (OTA) television stations by the broadcasting distribution undertakings (BDUs) (e.g., cable, direct-to-home satellite) that distribute the television stations’ programs has been the subject of discussion for many years and, more recently, was the subject of a proceeding before the industry’s regulatory body, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC, the Commission).

On September 24, 2026, the Competition Bureau (Bureau) announced it had entered into a consent agreement with Kalibrate Canada Inc. (Kalibrate) to address concerns regarding Kalibrate’s collection and distribution of detailed retail fuel data through its Kalibrate Market Intelligence product (KMI). More broadly, the matter signals the Bureau’s willingness to challenge information-sharing arrangements under multiple provisions of the Competition Act (Act), including through abuse of dominance where the intermediary itself is alleged to be dominant.

Canadian M&A activity rose once again in 2016, surpassing a record-breaking 2015 to become the most active year in Canadian deal-making history.

On July 24, 2007, the Competition Bureau announced that it would not challenge the merger of Abitibi-Consolidated Inc. and Bowater Incorporated. The Bureau considered the competitive impact of the transaction on the markets for softwood lumber, market pulp, wood chips, roundwood/logs, newsprint, and uncoated groundwood paper

Blakes' Competition and Foreign Investment groups provide a comprehensive overview of recent developments in Canadian competition law and foreign investment, including the Competition Bureau's activities, merger reviews, and key regulatory updates. The newsletter highlights significant enforcement actions, including the Bureau's challenge to Nortera Food Inc.'s proposed acquisition and the federal government's national security reviews of foreign investments.