Incident Response Plan Checklist

Canada's proposed Digital Safety Act introduces sweeping new obligations for social media platforms, AI chatbots, and interactive online services, requiring operators to protect children, mitigate harmful content, and implement age-verification measures. Organizations face substantial penalties of up to 5% of global revenue for non-compliance, backed by a new federal regulator with broad enforcement powers. What steps should your organization take now to prepare for this emerging regulatory framework?

On March 19, 2015, the United States District Court in the District of Minnesota gave preliminary approval to a proposed settlement for the December 2013 data breach suffered by Target Corporation.

Foreign companies entering Canada often assume their existing privacy programs designed for GDPR or CCPA compliance can simply extend to Canadian operations, but Canada's legal requirements demand targeted modifications. This comprehensive guide examines Canada's private sector privacy legislation, breach reporting obligations, AI governance expectations, and anti-spam regulations that businesses must navigate before launching in the Canadian market.

On October 20, 2026, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) released its Children’s Privacy Code (“the Code”). It is not new legislation, but that does not make it optional. The Code lays out how the OPC reads the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) when children’s personal information is involved online, and it is a clear preview of what the regulator will look for in complaints and investigations.

Canada's privacy regulator has released new draft guidance establishing comprehensive due diligence standards for organizations evaluating third-party service providers under PIPEDA.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.

Federal and provincial privacy regulators have concluded a multi-year investigation into OpenAI's data practices, finding contraventions of Canadian privacy legislation in how personal information was collected and used...

Since Canada's anti-spam legislation (CASL) was enacted in 2014, businesses have been faced with the challenge of keeping adequate records of their authority to send commercial electronic messages under CASL's various categories of express and implied consent.

The Canadian market is ripe with opportunities for U.S. companies seeking to expand beyond domestic borders. Before diving in, however, it can be helpful to have a basic understanding of Canada's legal system...

Canadian privacy regulators have completed a joint investigation into OpenAI's ChatGPT, examining whether the company's collection, use, and disclosure of personal information complies with federal and provincial private-sector privacy legislation. The investigation involved the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada alongside regulators from Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta, scrutinizing OpenAI's practices in developing and operating its AI chatbot platform.

Canada's proposed Bill C-36 would fundamentally transform private-sector privacy law by replacing PIPEDA with the Protecting Privacy and Consumer Data Act. Organizations face stricter data collection tests, new consent exceptions, explicit AI governance rules, and penalties reaching $25 million or 5% of global revenue for knowing violations.

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.

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.

Canada's broadcasting, telecommunications, and satellite industries face significant regulatory changes this fall as Parliament advances key legislation. From the CRTC's implementation of the Online Streaming Act amid U.S. trade tensions to new lawful access requirements for service providers and the establishment of Canada's first space launch framework, these developments will reshape operational requirements across the communications sector.

The Competition Bureau of Canada has entered into a consent agreement with Empire Company Limited, parent of major grocery chains including Sobeys and Safeway, restricting the company's use of property controls that limit competition. This agreement prohibits Empire from enforcing certain restrictive covenants and exclusivity clauses that prevent other grocers from operating nearby, despite Empire's earlier voluntary commitments. The Bureau's action signals heightened regulatory scrutiny of property control

The Canadian federal government has introduced Bill C-40, transforming the Defence Investment Agency into an independent Crown corporation with expanded procurement powers and novel financial authorities. This legislative shift enables streamlined defence procurement, private capital integration, and broader non-competitive contracting capabilities while redefining national security supply chains.

On June 22, 2021, the Senate passed Bill C-218, the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act, which will amend the Criminal Code to allow provincial governments to determine when and how to conduct...