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October 29, 2026
Canada must “prepare for all contingencies up to and including war and other worst-case scenarios,” Prime Minister Mark Carney announced as he unveiled his government’s plan to roll out a new national security strategy over the coming year to ensure that the country can “control its own destiny and is resilient in the face of daunting challenges.”
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October 29, 2026
The Federal Court has dismissed a claim brought by Black River First Nation over less favourable reserve land terms under Treaty 5, finding that the disparity did not breach the honour of the Crown and that the Crown did not owe the First Nation a fiduciary duty when it joined the treaty.
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October 27, 2026
Appeal by ATCO Gas and Pipelines Ltd. and ATCO Electric Ltd. (collectively, appellants) from Alberta Utilities Commission (Commission) decisions reopening their 2018-2022 performance-based regulation plans and ordering customer refunds.
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October 26, 2026
On Oct. 9, 2026, President Donald Trump wrote: “I have just concluded a highly successful discussion with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, wherein it was agreed that Russia will immediately supply over 300,000 Tons of Diesel Fuel to the American and Global Marketplace, another 500,000 Tons during the month of November, and 1,000,000 Tons immediately thereafter.”
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October 23, 2026
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have launched an “ambitious Canada-Türkiye strategic partnership” back by a three-year action plan. According to a federal release, the partnership will “deepen cooperation in key areas, including trade and investment, defence and security, energy, and people-to-people ties.”
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October 23, 2026
For the first time in more than 50 years, the Court of Appeal for Ontario has updated its test for leave to appeal from a decision of the Divisional Court. In Knauff v. Ontario (Human Rights Tribunal), 2026 ONCA 653, a five-judge panel confirmed that the test for leave is whether the proposed appeal raises an arguable question of law or mixed law and fact that is of sufficient public importance to warrant consideration by the Court of Appeal.
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October 23, 2026
Nova Scotia’s highest court has ruled that plaintiffs in a multimillion-dollar civil conspiracy lawsuit provide “full particulars” in their claim against a company accused of dealing in the illegal lobster trade.
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October 22, 2026
Over 50 academics and scientists from across the country have signed an open letter urging the federal government to reform its major projects law. The scholars, all fellows of the Royal Society of Canada, say Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, raises serious concerns about environmental impacts and risks causing “costly and potentially irreversible harm” to Canada’s natural heritage.
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October 22, 2026
Farzad Forooghian has joined Cassels as a partner in its capital markets group in Vancouver.
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October 22, 2026
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly moving beyond experimentation and into broad enterprise adoption at remarkable speeds. Once confined largely to niche technology companies, research institutions and startups, AI now sits at the centre of many traditional industries, reshaping sectors such as financial services, health care, manufacturing, logistics, energy and professional services, while creating ripple effects across global markets. Statistics Canada reported that AI adoption among Canadian businesses increased from 6.1 per cent in the second quarter of 2024 to 12.2 per cent a year later. By Q2 2026, adoption rates had reached 19.2 per cent.
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October 21, 2026
The federal government has announced a new Cabinet Directive on Regulatory Competitiveness and Red Tape Reduction, requiring regulators “to reduce regulatory burden costs by $2 for every $1 added.”
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October 20, 2026
The Government of Ontario will be proposing legislative changes to the archaeological assessment process to make it “faster, fairer and easier to navigate.” According to a government release issued Oct. 20, the proposed changes will “reduce approval timelines by up to 80 per cent, increase sector capacity by 45 per cent and help get homes, infrastructure and other job-creating projects built faster while protecting the province’s cultural heritage resources.”
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October 20, 2026
The Law Foundation of Ontario, a founding partner of the Law Commission of Ontario (LCO), has appointed Ramani Nadarajah as its representative on the commission’s board of governors, effective Oct. 1.
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October 20, 2026
Outside of defence procurement, the Ontario Superior Court is perhaps the most dysfunctional government entity in Canada. Given that responsibility for the court is divided between the federal and provincial governments, that judges have decreed themselves above transparency or accountability, and that the system lacks meaningful feedback mechanisms, that result is largely to be expected. Still, watching this dysfunction play out in a small claims sheriff’s sale demonstrates a system plumbing new lows.
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October 19, 2026
The Federal Court of Appeal has ruled that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDA) does not automatically impose additional Indigenous consultation and consent requirements on project approvals, overturning a ruling requiring further consultation over a proposed nuclear waste facility.
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October 16, 2026
The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) has written an open letter urging the federal government to substantially amend the proposed First Nations Clean Water Act to guarantee First Nations’ access to clean drinking water and recognize their jurisdiction over water sources beyond reserve boundaries.
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October 15, 2026
Alberta’s top court has once again ruled against the federal government’s legislation for reviewing natural resource projects, saying amendments it made after parts of the law were struck down by the Supreme Court of Canada still do not pass constitutional muster.
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October 14, 2026
The Saskatchewan government has announced that it is seeking input through a survey for public consultation related to the province’s comprehensive review of the Farm Security Act.
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October 14, 2026
Laura Harrison has joined Aird & Berlis as an associate and member of the firm’s financial services group.
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October 14, 2026
Applications by K’ómoks First Nation (KFN) for an extension of time and leave to appeal a British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) order approving electricity purchase agreements (EPAs), as well as for a sealing order.
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October 13, 2026
The Federal Court has rejected a judicial review application after finding that an arbitrator’s admission of CN Rail’s graphs during closing submissions did not breach procedural fairness in a transportation rate dispute.
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October 09, 2026
The federal government will introduce a new National Heat Pump Rebate to help up to 820,000 households reduce energy costs by switching to more efficient electric heat pumps, according to a federal release issued on Oct. 9.
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October 08, 2026
Under the rubric of supporting “economic growth and competitiveness,” the federal Liberal government says its newly introduced “red tape reduction” bill (S-7) will “reduce unnecessary regulatory burden under 31 individual pieces of legislation and their corresponding regulations administered by 11 federal departments and agencies.”
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October 07, 2026
The B.C. Supreme Court has dismissed a builder’s bid to cancel a certificate of pending litigation in a dispute relating to alleged non-compliance of home and unfinished drainage works.
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October 07, 2026
On Sept. 21, 2026, the Carney government tabled Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act. If passed, it will implement what is arguably the greatest rollback of federal environmental laws in Canadian history.