Natural Resources
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May 16, 2025
Competition Bureau releases 2025-26 annual plan, builds on legislative changes
The Competition Bureau has released its annual plan for 2025-26, saying it will continue to build on previous legislative changes aimed at enhancing competition, especially in the face of “rapid shifts in trade, market dynamics and technology.”
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May 16, 2025
Ontario budget includes $5 billion support fund, tax deferrals for businesses amid U.S. tariffs
Ontario’s 2025 budget includes a $5 billion “Protecting Ontario Account” and a suite of tax deferral measures aimed at supporting businesses affected by recent U.S. tariffs.
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May 16, 2025
Ontario bill ‘does a good job’ of creating certainty in home, infrastructure construction: lawyer
Ontario legislators are considering a bill aimed at speeding up construction of new homes and transit, and observers are saying the changes are welcome — but note there are a number of things that legal practitioners need to keep an eye out for as a result of the legislation.
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May 16, 2025
Court of Appeal: SOIRA exemption unlikely with shorter sentence
On Oct. 28, 2022, the Supreme Court of Canada declared the provisions of SOIRA (Sexual Offender Information Registry Act) unconstitutional (R. v. Ndhlovu, 2022 SCC 38). Section 1 of the Charter could not save the provisions.
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May 16, 2025
Red tape reduction in Canadian hemp landscape
On March 12, 2025, the Regulations amending certain regulations concerning cannabis (streamlining of requirements) and the Order Amending Schedule 2 to the Cannabis Act (collectively, the Amendments) came into force, which had the effect of amending the Industrial Hemp Regulations (IHR) to allow for more permissive activities with hemp seed derivative products and certain other plant materials. Updated to the Canadian hemp legislative regime are relatively rare and these Amendments have been generally welcomed by industry.
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May 15, 2025
Public Policy Forum report on energy, mineral investment highlights ‘streamlining regulations’
The Public Policy Forum (PPF) has released a “landmark report” outlining strategies to accelerate investment in energy, critical mineral and infrastructure projects, which “could generate $1.1 trillion in GDP growth by 2035.”
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May 15, 2025
Deepak Gill returns to BLG as partner
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) has announced the return of Deepak Gill as a partner in its Vancouver office, effective May 2, 2025.
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May 15, 2025
When the judiciary and politics mix
Due to ethical constraints, Canadian judges rarely criticize politicians directly in speeches, but there have been moments of tension or implicit critique. The judiciary has a duty to remain impartial and above the political fray.
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May 14, 2025
New federal Cabinet ministers talk tax cuts, lowering trade barriers, work-life balance and Gaza
Newly minted federal Cabinet ministers spoke for the first time about their portfolios with Hill media on May 14, as Prime Minister Mark Carney vowed that the Liberals’ promised “middle-class” tax cut will be in place by July 1, 2025, and Finance and National Revenue Minister François-Philippe Champagne disclosed that the minority Liberal government has no plans for a federal budget this year — but intends to deliver an economic statement on an unspecified date in fall 2025.
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May 14, 2025
McMillan adds six new lawyers to its team
McMillan has announced the addition of six new lawyers to its team.