July 17, 2026
Here are my picks for the top stories we published this week.
July 17, 2026
Canada’s government is spending more than half a billion dollars to support the next phase of its decade-long push to eradicate gender-based violence. On July 16, it was announced that Ottawa will be investing $607.4 million into its ongoing National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence — a 10-year initiative where participating provinces and territories sign on to the plan and, in exchange, receive funding to help implement the plan in their respective jurisdictions.
July 17, 2026
The federal and Quebec governments have announced renewed funding of $50 million over five years for the Quebec Fisheries Fund (QFF) to support projects aimed at boosting productivity and competitiveness, opening new markets and helping the sector adapt to ecosystem changes.
July 17, 2026
Canada has announced several projects and $12.1 million in funding to advance the Canada-Mexico Action Plan, including to combat human trafficking.
July 17, 2026
The Supreme Court of Canada has reaffirmed that Canadian patent law bars patent claims for “methods of medical treatment” but has also clarified that drug-dosing regimens can be patentable subject matter if they do not seek to monopolize professional medical skill and judgment. In its 158-page judgment handed down July 17, the top court 9-0 dismissed the appeal by generic drug manufacturer Pharmascience Inc. from decisions of the Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal that affirmed the validity of the patent owned by the respondents, Janssen Inc. and Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V.
July 17, 2026
The Alberta Court of King’s Bench has declined to refer a shareholder redemption dispute to arbitration, finding that it lacked jurisdiction because there was no binding arbitration agreement and one party had not consented to the court determining the scope of the proposed arbitration.
July 17, 2026
On July 17, the province of British Columbia announced it is entering into a “government-to-government cannabis agreement that supports shared health and safety priorities” with the Gitanmaax Band. The agreement is being made under Section 119 of the Cannabis Control and Licensing Act.
July 17, 2026
Konstantine Stavrakos has joined Thomson Rogers LLP as a partner in its municipal, planning, expropriation and environmental law groups in Toronto.
July 17, 2026
Although six years have passed since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, legislation enacted during that period continues to influence how courts interpret statutory provisions. Echelon Insurance v. Zenith Insurance Company, 2026 ONSC 1214 is a recent reminder that the legal effects of the pandemic continue to influence the interpretation of legislation enacted in response to those unprecedented circumstances.
July 17, 2026
Ami Assignon has been appointed a judge of the New Brunswick Provincial Court in Moncton, bringing the court to gender parity among its full-time judges, with 14 women and 14 men, the province says.