Business
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February 02, 2026
BMO pays $4M penalty for Bank Act violations impacting over 100K clients
The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) has announced its placement of a $4-million administrative monetary penalty on the Bank of Montreal (BMO) for violating consumer provisions in the Bank Act.
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February 02, 2026
Court to consider $60M settlement for Ontario training schools abuse class action
The Ontario Superior Court is set to consider a $60-million agreement to settle a class action concerning allegations that children held in Ontario’s youth detention facilities, also known as training schools, were subjected to a toxic environment as well as physical, sexual and psychological abuse.
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February 02, 2026
Federal Court strikes judicial review of GIC decision on telecom policy citing alternative remedies
The Federal Court has dismissed a judicial review of the Governor in Council’s (GIC) refusal to vary a CRTC internet access policy, finding that parallel proceedings before the Federal Court of Appeal and a renewed petition to the Governor in Council provided adequate alternative remedies.
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February 02, 2026
$3.2M tuna becomes a tax lesson: When are promotional ‘loss leaders’ tax deductible in Canada?
Extraordinary promotional spending often attracts tax scrutiny, particularly when the price paid for a single item exceeds its intrinsic value. Canadian tax law permits aggressive marketing strategies, but it requires that business expenses satisfy statutory tests of purpose and reasonableness.
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February 02, 2026
Top 10 business decisions of 2025, part two
Here is part two of my annual list of the top 10 business decisions in Canada for the year just ended. This two-part series began with the cases ranked sixth through tenth. Part two herein covers the top five cases, in ascending order.
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January 30, 2026
SCC gives guidance on interpreting insurance contracts, interplay of endorsements & exclusions
Elaborating on how to interpret insurance contracts, the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed 7-2 the appeal of two homeowners who sought to compel their insurer to fully pay for rebuilding their flood-destroyed house, despite an exclusion for “compliance costs” and the ancillary exception that caps the compliance costs payout at $10,000 “for the increased cost of demolition, construction, or repair to comply with any law regulating the zoning, demolition, repair or construction of any insured buildings.”
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January 30, 2026
Federal Court dismisses proposed harassment class action for lack of jurisdiction
The Federal Court has dismissed a proposed negligence class action against a federal agency that manages oil and gas resources on First Nations land, finding it does not have jurisdiction over the claims of sexual harassment, physical assault and other grievances within the context of the federal public service.
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January 30, 2026
Court rebukes Binance for renewed bid to revive barred arbitration in class action
Ontario’s Superior Court rebuked cryptocurrency platform Binance for attempting to revive arbitration against the representative plaintiffs in a certified class action against it, despite repeated rulings barring it from doing so.
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January 30, 2026
Pet project: What to do about furry friends in family court
Pets. Are the courts in a divorce action where both parties seek custody to treat them like children or property? The law in this area is all over the zoo. An Alberta judge, Douglas Mah, recently held in a case dealing with four cats that pets are to be treated like property, not kids. However, next door in B.C., the Family Law Act considers pets as family members, and the courts must determine who would best care for the pet.
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January 30, 2026
PBO: Extended EI benefits to cost $853M, minimal impact on EI premiums
Temporary measures extending Employment Insurance (EI) benefits by up to 20 weeks for long-tenured workers are expected to cost $853 million over five years, according to a legislative costing note released by the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO).