Business
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October 21, 2025
Michelle Cook new Aird & Berlis associate
According to an announcement from the firm, Michelle Cook has joined Aird & Berlis as a member of the workplace law group. Before joining Aird & Berlis, Cook held positions in both the professional services industry and at a prominent regional law firm in Toronto.
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October 21, 2025
B.C. proposes new legislation for 27-week medical leave for workers
British Columbia has proposed an amendment to the Employment Standards Act that will allow workers with serious illness or injury to take more time off for the purpose of undergoing medical treatment and recovery.
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October 21, 2025
Alberta legislature targets economy, safety in fall session
Alberta’s fall legislative session begins this week, and the government is promising a focus on the economy while also tackling issues related to public safety and labour mobility.
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October 21, 2025
Trademark confusion and nature of the parties’ goods and business and trade
The Federal Court considered whether the Trademarks Opposition Board was wrong to find that the nearly identical trademarks CHEFS-OWN for bean sprouts and CHEF’S OWN for sauces and seasonings could coexist because the channels of trade and the nature of the goods were sufficiently dissimilar that confusion was unlikely?
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October 21, 2025
Rental, lease agreements must be in writing to qualify for COVID-19 Canada Emergency Rent
In Hutchings v. Canada, 2025 TCC 108, the Tax Court of Canada reaffirmed a core statutory principle: in the context of the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS), rent must be “paid under a written lease” to qualify. Even long-standing verbal arrangements, supported by consistent rent payments, were held insufficient to satisfy the strict requirements of the Income Tax Act.
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October 21, 2025
Ontario introduces Building a More Competitive Economy Act to streamline regulatory processes
On Oct. 20, Ontario introduced the Building a More Competitive Economy Act, which would, if passed, “protect and strengthen the province’s economy by streamlining regulatory processes, championing local businesses, advancing labour mobility and increasing competitiveness.”
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October 21, 2025
Parliamentary privilege, Indigenous sentencing, spoliation among highlights of SCC’s fall session
The Supreme Court of Canada’s busy and diverse fall session includes weighty constitutional, criminal and Aboriginal law appeals that have attracted the participation of dozens of interveners. By the time the top court’s fall session ends on Dec. 12, 2025, the court will have heard some 20 cases, split between civil and criminal appeals.
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October 21, 2025
Neurodivergence, neurodiversity and inclusion
The law is often perceived as logical, precise and rigid, yet some exceptional legal minds defy these expectations. Across Canada, the legal profession is experiencing a long-overdue realization that brilliance comes in a variety of forms and neurological flavours.
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October 20, 2025
Feds announce new Financial Crimes Agency to lead anti-fraud strategy
The federal government has announced plans to create a new Financial Crimes Agency to lead a new National Anti-Fraud Strategy set to be unveiled in the fall budget, according to a release issued on Oct. 20.
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October 20, 2025
Feds seek feedback from Canadians and suppliers on Buy Canadian policy
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has announced it is going ahead with a new Buy Canadian policy that aims to ensure federal spending supports economic growth, strengthens supply chains and creates opportunities for businesses. It is now seeking feedback on the policy.