Publications
-
Read more
Harassment and Violence in the Workplace: An Overview of Recent Legislative Changes Introduced by Bill 42
Introduction In 2020, faced with statistics showing that nearly one in two women and three in ten men believed they had suffered sexual harassment or assault in the workplace,1 the Minister of Labour expressed its intention to help prevent and address this issue. The government began by setting up (…)
-
Read more
Doing Business in Quebec – Our guide
The “Doing Business in Quebec” guide is a comprehensive, practical resource for any company hoping to thrive in Quebec’s competitive and regulated business landscape. Discover our guide Doing Business in Québec Download You’ll find some key information on: sources of funding to support your (…)
-
Read more
Presumptive Evidence of an Insured’s Intentional Fault: The Superior Court Dismisses Proceedings Instituted Against an Insurer
Introduction On July 2, 2024, the Superior Court rendered a decision in Lallier c. Société d’assurance Beneva inc.,1 ruling on an insured’s claim against his insurer for an insurance benefit further to a loss, as the insurer had denied coverage, alleging the insured’s intentional fault. Despite the (…)
-
Read more
Environmental claims about a product, a service or business activities: stricter rules to combat greenwashing
Greenwashing is a form of marketing that misrepresents a product, service or practice as having positive environmental effects,1 thereby misleading consumers and preventing them from making an informed purchasing decision.2 Several initiatives have been launched around the world to counter this (…)
-
Read more
Misuse of the complaints mechanism on an e-commerce platform
At a time when Canada and many other countries are taking steps to protect users from harm online,1 a decision was handed down by the Supreme Court of British Columbia (the “Court”) on January 15, 2024, regarding the conduct of a competitor with respect to complaints about intellectual property (…)
-
Read more
Almost two years after the issuance of the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations, where do we stand and how are businesses affected?
On December 20, 2022, the federal government's Single-Use Plastics Prohibition Regulations1 (the “Regulations”) gradually came into force, with the effect, as the name suggests, of prohibiting (or restricting, in certain cases) the manufacture, import and sale of certain single-use plastics that (…)
-
Read more
Is the proposed amendment to the Competition Act to combat greenwashing really a step forward?
Greenwashing is a form of marketing that misrepresents a product, service or practice as having positive environmental effects,1 thereby misleading consumers and preventing them from making an informed purchasing decision.2 Several initiatives have been launched around the world to counter this (…)
-
Read more
New provisions governing disguised expropriation in the Act respecting land use planning and development: Impact of the declaratory effect and transitional provisions
On December 6, 2023, an amendment to the Act to amend the Act respecting municipal taxation and other legislative provisions1(“Bill 39”)was adopted during a clause-by-clause consideration of Bill 39 in parliamentary committee. Two days later, the Bill received assent. This amendment introduced new (…)
-
Read more
Uncovering the intricacies of sports infrastructure financing
Two Montréal landmarks have proudly hosted some of the city’s most memorable sporting events. The Olympic Stadium (Figure 1) and the IGA Stadium, which have been and remain quintessential in our sporting history, are in need of renovations so that sports fans can continue to “raise the roof” for (…)
-
Read more
New rules will make it easier to transfer family businesses
The 2023 Federal Budget (the “Budget”), tabled on March 28, 2023, proposes amendments to certain provisions of the Income Tax Act (ITA) that would make “genuine” intergenerational business transfers no longer subject to the anti-avoidance rules of section 84.1 and allow the transferor to benefit (…)
-
Read more
Supreme Court of Canada ruling: Managers are not eligible for unionization under the Labour Code
On April 19, 2024, the Supreme Court of Canada rendered its decision in Société des casinos du Québec inc. v. Association des cadres de la Société des casinos du Québec, marking the end of an almost 15 year-long debate on the freedom of association of managers and their exclusion under the Labour (…)
-
Read more
Tax opportunities under the Indian Act
Although it is not often well-understood in business and tax circles, the Indian Act (the “Act”), coupled with federal and provincial tax laws, provides several tax planning opportunities for Indigenous taxpayers. These laws provide various tax exemptions for people who qualify as “Indians” under (…)
-
Read more
Can artificial intelligence be designated as an inventor in a patent application?
Artificial intelligence (“AI”) is becoming increasingly sophisticated, and the fact that this human invention can now generate its own inventions opens the door to new ways of conceptualizing the notion of “inventor” in patent law. In a recent ruling, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom (“UK (…)