2025 saw important changes across employment standards, workplace compliance, and estate planning. We’re revisiting the articles and insights that generated the most interest among our readers throughout the past year.
New Year, New Rules: Changes to Job Posting Requirements in 2026
We previously wrote about some of the legislative changes introduced under Ontario’s Bill 149, or the Working for Workers Four Act, 2024, which amends key employment legislation including the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the “ESA”). Read our summary of key changes that came into effect this year, and important upcoming changes that will come into force as of January 1, 2026.
AUTHORS: Paul S. Schwartzman, Anjanee Naidu
RELATED EXPERTISE: Employment and Labour, Labour Relations
Real Property, Real Problems: Probate Planning Considerations for Vacant or Underused Homes
All levels of government in Canada have been busy over the past few years enacting various types of real estate taxes in an attempt to address the housing crisis. This article will lay out certain unintended and unexpected consequences of two specific real estate taxes in effect today, here in Toronto, as they relate to a common estate planning strategy. Specifically, we will analyze the Toronto Vacant Home Tax By-Law 97-2022 (the “Bylaw“) and the Underused Housing Tax Act, SC 2022, c 5, s 10 (the “UHTA“). Concepts such as citizenship, residence, and use of real property within a given time period, are of heightened importance when assessing the impact of these taxes in relation to an estate plan.
AUTHORS: Julien Cohen, Ashley Naipaul
RELATED EXPERTISE: Wills and Estates, Tax
Navigating “Made in Canada” Claims in 2025
Since the start of the year, Canadian consumers and businesses have rallied behind the “Elbows Up!” movement and are looking to “buy Canadian”. Homegrown goods are in high demand, and origin claims like “Made in Canada” and “Product of Canada” are getting more attention than ever. These claims, however, are not just feel-good slogans. They are legal statements and their misuse can lead to penalties, regulatory action, and a loss of consumer trust.
AUTHORS: Marie Lussier, Celia (Cece) Ohayon
RELATED EXPERTISE: Intellectual Property
Sweeping Changes Ahead: What Ontario’s Civil Rules Reform Means for You
Ontario’s civil justice system is preparing for its most significant overhaul in decades. In April 2025, the Civil Rules Review’s Consultation Paper was released and proposed sweeping changes to the Rules of Civil Procedure aimed at tackling long-standing concerns about a system burdened by cost, delay, and complexity.
AUTHORS: Ian Katchin, Robert Macdonald, Samantha Green, Martine Garland, Alexander Evangelista, Tea Obradovic, Max Samuels
RELATED EXPERTISE: Litigation and Dispute Resolution
Gitxaala: A New Era for Enforcing UNDRIP Rights?
The British Columbia Court of Appeal’s recent decision in Gitxaala v British Columbia (Chief Gold Commissioner) (“Gitxaala“) dramatically increases the ability of Indigenous rights and title holders to use the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (“UNDRIP“) to advance and protect their interests. This article summarizes the decision and highlights two ways we have begun using this decision in our advocacy in British Columbia and across the country.
AUTHORS: Adam Wheeler, Kate Babony
RELATED EXPERTISE: Indigenous
Supreme Court of Canada Clarifies “Material Change”: What Issuers Need to Know
The Supreme Court of Canada released its decision on Lundin Mining Corp v Markowich, dismissing the issuer’s appeal and providing clarity on what an issuer should consider when determining whether to disclose a change to the public.
At the core of the SCC’s judgement was a discussion of the distinction between “material change” and “material fact”, each defined under section 1(1) of the Ontario Securities Act (“OSA“).
AUTHORS: Rick Moscone, Elizabeth Varkovetski
RELATED EXPERTISE: Capital Markets and Securities
This publication is intended for general information purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advice.