The Complete Brief
-
July 30, 2025
B.C.’s Infrastructures Projects Act: What’s on the horizon
May 29, 2025, marks the day that Bill 15, also known as the Infrastructure Projects Act (the Act), received royal assent. This follows on the heels of the federal government bringing the Building Canada Act into law with the passing of Bill C-5, intended to create a streamlined approval process for projects designated as “national interest projects.”
-
July 30, 2025
Trade tribunal launches expiry review of anti-dumping orders against concrete rebar imports
The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) has initiated an expiry review of anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders affecting concrete reinforcing bar (rebar) imports from China, South Korea and Türkiye, setting the stage for a comprehensive reassessment of trade protection measures that have been in place for nearly five years.
-
July 30, 2025
Travelling for parties instead of funerals
I recently attended a party in Toronto for my buddy Billy’s 70th birthday. It was a lowbrow event at Dave & Buster’s, perfectly appropriate for a bunch of guys who are from what was, when we were young, a low-rent suburb of Montreal. Billy’s children and much beloved young grandchildren were also among the revellers.
-
July 29, 2025
B.C. Court of Appeal orders specific performance in real estate dispute, clarifies uniqueness test
The British Columbia Court of Appeal has overturned a trial judge’s decision to limit damages in a real estate option dispute, ordering specific performance instead and clarifying when investment properties may qualify as unique enough to warrant the equitable remedy.
-
July 29, 2025
Federal Court finds repeated TFSA overcontributions after notice not a ‘reasonable error’
A Federal Court judge has declined to grant relief to a taxpayer who racked up over $70,000 in fines and penalties for repeatedly overcontributing to his tax-free savings accounts (TFSA), finding that his failure to promptly remove excess funds despite repeated Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) notices was not a reasonable error.
-
July 29, 2025
Trudeau Liberals increased diversity of federal benches; female jurists made big gains: report
The former Trudeau government’s nine-year push for diversity in federal appointments since 2016 saw big progress for female jurists — who now make up 49 per cent of all federally appointed judges — along with significant gains for jurists who self-identify as Indigenous, racialized, ethnic, 2SLGBTQI+ or as having a disability, according to the latest information from the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs.
-
July 29, 2025
Court allows appeal in favour of arbitration in $100K employment bonus dispute
The British Columbia Court of Appeal has overturned an order dismissing a stay application in an employment case, finding that the issues relating to over $100,000 in alleged unpaid bonuses are subject to arbitration.
-
July 29, 2025
N.B. funding programs for victims of gender-based violence
As part of its ongoing efforts to tackle an epidemic of gender-based violence, New Brunswick is spending millions on emergency transition programs, outreach initiatives and “second-stage” housing.
-
July 29, 2025
Applications open for Alberta Restorative Justice Grant
Applications are now open for the Alberta Restorative Justice Grant program. The province is investing $720,000 through the grant to support communities delivering restorative justice programs. This grant program supports initiatives that seek to hold offenders accountable and repair relationships damaged by crime outside the formal court system.
-
July 29, 2025
CORPORATIONS - Derivative actions - Conditions precedent to bringing action - Good faith
Appeal by Su from judge’s decision granting Hougen Co. Ltd. (Hougen) leave to bring derivative action; appeal by Hougen from judge's refusal to grant nunc pro tunc order to backdate leave to the date notice of claim was filed and from decision to award special costs to Su.