The Complete Brief
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April 16, 2026
Exclusive use clauses: What the Competition Bureau’s new guidance means for commercial leases
Amendments to the Competition Act came into force in December 2024 and have significantly changed how exclusive use clauses in commercial leases are treated in Canada. The changes broaden the Act’s reach so that even typical landlord‑tenant agreements may now be reviewed if any part of the agreement is aimed at limiting competition.
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April 16, 2026
Court allows leave to appeal in foreclosure case regarding privileged legal accounts
The British Columbia Court of Appeal has granted leave to appeal in a case requiring a lender to produce its legal bills for a costs assessment in a foreclosure dispute, saying the case raises important and unresolved questions about privilege and redemption rights.
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April 16, 2026
Saskatchewan introduces limited licences for non-lawyers: What you need to know
As of Jan. 1, 2026, the Law Society of Saskatchewan (the Law Society) may now grant limited licences to practise law in the province. This new framework allows non-lawyers to obtain authorization to provide specific legal services under a limited licence.
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April 16, 2026
Murder appeal raises relevance of whether accused sits with lawyers or in prisoner box
An elderly, vulnerable woman was beaten, stabbed and killed in the confines of her own home. A Feb. 16, 2023, Toronto Sun report describes the attack in graphic detail:
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April 16, 2026
PROPERTY OF BANKRUPT
Appeal by 2668602 Ontario Inc. (266) from the dismissal of its conversion claim regarding a racking system (Racking) located in a distribution centre/warehouse leased by the respondent landlords (Landlord). Cross‑appeal by the Landlord on damages.
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April 15, 2026
Manitoba giving more money for child and family services
Manitoba’s government is providing millions in additional funding to child and family welfare services in the province.
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April 15, 2026
Tax appeals held in abeyance don’t justify enhanced costs for Crown: court
The Federal Court of Appeal has rejected the Crown’s bid for enhanced costs in a tax case, dismissing its reliance on other appeals held in abeyance and ruling that only the amounts and parties directly before the court were relevant to the costs award.
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April 15, 2026
CUPE calls on Ontario to reverse 30-year-old WSIB cuts
This week, Ontario increased Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) benefits for injured employees, a measure that the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) said is welcome but “far from enough to make up for years of cuts.”
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April 15, 2026
Tax Court broadens CEWS revenue test in Ratti v. The King
During the pandemic, the government provided various forms of financial support to Canadian individuals and businesses. One of the more widely known is the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) for individuals, governed by the Canada Emergency Response Benefit Act, S.C. 2020, c. 5, s. 8. The subsequent Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) was somewhat of an extension of CERB and again provided support to individuals pursuant to the Canada Recovery Benefits Act, S.C. 2020, c. 12, s. 2.
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April 15, 2026
B.C. bar president says UNDRIP law implementation must be transparent, protect court access
As B.C. contemplates making changes to its landmark Indigenous relations law, the president of the province’s bar association is affirming her organization’s support for the legislation and is calling on the government to be transparent in its implementation. In a statement issued April 14, Canadian Bar Association British Columbia Branch (CBABC) president Patricia Blair called the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA), which mandates the B.C. government to bring provincial laws into alignment with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the cornerstone of British Columbia’s commitment to reconciliation.