Section I: Introduction
This Guide provides non-Canadians with an introduction to the laws and regulations that affect the conduct of business in Canada and, in particular, in the province of Ontario. In some cases, this Guide also identifies issues in the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. Because of Canada's federal structure, the authority to make laws and regulations is divided between the federal and provincial governments by the Canadian Constitution although, in some areas of shared jurisdiction, both federal and provincial laws may apply.
For reasons rooted in history, Canada has two legal traditions,
the civil law tradition of codified law in the province of Quebec,
and the common law tradition of judge-made law in the other
provinces of Canada. The province of Quebec, as Canada's only
province whose majority population is French speaking, has also
adopted a Charter of the French Language making
French the official language of Quebec. Quebec also collects its
own income taxes and has shared jurisdiction over immigration to
Quebec with the federal government. A more detailed discussion of
the laws of the province of Quebec is contained in the Blakes
guide, Doing Business in Quebec.
The discussion under each heading in this Guide is intended to
provide only general guidance and is not an exhaustive description
of all provisions of federal, provincial and local law with which a
business might be required to comply. Particular businesses or
industries may also be subject to specific legal requirements not
referred to in this Guide. For this reason, the reader should not
rely solely upon this Guide in planning any specific transaction or
undertaking, but should seek the advice of qualified counsel.
The law is stated as of August 2022.
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The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
