Canada: Compliance

Bill C-31 proposes significant amendments to the Canada Labour Code that would prohibit non-compete clauses and other post-employment restrictions for federally regulated employers, with limited exemptions for senior executives and business sale transactions. The legislation includes anti-reprisal protections and places the burden of proof on employers, while existing non-compete clauses would remain valid for only one year after the law takes effect.

The United States Trade Representative has concluded that Canada's enforcement of its forced labour import prohibition is deficient, grouping it with five other economies that have laws in place but fail to effectively enforce them.

The Franchise Disclosure Act (the “Act”) and The Franchise Disclosure Regulations (the “Regulations”) are coming into force in Saskatchewan on June 30, 2026, and franchisors operating in, or expanding into...

Directors of corporations that fail to remit GST/HST may face personal liability for unpaid taxes, but a due diligence defence exists. The recent Stevens v. The King case illustrates the high bar for proving due diligence, demonstrating that passive delegation of financial oversight is insufficient to avoid personal liability for directors.

The Canadian government has introduced legislation that would fundamentally reshape employment law for federally regulated workplaces by prohibiting non-competition clauses in most employment agreements. Bill C-31 proposes sweeping changes that would not only ban future restrictive covenants but also void existing non-competition agreements after a one-year transition period. Federally regulated employers must now evaluate their current employment contracts and explore alternative protective measures before

Le 4 juin 2026, le gouvernement du Canada a publié sa stratégie nationale tant attendue en matière d’intelligence artificielle intitulée « L’IA pour tous ». Cette Stratégie favorise l’émergence de nouvelles possibilités économiques tout en précisant la vision et les priorités du gouvernement du Canada sur le plan de l’encadrement de l’IA.

Key components include a wide range of obligations applicable to social media platforms, AI chatbots and similar online services, and a new regulator with broad supervisory and enforcement powers.

Ce bulletin présente une rétrospective des principaux développements réglementaires en matière d’assurance et de distribution au Québec des six derniers mois. Comme vous pourrez le constater, l’Autorité des marchés financiers (l’« Autorité ») et le gouvernement du Québec ont été actifs au cours de cette période.

Recent developments in Canada's pension sector reveal heightened regulatory scrutiny, evolving operational requirements, and growing governance concerns related to technology.