Business Law and Corporate Law

As the longest standing practice ranked as Band 1 in Chambers Canada for Startups & Emerging and High Growth Companies, Osler is on the front lines of the trends shaping our innovation economy. For our PE clients and cross-border partners, the story in late 2025 is a tale of two very different markets: a venture capital ecosystem in a period of recalibration and a private equity landscape rebounding and with a positive upward trajectory.

Magic Potion Games, founded by the creators of Club Penguin, has launched Imagine Island, a new online multiplayer game designed for children aged 6-13. With over one million players during beta testing and a successful Series A funding round, the platform prioritizes safety and transparency while preparing for major expansion through entertainment partnerships and paid memberships.

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP provides legal expertise across multiple practice areas including fund formation, competition law, antitrust, foreign investment, and venture capital. The firm's Toronto-based partners offer specialized counsel to clients navigating complex regulatory and transactional matters. Contact information and professional backgrounds are available for key team members specializing in these areas.

Section 160 of the Income Tax Act is one of the Canada Revenue Agency’s most powerful collection tools. It can make the recipient of a property transfer jointly and severally liable for the transferor’s unpaid tax debt where the property moved for less than fair market value to a non-arm’s-length person.

The British Columbia Securities Commission has established a new framework for evaluating share issuances during proxy contests, examining whether such transactions serve legitimate business purposes or constitute defensive tactics against shareholder activism. This decision provides crucial guidance on the factors regulators will scrutinize when financings occur amid contested board elections.

If you own 10% or more of a corporation outside Canada, alone or together with family members, the Income Tax Act may require you to file Form T1134 every year and may tax you on that corporation’s passive income before you receive a single dollar of it.

Canada’s tax system is a system of self-reporting. This feature is explicitly stated in subsection 150(1) of the Income Tax Act. This subsection requires taxpayers to file a tax return “without notice or demand for the return, for each taxation year of a taxpayer.”

A Lifetime Benefit Trust is one of the most powerful and underutilized estate planning tools available to Canadian families where a financially dependent beneficiary suffers from a mental infirmity.

Trusts are powerful tools for preserving wealth and facilitating intergenerational transfer, yet they remain widely misunderstood by families with business or investment assets. This article examines the fundamental nature of trusts, the critical distinction between legal and beneficial ownership, and how proper education and thoughtful design can help families avoid common pitfalls. Michael Goldberg explores why misconceptions about trusts can lead to confusion and conflict, and how to ensure these plannin

Canada’s tax system is a system of self-reporting. This feature is explicitly stated in subsection 150(1) of the Income Tax Act. This subsection requires taxpayers to file a tax return “without notice or demand for the return, for each taxation year of a taxpayer.”

In September 2026, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance (the Committee) released its recommendations for the 2026 Federal Budget. While these recommendations do not form part of the Budget itself, they provide insight into current political policy priorities and proposals that may be reflected in future legislative and fiscal initiatives. In this article, we highlight several recommendations of particular relevance to charities and not-for-profit organizations, with a specific focus on the proposed social sector fund.

Canada's newly announced Productivity Mega Deduction represents one of the most significant business tax incentives in decades, permitting immediate expensing for capital investments.