Worldwide: Compliance

Canada's robust economy and stable political environment continue to attract foreign engineers and engineering companies seeking growth opportunities. For firms looking to expand into the Canadian market, understanding the requirements for company structure, regulatory compliance, and management processes is essential to successfully establishing operations eligible to perform engineering services in Ontario.

British Columbia's Provincial Sales Tax continues its steady expansion into professional services and digital commerce, raising questions about whether the province is gradually returning to the harmonized sales tax model it rejected in 2013. The latest changes extend PST to accounting, architectural, real estate services, and cloud infrastructure, narrowing the gap between BC's standalone tax system and the broader HST framework.

Canada's nuclear industry is experiencing unprecedented growth as major reactor projects and government energy policies drive billions in investment and reshape the sector's supply chain. As consolidation accelerates among nuclear suppliers, technology vendors, and specialized manufacturers, acquirers face a complex landscape of regulatory licensing requirements, nuclear liability frameworks, and intensified foreign investment scrutiny that fundamentally differs from conventional M&A transactions. Understan

The Government of Canada has introduced new rules governing the second allocation period for electric vehicle imports from China, increasing the available quota to 33,397 vehicles while maintaining strict permit requirements and a first-come, first-served allocation system. Global Affairs Canada signals potential intervention measures to ensure equitable access, particularly for original equipment manufacturers and new market entrants navigating this highly regulated import regime.

Canadian securities regulators have established a limited framework for prediction markets, restricting which event contracts can be offered to investors and under what conditions. While certain economic and financial forecasts may be traded through authorized dealers, contracts based on political events, sports, or entertainment remain prohibited, and compliance with securities law does not resolve potential exposure under criminal gambling provisions.

Bill C-34 introduces Canada's Digital Safety Act, establishing a regulatory framework for AI chatbot services. The legislation defines "chatbot service" broadly based on capability rather than intent, potentially capturing general-purpose AI assistants and conversational interfaces beyond products explicitly marketed as companions. Organizations offering conversational AI must assess whether their systems are capable of simulating sustained human-like relationships, regardless of their primary design purpos

Health Canada has published comprehensive amendments to drug and medical device shortage regulations, introducing expanded reporting requirements, extended expiration date authorities, and enhanced exceptional importation frameworks. The new measures grant the Minister of Health broader powers to prevent and respond to supply disruptions while requiring manufacturers to provide 12-month advance notice of discontinuations.

Foreign franchisors expanding into Canada often possess financial statements prepared under various accounting frameworks. Understanding whether existing audited, reviewed, or compiled statements satisfy Canadian franchise disclosure requirements is essential to avoid costly delays and legal exposure. This analysis examines the critical distinction between accounting standards and assurance standards...

The amendments expanded the Competition Bureau’s ability to challenge mergers, and directed greater attention toward smaller and serial acquisitions. The practical result is an environment characterized by longer and more intensive merger reviews, increased scrutiny of transactions that fall below the notification thresholds, and greater willingness by the Bureau to litigate.