Strategy

Employers that rely on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) to retain skilled temporary foreign workers (TFWs) via high-wage or low-wage stream Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) are facing a growing crisis.

Following the breakdown of Canada-U.S. trade discussions in August 2026, McCarthy Tétrault hosted a comprehensive webinar examining the collapse's implications for Canadian businesses.

Canadian data centre development is entering a critical phase as provincial governments introduce new frameworks for power allocation and pricing. With electricity access becoming increasingly competitive and conditional, developers face evolving regulatory landscapes in British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta, and Québec that could fundamentally reshape project economics and timelines.

The rapid expansion of data centre infrastructure has made these facilities a focal point for technological innovation and intellectual property investment. From server configurations to advanced cooling systems, the technologies deployed inside data centres represent significant R&D expenditure and competitive advantages. Patent protection offers operators and developers opportunities to safeguard innovations...

Todd Burke of Gowling WLG's International Board sits down with British High Commissioner Rob Tinline to explore the evolving Canada-UK partnership and the commercial opportunities emerging across priority sectors like quantum computing, naval shipbuilding, and nuclear energy. Their discussion examines how these two nations are working together to advance trade, embrace innovation, and reduce barriers to cross-border collaboration in an increasingly competitive global landscape.

Saskatchewan's new Data Centre Framework and Canada's Responsible Data Centre Development Principles establish comprehensive guidelines for data centre development, emphasizing Canadian ownership, data sovereignty, and bring-your-own-power requirements. How will these frameworks shape the future of data centre investments and operations across Canadian provinces, and what challenges remain in implementing these high-level policy priorities?

Canada is proposing to eliminate its federal zero-emission vehicle sales mandate and replace it with technology-neutral greenhouse gas emission standards. The shift comes amid declining EV sales, affordability concerns, and trade uncertainty with the United States, raising questions about how the automotive industry will balance climate goals with market realities. What will this regulatory transformation mean for manufacturers, consumers, and Canada's electrification timeline?

Canada has ratified the UK's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), opening new trade opportunities between the two nations. Beginning September 1, 2026, qualifying goods traded between Canada and the UK may benefit from preferential tariff rates under the agreement, with full reductions phased in by January 1, 2028.

Canada's federal government is seeking public input on AI transparency measures that could introduce new disclosure obligations, incident reporting requirements, and tracking mechanisms for AI systems. Organizations have until September 23, 2026 to influence the regulatory framework before it takes shape through potential legislation, standards, or mandatory requirements.

Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) refers to a suite of technologies that capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions—either from industrial point sources such as power plants, cement facilities, and oil sands operations, or directly from ambient air—and then either permanently store that CO₂ underground or use it in industrial processes.

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP is pleased to provide you with the latest Legislative Update, our online briefing on changes to federal and provincial legislation.

The proposal follows an investigation and Report where the USTR determined that the investigated economies had failed to either adopt or effectively enforce prohibitions on the importation of goods produced with forced labour.