Proposed Changes to Canada’s Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations

Transport Canada recently closed a consultation on its proposed amendments to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (“TDGR”) on May 27, 2019.[i] Canada regularly updates the TDGR in an effort to harmonize with the United Nations Model Regulations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (“UN Recommendations”) as well as the United States’ dangerous goods framework …

New food safety rules can extend to carriers

[*ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S TRUCKING - July 20, 2018*] Canada’s Safe Food for Canadians Act and its regulations will officially become law on Jan. 15, 2019. And while it won’t apply outright to most carriers who transport food, some operations might still face new requirements. Essentially, the act is meant to streamline existing food safety …

Canadian Federal Not-For-Profit Corporations: Compliance after Conversion

In 2011, Canada introduced its new modernized statute setting out the rights, restrictions, and governance requirements for federal not-for-profit corporations (“NFPs”): the Canada Not-For-Profit Corporations Act (“CNCA”). The CNCA replaced Part II of the Canada Corporations Act (the “CCA”), the governing legislation for federal corporations without share capital, which had been in place since 1917, …

Duty of Care of Food Producers to Others in the Supply Chain

In 2008, certain ready to eat (“RTE”) meats manufactured by Maple Leaf Foods Inc. and Maple Leaf Consumer Foods Inc. (collectively, “Maple Leaf”) were contaminated with listeria at dangerous levels, that resulting in some people falling seriously ill and some dying after consuming the meat. Maple Leaf voluntarily closed its production plant and recalled the …

So, You Bought a Business. Now What? Transitioning a Business to New Owners

You’ve spent considerable time and money negotiating the purchase of a business, and the deal has finally closed. One of the next steps is to make sure that the business keeps running smoothly and remains a going concern, to ensure that your investment will be worthwhile in the long run. A smooth transition from the …

Are You in Compliance with Canadian Cabotage Laws?

In the transportation industry, the word “cabotage” is used to refer to the transport of goods or passengers between two points in the same country by vehicle, trailer or container (“conveyance”) registered in another country and/or by a foreign driver or crew. Accordingly, there are two categories of cabotage laws: those affecting the equipment used …

Do Employers Have Obligations to Whistleblowers in Ontario?

The current state of whistleblower protection laws in Canada are often described as sparse in comparison to other countries.  This article will focus on the legislation that is in effect in Ontario and how employers with operations in Ontario should be addressing requirements under that legislation. It will not discuss the protections in place with …

The Importance of Having a Well-Drafted Shareholder Agreement

Are you one of two or more shareholders of a business? Have you thought about what your rights are if: (i) you decide that you want to sell your shares but cannot find a buyer; (ii) the other shareholder decides to sell their shares to someone you do not particularly want to do business with; …

Significant Changes to the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000: Now in Effect – Is your workplace in compliance?

Below is an article written by my colleague, Carole McAfee Wallace, an employment lawyer at Fernandes Hearn LLP, reproduced with her permission from the Fernandes Hearn LLP December 2017 newsletter. --- Introduction In our June 2017 Newsletter, we reviewed proposed changes to the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”), as set out in Bill 148, the …

The Carriage of Medical and Recreational Marijuana

With the increasing number of licensed producers of medical marijuana and the incoming legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada, carrier companies are starting to ask how they can become involved. For carriers who are interested in transporting medical and recreational marijuana, they may wish to obtain assistance in conducting a review of their current equipment, …