The Retail Payment Activities Act: Retail Payments Regulations

Crowdfunding Businesses: Canada MSB License Required

On April 05, 2022, the Government of Canada announced a number of changes that impact the financial services industry.  One of these changes occurred through the amendment to the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA).  The changes mostly pertained to broadening PCMLTFA’s

LOTA Filing Deadline Date Extended to November 30, 2022

To combat the issue of money laundering in British Columbia and end hidden ownership of land, the government enacted the Land Owner Transparency Act (“LOTA”) in May of 2019 to establish the Land Owner Transparency Registry (“LOTR”) for the beneficial ownership of land in British Columbia. 

Covid-19 Court Updates

This post was last updated on July 28, 2020. The COVID-19 Pandemic forced the closure of courts across all levels in Canada. This blog will focus on the various updates provided by the courts throughout the pandemic, and attempt to map out the various courts’ progression

Is Your Brand Prepared For Canada’s New Trademark Laws?

Starting June 17, 2019, the Canada Trade-marks Act will get a significant makeover that will impact the intellectual property assets of every startup, entrepreneur, and small business in BC. These amendments aim to streamline the Canadian trademark process and improve system infrastructure, to better align with

Canada Finally Accepting Trademark Applications for Sounds

As of late March 2012, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) is accepting sound-based trademark applications. This policy change follows a 20 year battle with CIPO and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios to trademark its famous lion’s roar. In the past, CIPO took the position that sounds could

Supreme Court of Canada delares Alberta privacy legislation unconstitutional

The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) is unconstitutional and declared PIPA to be invalid in its entirety. The Court found that restrictions on the ability of unions to photograph and videotape workers crossing a picket line infringed the right

Popular media references as evidence of trade-mark fame

The Federal Court recently found the wide-spread fame of the COHIBA trade-marks for cigars and cigarillos was sufficient to reject an application to register the trade-mark LAZARO COHIBA for rum. Tequila Cuervo (“Cuervo”) filed a trade-mark application in February of 1996, for the mark LAZARO COHIBA,

Prospectus exemption proposed for TSX Venture Exchange issuers

With the exception of Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, securities regulatory authorities in other Canadian jurisdictions have published a draft prospectus exemption for comment. The exemption would make it easier – and less costly – for issuers listed on the TSX Venture Exchange to distribute securities