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Wesley R. Novotny

Corporate Tax Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner

Marshall R. Haughey

Wade Ritchie

Tax Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Associate

The Canadian Department of Finance introduced draft legislation in the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.budget.canada.ca/2023/home-accueil-en.html" target="_blank">2023 Canadian Federal Budget</a> (Budget 2023) to create employee ownership trusts (EOTs) to facilitate the transfer of a business to the employees of the business. We provided an overview of the rules initially proposed in Budget 2023 in <a href="https://www.bennettjones.com/Blogs-Section/Employee-Ownership-Trusts-A-Useful-Tool-for-Employee-Business-Ownership">Employee Ownership Trusts—A Useful Tool for Employee Business Ownership?</a>, and recommended various revisions to the proposed rules to improve the tax incentives and ease some of the conditions required to qualify for EOT treatment. The Department of Finance released <a rel="noopener noreferrer" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2023/08/government-consults-canadians-on-budget-2023-measures-to-grow-the-clean-economy-close-tax-loopholes-and-deliver-tax-relief-for-canadians.html" target="_blank">revised EOT legislation on August 4, 2023</a>, addressing some of our concerns but not the big one—the revised EOT legislation still contained minimal tax incentives.

Employee Ownership Trusts Improved Tax Incentives Announced

Employee Ownership Trusts—Improved Tax Incentives Announced

Ted M. Shoub

Corporate, Commercial and Private Corporation Acquisition and Disposition Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

There is a growing international movement to increase employee ownership of businesses. Some jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom and the United States have developed tax rules and incentives to facilitate business ownership by trusts created for the benefit of a business's employees.

Employee Ownership Trusts A Useful Tool for Employee Business Ownership

Employee Ownership Trusts—A Useful Tool for Employee Business Ownership?

Marshall Haughey and Wade Ritchie write in Canadian Tax Focus on "Correcting Tax Mistakes: Rescission Reborn".

Marshall Haughey and Wade Ritchie in Canadian Tax Focus

Edwin G. Kroft KC

Tax Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones

The 9th edition of Bennett Jones on Tax Disputes, published on <a href="https://www.gettaxnetpro.com/">Taxnet Pro</a> by Thomson Reuters, includes articles on the recent decision of the BC Court of Appeal in Collins Family Trust and the availability of rescission as a remedy to assist taxpayers and “unknown person requirements“ under section 231.2 of the Income Tax Act in light of the decision of the Federal Court of Appeal in Roofmart Ontario Inc. The publication also has summaries of recent tax decisions, tables regarding tax appeals, the CRA business continuity plans and bulletins/practice directives from the courts.

Bennett Jones on Tax Disputes August 2020

Bennett Jones on Tax Disputes - August 2020

The U.S. and global economies proved resilient in 2025. There were reasons, particularly around U.S. President Donald Trump&rsquo;s April 1 &ldquo;Liberation Day,&rdquo; to fear a global trade war or corrections in financial markets that would cause a recession in the United States and a sharp slowing of the global economy. In fact, while growth in the United States and most major economies slowed in 2025, other policy and market factors offset at least in part the early effect of disruptive policies by the U.S. administration. The United States&rsquo;s trading partners chose to avoid an all-out trade war, and most negotiated some form of accommodation with President Trump.

Economic Outlook 2026

Adapting to a New World: From Ambition to Investment

Ahmed Elmallah

Intellectual Property Lawyer at Bennett Jones Edmonton

Counsel, Patent Agent, Trademark Agent

Benjamin K. Reingold

Intellectual Property Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Stephen D. Burns

Technology Lawyer, Intellectual Property Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner, Trademark Agent

Stephen Thaler has appealed the Commissioner of Patents&rsquo; refusal to recognize his AI system, DABUS, as an inventor under the Patent Act. The case raises legal and practical questions as AI systems play a growing role in generating novel inventions. The outcome could influence how Canadian innovators protect AI-driven discoveries, particularly in pharmaceutical R&amp;D.

Appeal Filed Thaler Challenges Refusal to Recognize AI

Appeal Filed: Thaler Challenges Refusal to Recognize AI as an Inventor on a Patent—Implications Beyond Inventorship

David Wainer

Commercial Transactions Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

This end-of-year overview examines the Federal Government&rsquo;s rapid expansion of AI-related funding in 2025, from large-scale investments in data centres and public compute infrastructure to programs supporting AI access, adoption and domestic research. It also explores the new commitments announced in Budget 2025 and signals key trends to watch in 2026 as Canada strengthens its AI ecosystem.

Canadas AI Efforts in 2025 A Year in Review

Canada's AI Efforts in 2025: A Year in Review

Laura Inglis

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Edmonton

Christine Plante

Civil Fraud Recovery, Employment and Shareholder Disputes Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

David M. Price

Employment Services Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Effective January 1, 2026, Alberta will increase job-protected long-term illness and injury leave from 16 to 27 weeks. This update aligns Alberta with other leading Canadian jurisdictions that recently implemented similar extended leaves. Employers will need to revisit their workplace policies to ensure compliance with the new requirements. The blog explains the legislative amendments and their implications for employers.

Alberta Aligns with Other Provinces in Extending Long Term Illness and Injury Leave

Ashley L. Paterson

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Morgan Sutherland

Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Associate 

Health Canada has proposed amendments to the Medical Devices Regulations focused on modernizing the MDEL framework. The changes would affect importer&ndash;distributor relationships, mandatory supplier disclosures, and safety documentation requirements. This update summarizes the key proposals and their potential impacts on MDEL holders and applicants.

Tiered Partnerships: Successor Rules

From the Same Authors