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Katelyn Weller

Counsel at Bennett Jones Toronto

Counsel

Carl Cunningham

Management-side Employment Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Partner

The 2025 Federal Budget proposes significant employment law changes, including restrictions on non-compete agreements and new measures to address worker misclassification and wage theft. Federally regulated employers should prepare for upcoming consultations in early 2026.

Federal Budget Proposals Affecting Employers

Martin Ignasiak KC

Regulatory Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Ashley M. White

Corporate, Commercial Transactions, Power & Energy Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Jessica Kennedy

Budget 2025 sets out Canada&rsquo;s Climate Competitiveness Strategy, reaffirming goals to attract clean investment, strengthen carbon pricing systems and position the country as an emerging energy superpower. The Strategy details updates to emissions regulations, clean technology tax credits, critical mineral programs and major project approvals, offering new signals for investors and industry.

Canadas Budget 2025 Canadas Climate Competitiveness Strategy

Canada's Budget 2025: Canada's Climate Competitiveness Strategy

Luke Morrison

Energy Project Development, M&A, and Commercial Transaction Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Pamela Clark

Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary 

Associate 

The federal government has released a second wave of major projects recommended for expedited review by the Major Projects Office, with a focused shift toward critical minerals and energy development. The list includes strategic clean power, LNG, nickel, graphite, tungsten, and hydro initiatives across multiple provinces and territories. While the anticipated Alberta&ndash;BC pipeline was not included, the selected projects underscore Canada&rsquo;s intent to strengthen energy security, support Indigenous-led development, and accelerate investment in key resource sectors.

Second Wave of Fast Tracked Projects Unveiled including Critical Minerals and Energy Projects

Second Wave of Fast-Tracked Projects Unveiled including Critical Minerals and Energy Projects

Mark S. Powell

Trading and Derivatives Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner 

On September 16, 2025, the Government of Alberta announced two key changes to Alberta's Technology Innovation and Emission Reduction Regulation (TIER) that allow: (i) certain facilities that had voluntarily opted in to TIER to opt back out of TIER; and (ii) on-site investments into emissions reductions facilities to be recognized towards an emitter's compliance obligations. The announcement states that these changes will be introduced by the Government of Alberta in the fall.

Alberta Announces Changes to TIER What You Need to Know

Alberta Announces Changes to TIER: What You Need to Know

<p>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.</p>

Economic Outlook 2026

Adapting to a New World: From Ambition to Investment

Stephen D. Burns

Technology Lawyer, Intellectual Property Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner, Trademark Agent

Benjamin K. Reingold

Intellectual Property Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

David Wainer

Commercial Transactions Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Associate

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

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.

Health Canada Proposes Amendments to MDEL Holders and Applicants

Cameron Penn

Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Tami Oguntona

Articling Student at Bennett Jones in Calgary 

Articling Student 

British Columbia has introduced new limits on when employers may request sick notes and created a 27-week unpaid leave for serious personal illness or injury. This update outlines the key legislative changes and their practical impact on employer policies.

What the Doctor Ordered British Columbia

What the Doctor Ordered: British Columbia Updates Rules on Employee Sick Notes and Introduces Serious Personal Illness and Injury Leave

Bennett Jones Acts for Cenovus in $23.6-billion Combination with Husky

Authors


Bennett Jones Client Work Bennett Jones Acts for Cenovus in $23.6-billion Combination with Husky October 27, 2020 Authors Harinder S. BasraCalgary Managing Partner Colin R. PerryPartner Brent W. KrausPartner Anu NijhawanPartner Ashley M. WhitePartner Mark RasilePartner Carl CunninghamPartner Michael P. Theroux KCPartner Shawn M. MunroPartner Bennett Jones is acting for Cenovus Energy Inc. in its combination with Husky Energy Inc. to create a new integrated Canadian oil and natural gas company. The companies have entered into a definitive arrangement agreement under which Cenovus and Husky will combine in an all-stock transaction valued at $23.6 billion, inclusive of debt. The combined company will operate as Cenovus Energy Inc. and remain headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. It will be the third largest Canadian oil and natural gas producer and the second largest Canadian-based refiner and upgrader. The transaction has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of Cenovus and Husky and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2021. The Bennett Jones team was led by John Piasta (M&A) and included Harinder Basra, Colin Perry, Beth Riley and Brent Kraus (M&A), Beth Riley (Competition), Anu Nijhawan (Tax), Thomas McInerney and Ashley White (Energy), Mark Rasile (Banking), Carl Cunningham (Employment), Mike Theroux (Litigation) and Shawn Munro (Regulatory). For more information on the deal, Cenovus' news release is available here. Share by Email Social Media Download Download Subscribe Republishing Requests For permission to republish this or any other publication, contact Peter Zvanitajs at ZvanitajsP@bennettjones.com. For informational purposes only This publication provides an overview of legal trends and updates for informational purposes only. For personalized legal advice, please contact the authors. Authors Harinder S. Basra, Calgary Managing Partner • Co-Head of Energy Practice Calgary • 403.298.4494 • basrah@bennettjones.com Colin R. Perry, Partner Calgary • 403.298.3419 • perryc@bennettjones.com Brent W. Kraus, Partner • Co-Head of Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Calgary • 403.298.3071 • krausb@bennettjones.com Anu Nijhawan, Partner • Co-Head of Tax Department Calgary • 403.298.3389 • nijhawana@bennettjones.com Ashley M. White, Partner • Co-Head of Energy Practice Calgary • 403.298.3471 • whitea@bennettjones.com Mark Rasile, Partner Toronto • 416.777.5088 • rasilem@bennettjones.com Carl Cunningham, Partner • Co-Head of Employment Services Practice Toronto • 416.777.4847 • cunninghamc@bennettjones.com Michael P. Theroux KC, Partner • Co-Head of Commercial Litigation Practice Calgary • 403.298.4438 • therouxm@bennettjones.com Shawn M. Munro, Partner Calgary • 403.298.3481 • munros@bennettjones.com