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Serge Dupont

Senior Advisor at Bennett Jones Ottawa

Senior Advisor

Richard Dion

Economic Analyst and Forecasting Advisor at Bennett Jones Ottawa

Senior Business Advisor

David Crane writes in The Hill Times on the Bennett Jones' Mid-Year 2024 Economic Outlook and why Canadians must come to grips with the critical need to significantly improve our productivity and competitiveness.

Speaking the Truth About Productivity in Canada

The global and Canadian economies are still adjusting to the shocks of COVID and war. Inflation remains elevated, and monetary conditions are restrictive. There are legacies, in particular high public and private debt.
Concurrently, the forces of demographic ageing, climate change, and digitalization are intensifying in a new fragmented world, transforming our economies, and requiring more public and private investment. These two factors—short-term adjustment and structural change—set the background for our 2024 Economic Outlook.

2024 Economic Outlook The Long-Term Is Now

2024 Economic Outlook: The Long-Term Is Now

For the last three years, governments, businesses and workers have confronted a series of shocks and disruptions that have tested their agility and resilience. The pandemic, the war in Ukraine, supply chain constraints, swings in commodity prices, and higher inflation and interest rates, have demanded swift responses and adjustment. There are aftershocks, uncertainty and risk, and still a need to adapt. Navigating turbulent times remains a key function of policy and business planning. Yet, given forces shaping the world of tomorrow, it matters even more how governments and businesses plan to invest, innovate and create the conditions for sustainable growth over the longer term. This Economic Outlook entitled Playing the Long Game reviews recent developments and short-term prospects, sets out a baseline scenario and risks to assist business planning and describes some of the context for the longer term and key tasks ahead for Canadian governments and firms.

Economic Outlook Playing the Long Game

Economic Outlook: Playing the Long Game

The Globe and Mail writes on why high interest rates and high debt have left Canadian government finances far more at risk if their fiscal projections fall short. This is the underlying message of <a href="/sitecore/service/notfound.aspx?item=core%3a%7b0689B4D0-B77D-4A6E-B207-7C06171E9F65%7d%40en" target="_self">Assessing the Potential Risks to the Sustainability of the Government of Canada's Current Fiscal Plan</a>, written by David Dodge and Richard Dion, in collaboration with Robert Asselin, Senior Vice President of Policy at the Business Council of Canada.

High Interest Rates Have Turned a Hard Fiscal Anchor to From Advisable to Essential

Luke Morrison

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

Partner

Ashley M. White

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

Pamela Clark

Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary 

Associate 

On June 6, 2025, the federal government introduced Bill C-5, An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act, which proposes new legislation aimed at strengthening Canada's economy by removing interprovincial trade and labour mobility barriers and advancing major projects.

Wind In The Sails of Canadian Energy Project Development

Wind In The Sails of Canadian Energy Project Development: Major Projects Office Open For Business, and Details of Fast-Tracked Projects Emerging

Stephen D. Burns

Technology Lawyer, Intellectual Property Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner, Trademark Agent

Matthew Flynn

Technology Transaction Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

J. Sébastien A. Gittens

Intellectual Property and Technology Commercialization Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

AI transcription tools offer efficiency and accuracy in the boardroom but create risks to confidentiality, privacy and legal privilege. Organizations should adopt clear policies, safeguards and training to ensure responsible use and compliance with governance standards.

AI Notetaking in the Boardroom

Lorelei Graham

Food and Agribusiness Lawyer, IP Lawyer, Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

The United States Patent and Trademark Office's decision to cancel its Climate Change Mitigation pilot program for patents has not gone unnoticed in Canada. For Canadian policymakers and agri-tech innovators, this move by the United States raises two big questions: (1) How might this affect Canada&rsquo;s own intellectual property&nbsp; strategy for green tech, and (2) could it create opportunities for Canada (and others) to take the lead in certain climate-tech domains?
A particular area of interest is carbon-capture agri-tech, technologies that help farming not just reduce emissions but actively capture carbon (for instance, special crops or soil treatments that lock away carbon dioxide or farm machinery that traps greenhouse gases). These innovations are crucial for meeting climate goals and could become a competitive arena internationally.

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part IV

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part IV: Shifting Gears: How the United States' Exit from Climate Protection Fuels Canada's IP Advantage

Martin Ignasiak KC

Regulatory Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Jessica Kennedy

Larissa D. Lees

Associate

Alberta&rsquo;s updated self-supply rules create new opportunities for on-site power generation. This blog highlights key regulatory issues, risks, and opportunities developers need to consider.

So You Want to Supply Your Own Power Key Considerations for On Site Generation in Alberta

So You Want to Supply Your Own Power: Key Considerations for On-Site Generation in Alberta

Across the Atlantic, the European Union (EU) and its member states have also been encouraging climate-resilient agri-tech innovation, but their approach to intellectual property incentives has been a bit different. The European Union has set ambitious climate goals (like achieving climate neutrality by 2050) and launched the European Green Deal, a broad policy agenda to support sustainable technologies. While funding and regulations (such as support for sustainable farming practices) are big parts of the EU strategy, there is also recognition that IP rights play an important role in fostering innovation. However, unlike Canada or the recent US pilot program, Europe has not implemented a unified “green channel” for patent examination at the European Patent Office.

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part III

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part III: Green Without the Label: Europe's Pragmatic IP Approach to Agri-Tech Innovation

David Dodge and Richard Dion Report Discussed in the Edmonton Journal

Authors


Bennett Jones In The News David Dodge and Richard Dion Report Discussed in the Edmonton Journal August 22, 2011 Authors Richard DionSenior Business Advisor In the Edmonton Journal article, "No Need For Hasty Health 'Reforms'," Mel McMillan reviews the C.D. Howe Institute report co-authored by David Dodge and Richard Dion on growing healthcare expenses and highlights information in the report the future premier of Alberta should consider. Share by Email Social Media Download Download Subscribe Republishing Requests For permission to republish this or any other publication, contact Amrita Kochhar at kochhara@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 Richard Dion, Senior Business Advisor Ottawa • 613.683.2312 • dionr@bennettjones.com