People

Services

Industries

Firm

About

Knowledge

Careers

News

Events

Contact

Connect

Privacy Policy

Disclaimer

Terms of Use

Accessibility

Payments

Legal

Calgary

Toronto

Edmonton

Ottawa

Vancouver

New York

Montréal

James T. McClary

Private Equity and M&A Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner

Elizabeth K. Dylke

Corporate and Private Funds Lawyer

Haifeng Hu

Partner at Bennett Jones Vancouver

The private equity industry went in a number of different directions in 2025. Global dealmaking value picked up in the second half of the year but the number of deals decreased. PE exits declined year-over-year, boosting growth in alternative strategies to generate liquidity. Investors remain committed to PE according to Preqin's latest investor survey, despite exercising greater caution in short-term commitments. Macroeconomic conditions improved markedly as the year went on, after a turbulent and unexpected start.
In this edition of the Bennett Jones PE Briefing, we look at the full-year data on private equity activity in Canada in 2025 as well as&nbsp;how 2025 unfolded and what to look for in the coming year;&nbsp;PE exit activity and what to expect in 2026; and&nbsp;trends in GP-stakes investing.

The Q4 2025 PE Briefing

2026 Outlook: Key PE Trends Set to Shape the Year Ahead

Jared A. Mackey

Corporate Tax Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Anu Nijhawan

M&A, Corporate Financing and International Tax Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

When Canadian multinationals issue discounted bonds, notes and similar obligations in a foreign currency, the tax consequences of repaying the debt are governed by subsections 39(2) and paragraph 20(1)(f) of the Income Tax Act (Canada). <a href="/People/M/Mackey-Jared">Jared Mackey</a> and <a href="/People/N/Nijhawan-Anu">Anu Nijhawan</a> explore the application and interaction of these provisions, which can give rise to unexpected results.

Tax Considerations on the Repayment of Discounted Foreign Currency Obligations

Hennadiy Kutsenko

Tax Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Counsel

Incentivizing employees is a critical component of most business strategies. Employers may implement arrangements for deferred cash bonuses, often subject to the satisfaction of certain criteria. From a tax perspective, the efficacy of any such arrangement requires that no tax be payable prior to the time an individual receives a cash payout. To ensure that result, it is critical to avoid the application of the "salary deferral arrangement" rules under the Income Tax Act (Canada).

Incentivizing Employees Avoiding a Salary Deferral Arrangement

Incentivizing Employees: Avoiding a Salary Deferral Arrangement

Retirement compensation arrangements (RCAs) are, in appropriate circumstances, a useful tool for employers to provide supplemental pension benefits to employees, but such arrangements come at a cost of refundable tax under the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the ITA). The <a rel="noopener noreferrer" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.budget.canada.ca/2023/home-accueil-en.html" target="_blank">2023 Federal Budget</a> (the Budget), released on March 29, 2023 (Budget Day), proposes to amend the ITA to exempt, from the refundable tax, fees or premiums to the extent paid for the purposes of securing or renewing a letter of credit or a surety bond for an RCA structured as supplement to a registered pension plan.

Supplemental Pension Plans Secured with Letter of Credit Budget Proposes Refundable Tax Relief

Supplemental Pension Plans Secured with a Letter of Credit—Federal Budget 2023 Proposes Refundable Tax Relief

Oliver Loxley

Corporate Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Aaron E. Sonshine

Corporate Finance, Mergers and Acquisitions and Corporate Governance Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Partner 

Alexandra Doane

Articling Student at Bennett Jones in Vancouver

Articling Student

The SEC&rsquo;s March 5 exemption preserves the existing insider reporting framework for Canadian foreign private issuers that report through SEDI, despite changes introduced by the HFIAA. This update clarifies cross-border reporting obligations and maintains the status quo for affected issuers and their insiders.

Canadian Foreign Private Issuers Remain Exempt from US Insider Reporting Requirements

James D. Beeby

Corporate Finance, M&A, Private Equity and Venture Capital Lawyer

Lisa Kakoske

Corporate and Securities Lawyer

Harpar Gill

Associate

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) has introduced a voluntary Semi-Annual Reporting (SAR) Pilot allowing eligible venture issuers on the TSXV or CSE to file only six-month interim financial reports. The pilot aims to reduce reporting burdens while maintaining key continuous disclosure requirements for investors.

CSA Adopts Semi Annual Reporting Pilot For Venture Issuers

CSA Adopts Semi-Annual Reporting Pilot For Venture Issuers

Ashley M. White

Corporate & Commercial Transactions Lawyer | Power & Energy

Jason D. Roth

Construction & Infrastructure Lawyer | EPC & Project Development

Larissa D. Lees

Regulatory Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

The Government of Alberta has announced plans for a 120-day approval timeline for major projects, aiming to accelerate development while maintaining Indigenous consultation and environmental protections. This initiative, aligned with federal policy and recent Alberta&ndash;Canada agreements, could create more predictable regulatory processes and meaningful investment opportunities across energy, infrastructure, CCUS and critical minerals projects. Industry participants should monitor implementation closely, as details on eligible projects and procedural interaction are still forthcoming.

Major Projects on the Horizon in Alberta

Government of Alberta Announces 120-Day Major Project Approval Timeline

Benjamin K. Reingold

Intellectual Property Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Makda Yohannes

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Stephen D. Burns

Energy & Infrastructure Technology Lawyer | IT/OT & Markets

Partner, Trademark Agent

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to understand legal rights and generate court filings, raising concerns about the unauthorized practice of law. This insight examines recent US litigation, key risks and practical considerations for responsible AI use in the Canadian legal context.

Artificial Intelligence and the Practice of Law

Artificial Intelligence and the Practice of Law: Real‑World Implications for the Profession and the Justice System

David Cassin

Employment Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Talia K. Bregman

Management-side Employment Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

The Ontario Superior Court&rsquo;s decision in Ghazvini v. CIBC strikes down a termination clause in federally regulated employment agreements under the Canada Labour Code. This ruling applies the Waksdale framework, emphasizing that termination clauses must meet statutory minimums for notice and cause. Federally regulated employers should review and update template agreements to ensure compliance and reduce the risk of future disputes.

Federally Regulated Employers Time to Review Employment Agreements After Ontario

Federally Regulated Employers: Time to Review Employment Agreements After Ontario Court Strikes Down Termination Clause

Waterous Energy Fund Closes Third Private Equity Fund at C$1.4 Billion

From the Same Authors