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Christine A. Viney

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner

Margaret (Meg) Bennett

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Kaamil Khalfan

Associate

The Supreme Court of Canada&rsquo;s decision in Emond v Trillium Mutual Insurance Co clarifies how insurance policies are interpreted when endorsements enhancing coverage conflict with policy exclusions. The Court confirmed that a guaranteed rebuilding cost endorsement does not extend coverage to costs expressly excluded, highlighting potential gaps for homeowners and the importance of reviewing policies holistically.

Emond Rebuilding Dreams or Interpreting Realities The Supreme Court Weighs In

Emond: Rebuilding Dreams or Interpreting Realities? The Supreme Court Weighs In

Ethan Z. Schiff

Class Actions & Commercial Litigation Lawyer

A plaintiff’s obligation to establish “some basis in fact” for a common issue is acknowledged as a low bar. Several Canadian appellate courts have, however, confirmed a “two-step test” as the standard analytical framework. Under the two-step test, plaintiffs must not only show that the proposed common issues can be answered across the class, but must also establish, as a matter of fact, that the proposed issues exist. The two-step test stands in contrast to a one-step test that considers only if the proposed common issue can be answered across the class.
The added requirement of proving the existence of proposed common issues means plaintiffs need sufficient factual evidence at the certification stage. Looking forward, representative plaintiffs may pursue innovative strategies to gather the evidence needed to meet their evidentiary burden. One such avenue, considered below, involves requesting pre-certification discovery.

Raising the Low Bar Plaintiffs Seek New Strategies to Prove Common Issues for Certification

Raising the “Low Bar”: Plaintiffs Seek New Strategies to Prove Common Issues for Certification 

Emrys Davis

Competition & Antitrust Litigation Lawyer

Michael A. Eizenga L.S.M.

Leading Canadian Class Action Litigator at Bennett Jones Toronto

Partner 

Gannon Beaulne

Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

In our 2025 edition of Looking Forward, we review notable class action developments from the past year and consider what recent trends in the law might tell us about what to expect in the years ahead.

Class Actions Looking Forward 2025

Class Actions: Looking Forward 2025

Daniel L. Morrow

Medical Negligence & Professional Liability Lawyer

In Abbas v Esurance Insurance Company of Canada, 2023 ABCA 36, the Alberta Court of Appeal endorsed what it described as draconian consequences for insurance fraud as consistent with the Insurance Act, RSA 2000 c I-3 and necessary to further the underlying purpose of the legislation. Specifically, the Court confirmed the longstanding rule that all claims under a single insurance policy stemming from one incident are void if the insured commits fraud, even if the fraud is material to only a portion of the claim.

Court of Appeal Endorses Draconian Deterrent to Insurance Fraud

Renée Gagnon

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Maruska Giacchetto

Paige Lutz

Articling Student at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Articling Student

British Columbia&rsquo;s new Health Professions and Occupations Act will significantly reshape how health professionals are regulated, with changes taking effect April 1, 2026. This blog outlines key updates, including a new oversight body, updated bylaws and expanded statutory duties for licensees.

New Health Professions and Occupations Act is Coming Soon

What BC Health Professionals Need to Know Before April 1, 2026 

Oliver Loxley

Corporate Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Aaron E. Sonshine

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

Alexandra Doane

Articling Student at Bennett Jones in Vancouver

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

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

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

Christine Viney on CBC's Calgary Eyeopener

From the Same Authors