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Ashley L. Paterson

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Partner

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.

Health Canada Proposes Amendments to MDEL Holders and Applicants

Emrys Davis

Commercial Litigation, Competition and Class Action Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

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

The evidentiary burden on plaintiffs to have a case certified­—i.e., the “some basis in fact” standard—has been described as a “low bar” in countless cases. Plaintiffs cite the “low bar” in trying to certify their cases, and defendants respond with their own favourable quotes from the case law, noting that this evidentiary burden is not “merely a speed bump” and that the evidence required to support certification must be subject to something more than “superficial scrutiny”.

British Columbia Grapples With Evidentiary Issues and the Requirement for a Workable Methodology

Nina Butz

Associate

Miranda Cooper

The past year has introduced some uncertainty for institutional defendants facing privacy breach class actions in Canada. While Ontario’s Court of Appeal has been consistent in its approach to class actions against “database defendants”, two decisions of the British Columbia Court of Appeal suggest that plaintiffs may have more success recovering from such defendants in jurisdictions that have codified a breach of privacy cause of action, like British Columbia, as opposed to those that have recognized the tort of intrusion upon seclusion, like Ontario. 
The term “database defendants” refers to organizations that collect and store personal information while carrying out a commercial purpose and whose databases are accessed by unauthorized third parties. Class actions brought against database defendants have become increasingly common. The earliest examples were brought in Ontario and pleaded the tort of intrusion upon seclusion.

Legal Uncertainty for Database Defendants Appeal Courts Assess Privacy Causes of Action

Legal Uncertainty for Database Defendants? Appeal Courts Assess Privacy Causes of Action With Varying Outcomes

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

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

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

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

Ashley Paterson and Nina Butz on Product Liability in Canada

From the Same Authors

Health Canada Proposes Amendments to MDEL Holders and Applicants

Class Actions: Looking Forward 2025

British Columbia Grapples With Evidentiary Issues and the Requirement for a Workable Methodology

Latest Insights

Economic Outlook 2026

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

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

Health Canada Proposes Amendments to MDEL Holders and Applicants

Stay Informed. Stay Ahead.