Resources, Articles, & Advocacy
Legislative Update | April 07, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of April 7
Province Wants More Strong Mayors: Ontario is proposing to expand strong mayor powers to the heads of council in 169 additional municipalities starting in May. The province said on Wednesday that the expansion would help ensure municipalities have the tools they need to reduce obstacles to new housing and infrastructure developments. The additional municipalities would include the City of Orillia, the Township of Uxbridge, the Town of Wasaga Beach, the Township of King, and the Town of Collingwood. The government first granted the powers to the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa in 2022, and since then has expanded them a few times. Public comments on the proposal may be submitted via email until April 16, 2025.
Legislative Update | April 04, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of March 31
Ford Calls Tariffs “Unacceptable”: Canada got "the best of a bad deal" when the country was spared yet another volley of tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration Wednesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford says. But that deal is still "totally unacceptable," Ford was quick to add when speaking with reporters at Queen's Park Thursday, noting the threat to the nation's auto sector especially is still "very high." Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced Canada is retaliating against Trump's trade policy with a 25 per cent tariff on vehicles imported from the U.S. that are not compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).
Legislative Update | March 31, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of March 24
OBA Seeks "Urgency, Transparency and Accountability" from LSO: In an op-ed published on Thursday, the OBA urged the Law Society of Ontario to deal quickly with the current crisis and then shift its focus from the insular considerations of how to govern itself to the vital work of governing. “These are hard times for the rule of law, access to justice and our economic stability. Lawyers have a critical role to play," OBA President Kathryn Manning wrote. “We must get past this issue and turn our efforts to these fundamental matters. The only way past this issue is to chart a straightforward course through; there is no getting around it. We look forward to working with the many benchers who recognize that.”
Article | March 18, 2025
Brainwaves and Boundaries: The Privacy Debate with Neurotechnology
Authors discuss the growth of neurotechnology (projected to reach $12.1 billion by 2026) and its privacy implications for consumers. Dealing with concerns with responsible innovation this article addresses challenges such as over-collection of neural data, third-party disclosures, and lack of transparency; and also highlights current legal positions in Canada and other jurisdictions.
Article | March 13, 2025
Get to Know Your Execs In Five Minutes (Or Less)
In this ongoing series, we will profile each of the members of the OBA IP/ IT Law Section Executives to learn about them in five minutes or less. It’s five minutes or less because we know that a lot of you docket in six minute increments!
Article | March 11, 2025
The Complexities of "Canadian" Product Claims
This article discusses the legal and regulatory challenges associated with identifying and designating products as ‘Canadian’. As consumers strive to gain further understanding of the origin of their potential purchases, businesses must make accurate representations regarding their products to be compliant.
Article | January 08, 2025
Guarding the Gate: How Law Firms Can Protect Against Ransomware
This article highlights the continuing, rising threat of ransomware to Canadians, fuelled by the rapid development and deployment of certain attack techniques. Law firms in particular must take proactive measures to mitigate risks against ransomware attacks; it is now critical that lawyers stay informed and vigilant to operate a cyber-safe practice.
Article | January 06, 2025
The Eras Tour: The Rise of Hackers, Scammers, and Bad Bots
This article discusses serious cybersecurity concerns faced by consumers of online ticket sales, very recently, Swifties – fans of Taylor Swift. Cybercriminals have been more active around this time, utilizing conventional methods such as phishing sites to steal sensitive information or impersonating friends through hacked social media accounts to sell fake tickets. To protect readers' next online ticket purchase, the author has listed few considerations.
