Resources, Articles, & Advocacy
Legislative Update | May 26, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of May 19
Toronto Passes Controversial 'Bubble Zone' Protest Bylaw: Toronto councillors have passed a bylaw aimed at restricting protests around places of worship, daycares and schools in the city. The bylaw – slated to come into effect on July 2 – allows schools, childcare centres and places of worship to request the city restrict protest within a 50-metre radius around their properties.
Advocacy | May 16, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of May 12
Province Tables Tariff-Era Budget: The Ford government plans to run a substantial deficit of almost $15 billion and spend more than $230 billion this year. On Thursday, Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy presented the government’s 2025 budget, a document dominated by the tariff response and how it will impact the economy.
Advocacy | May 16, 2025
OBA Update - Budget 2025
On Thursday, May 15, 2025, the government tabled A Plan to Protect Ontario, the 2025 provincial budget
Article | May 15, 2025
Employee Ownership Trusts: A Guide to Structuring and Settlement
Between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2026, business owners can access significant tax benefits when selling a qualifying business to an employee ownership trust ("EOT") pursuant to a transaction that constitutes a qualifying business transfer. Among other benefits, eligible vendors are entitled to receive a shared pool of up to $10 million in capital gains deductions (the "EOT Deduction").
Article | May 15, 2025
One Year In: How Canada's Membership in the Apostille Convention Transformed Document Authentication
Canada’s ratification of the Apostille Convention replaces the traditional – time-consuming and complex – legalization process with a standardized one-page Apostille certificate that, once issued, is recognized as valid by all member countries without further authentication. This benefits individuals by easing international mobility for work, education, or personal business and helps businesses by smoothing cross-border transactions. Canada's adoption of the Convention is not without challenges, including the delay in implementing electronic Apostilles, which limits efficiency. Still, Canada’s accession to the Convention is a major step toward global integration and strengthens its legal and commercial ties with member countries.
Legislative Update | May 09, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of May 5
Province Files Appeal Against Injunction Halting Bike Lane Removal: Weeks after being ordered to pause plans to remove bike lanes from three major streets in Toronto, the Ford government says it is filing an appeal against the injunction.
Legislative Update | May 02, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of April 28
Province Proposes Plan to Get ‘Tough on Crime’: The Ontario government is proposing changes to the bail system that it says will protect communities by keeping violent repeat offenders off the streets and behind bars.
Legislative Update | April 25, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of April 21
Province Takes Control of School Board, Launches Probes at 3 Others: Ontario has taken control of one school board over financial mismanagement, launched financial probes of three other boards and ordered a fifth board to repay costs for a trip to Italy to buy art. New Education Minister Paul Calandra has ordered the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board to repay the cost of the board trip to Italy, as well as the $100,000 spent on art. The province has appointed a supervisor to the Thames Valley District School Board, in London, after it conducted a review in the wake of a staff retreat to Toronto that cost about $40,000. It is also launching investigations at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board and the Toronto District School Board over ongoing financial deficits and spending concerns.
