Resources, Articles, & Advocacy
Advocacy | November 14, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of November 10
Ontario Fall Economic Statement: The Ontario government tabled their Fall Economic Statement on Thursday providing updates on their plan to "Protect Ontario". The projected deficit is down by $1.1 billion compared to the projections in the 2025 budget, while the unemployment rate is expected to rise by 1%, to 7.8%. The government still plans to balance the books by 2027-28.
Legislative Update | November 07, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of November 3
Ontario Fall Economic Statement: The Ontario government tabled their Fall Economic Statement on Thursday providing updates on their plan to "Protect Ontario". The projected deficit is down by $1.1 billion compared to the projections in the 2025 budget, while the unemployment rate is expected to rise by 1%, to 7.8%. The government still plans to balance the books by 2027-28.
Article | November 05, 2025
The 2025 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration
The 2025 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration confirms that Canada’s immigration system is entering a period of restraint after years of rapid expansion. Permanent resident admissions rose only slightly to 483,640 in 2024, while temporary streams saw sharp declines, new study permits dropped by more than 40 percent, from nearly half a million in 2023 to under 300,000, and work permits fell from 946,000 to about 905,000. Settlement agencies also served fewer clients, and the pool of temporary residents in Canada has begun to shrink, signalling fewer future pathways to permanent status. The report attributes these declines to new federal measures, particularly the study-permit cap and closer alignment of immigration with housing and labour capacity. The message from Ottawa is clear: the era of unrestrained growth has ended, and Canada is deliberately slowing intake to restore balance. For applicants and practitioners, this means a more competitive environment, tighter quotas, and the need for earlier, better-prepared, and more strategic applications.
Advocacy | October 28, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of October 20
Ford v Trump: President Trump announced plans to halt trade negotiations with Canada over Premier Ford’s anti-tariff ad campaign in the U.S. Earlier this month, Ontario launched a $75 million ad campaign in the U.S. using former President Reagan’s own words discussing the negative impacts of tariffs.
Legislative Update | October 14, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of October 6
Premier Ford Car Alarm: U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Canadian officials and business leaders that America is committed to consolidating vehicle assembly within its borders and that Canada would come “second”. Premier Ford warned that Canada faces a massive threat to domestic manufacturing, and threatened cutting off critical mineral exports to the U.S.
