Exemptions to BC's Expanded PST on
Professional Services Announced
This update follows our March 23, 2026 blog post on British Columbia's expansion of Provincial Sales Tax ("PST") to certain new categories of professional services. On July 9, 2026, the Province announced new exemptions relating to these services ("Exemptions"). The new rules, and exemptions, take effect on October 1, 2026.

The following Exemptions will apply to accounting services, architectural services, engineering services, and security services:

1. services connected to places outside British Columbia;
2. services provided to First Nations, First Nation individuals, and certain services connected to First Nation land;
3. services provided between related companies in the same corporate group; and
4. services bought only so they can be resold.

Read the full article by Elizabeth Egberts with Thorsteinssons LLP.

Changes to British Columbia's Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act
Take Effect August 1, 2026: What Businesses Need to Know
Businesses dealing with consumers in British Columbia [are now required to] comply with significant new consumer protection requirements in the province. On August 1, 2026, amendments to BC's Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act ("BPCPA") [came] into force, introducing mandatory terms for most types of consumer contracts, new rules for subscription agreements, and stronger protections against high-pressure sales tactics, among other things.

If your business involves consumer contracts, especially internet agreements, subscription-based agreements, fitness services agreements, or direct agreements made in consumers' homes, your contracts and procedures should be reviewed and updated before August 1, 2026. This article sets out the key changes and what they mean in practice. Read the full article by Alissa Ricioppo and Celeste Olson with Miller Thomson.

Canadian Securities Regulators Seek Input on Modernizing
the Regulation of Public Companies
The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) recently published Consultation Paper 51-406 – Modernizing the Regulation of Public Companies, seeking stakeholder input on a broad range of potential reforms to the regulation of reporting issuers in Canada. Rather than proposing specific rule amendments, the Consultation Paper represents a comprehensive review of whether key elements of Canada's public company regulatory framework remain fit for purpose in today's capital markets and seeks feedback on a number of potential modernization initiatives described below. The comment period expires on November 13, 2026.

The CSA questions whether the current binary distinction between "venture issuers" and "non-venture issuers," which is primarily determined by exchange listing, continues to achieve its intended regulatory objective. According to the CSA, approximately 76 per cent of Canadian-listed issuers are currently classified as venture issuers, despite significant differences in size, maturity and complexity within that category. The Consultation Paper notes that some large, established issuers remain listed on venture exchanges, while other issuers lose venture issuer status solely as a result of obtaining secondary listings. Read the full article by Pierre-Olivier Valiquette and Bernard Maftei with Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP.

Tax Court Upholds Reassessment to Include $10.5k
Income from Return of Life Insurance Premiums
Canada's Tax Court has dismissed a taxpayer's appeal against the minister of national revenue's reassessment based on a finding that the income should have included investment income of $10,529.20 from the return of life insurance premiums.

The taxpayer – the appellant in Akhavan v. The King, 2026 TCC 135 – bought a Manulife term life insurance policy in 2003.

Upon maturity in 2023, in line with the policy terms, Manulife paid the taxpayer $10,529.20, representing the total of all monthly premiums he had paid over the policy's 20-year term. Read the full article by Bernise Carolino in the Canadian Lawyer.

CSA Finalizes New Rules for Principal Distributor
Model in Mutual Fund Distribution
The CSA has finalized amendments to the "principal distributor" model that limit dealers to acting as principal distributor for a single mutual fund family, introduce new disclosure requirements, and prohibit deferred sales charges through principal distributors.

Why it matters: These amendments affect fund managers, dealers, and distributors using principal distributor arrangements. Most changes take effect October 1, 2026, with transition periods of up to 24 months, and may require firms to review distribution structures, update disclosure documents, and align compensation practices with the new rules. Read the full article by Sean D. Sadler and Daanish Pasricha with McCarthy Tétrault.

Summer 2026 Canadian Draft Tax Legislation Release: Simplified Transfer
Pricing Documentation Regime, Hybrid Mismatch Rules and More
On July 23, 2026, the Canadian federal government released draft legislation to implement various tax measures, update certain previously released draft legislation and make certain technical changes (July 2026 proposals).

The key measures included in the July 2026 proposals are simplified transfer pricing documentation requirements, first proposed in Budget 2025, and amendments to the second package of hybrid mismatch rules released in January 2026. The July 2026 proposals also amend the foreign accrual property income (FAPI) services rule for investment funds in subparagraph 95(2)(b)(i) previously recommended in a comfort letter from the Department of Finance. Read the full article by Kaitlin Gray, Amanda Heale, Patrick Marley and Ilana Ludwin with Osler.

CSA Propose to Codify Increased Limits for LIFE Offerings
The Canadian Securities Administrators ("CSA") have published for comment proposed amendments (the "Proposed Amendments") to the listed issuer financing exemption ("LIFE" or the "Exemption"). The Proposed Amendments would codify certain elements of Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (the "Blanket Order"), including an increase to the amount of funds that can be raised under the Exemption, and streamline certain other conditions and disclosure requirements. Comments are due by October 21, 2026. Read the full article from Stikeman Elliott LLP.

Updates to BC Sales Taxes
The following updates to sales taxes were recently posted:

Provincial sales tax (includes municipal and regional district tax)

• July 9, 2026
  Budget 2026 announced an expansion of the provincial sales tax (PST) to certain professional services, effective October 1, 2026. The related regulations are now complete, and the following pages have been updated with new information on taxable services, PST exemptions, fees, charges and disbursements, bundled sales and electronic filing and payment requirements:
  • PST on accounting services
  • PST on architectural services
  • PST on engineering and geoscience services
  • PST on non-residential real estate services
  • PST on security services
  Related information has also been added to the following:
  • Bulletin PST 003, Small Sellers (PDF, 340KB)
  • PST on sales to First Nations
  If you sell any taxable accounting, architectural, engineering, geoscience, non-residential real estate or security services provided on or after October 1, 2026, you must file your tax returns and pay your taxes electronically. The following pages have been updated:
  • Guide to completing the municipal and regional district tax (MRDT) return
  • Guide to completing the provincial sales tax (PST) return
  • Mandatory electronic filers for PST
  • Report and pay PST at a government office
  • Report and pay PST through mail or courier
  • Report and pay PST using eTaxBC
  • Reporting and paying PST
  Bulletin CTB 007, Exemption for Members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps (PDF, 160KB), has been updated to reflect exemptions related to the above professional services, effective October 1, 2026, as well as the elimination of the carbon tax, effective April 1, 2025.
  Bulletin PST 210, Related Party Asset Transfers (PDF, 510KB), has been updated to reflect exemptions related to the above professional services, effective October 1, 2026, and to clarify tax obligations regarding transfers of vehicles between related corporations where one corporation is dissolved or wound up following the transfer.
• July 13, 2026
  The Telecommunication services page has been updated to:
  • Reflect that, effective October 1, 2026, the following are no longer exempt from PST:
    • Residential landline phone services
    • Toll-free telephone services
    • Basic cable TV services
  • Add transitional rules for billing periods that straddle October 1, 2026
  Bulletin PST 101, Farmers (PDF, 440KB), has been updated to:
  • Reflect that, effective October 1, 2026:
    • Yarn and natural fibres commonly used in making or repairing clothing are taxable
    • Accounting services, architectural services, engineering services, geoscience services and security services are taxable services
    • Non-residential real estate services in relation to farmland and real property on or affixed to farmland are exempt from PST
  • Add registration information for businesses selling taxable goods
  Bulletin PST 130, Fabric and Craft Stores (PDF, 380KB), has been updated to reflect that, effective October 1, 2026, the following are taxable:
  • Clothing patterns
  • Yarn, natural fibres, synthetic thread, and fabric that are commonly used in making or repairing clothing
  • Services to clothing or footwear
  Bulletin PST 301, Related Services (PDF, 410KB), has been updated to reflect that, effective October 1, 2026:
  • Services to clothing or footwear are no longer exempt from PST, except for services to protective clothing or footwear
  • Dry-cleaning, wet-cleaning and laundry services are exempt services, even if they are provided with another related service that is subject to PST
  • Accounting, architectural, engineering and non-residential real estate services are taxable services
• July 30, 2026
  Effective September 1, 2026, the City of Courtenay will temporarily cease collection of MRDT until further notice.

Tobacco tax

• July 14, 2026
  The Heated tobacco products page has been updated to reflect that TEREA for use in the ILUMA system is authorized for sale in B.C.

For more information, visit the BC government website.

BC Securities – Policies & Instruments
The following policies and instruments were recently published on the BCSC website:

• 33-322 – Review of Registered Firms' Cybersecurity Practices and Additional Guidance [CSA Staff Notice]
• 51-406 – Modernizing the Regulation of Public Companies [CSA Consultation Paper]
• 45-106 – Proposed Amendments to National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions relating to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption [CSA Notice and Request for Comment]
• 96-506 – Exemption from Derivatives Trade Reporting Requirements for Certain Value-Referenced Crypto Assets [BCI]
• 31-370 – OBSI Joint Regulators Committee Annual Report for 2025 [CSA Staff Notice]
• 81-339 – Industry Practices Relating to Foreign-Listed Exchange-Traded Funds [Joint CSA CIRO Staff Notice]

For more information, visit the BC Securities website.

Data Centre Regulation in British Columbia –
Competing for a Limited Supply
British Columbia recently introduced legislative amendments that will restrict the electrical capacity available for new data centre projects within the Province. As of Feb. 1, 2026, the allocation of new electrical capacity for data centre purposes in British Columbia is subject to system-wide aggregate limits that are allocated under a competitive process administered by the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro).

As outlined below, these limits are both quantitative and structural in nature. For the two-year period starting Feb. 1, 2026, BC Hydro is restricted to making available a total of 100 MW of new electricity capacity for conventional data centre purposes and 300 MW of new electricity capacity (plus any unused capacity from the conventional data centre limit) for AI data centre purposes. Further, no single project can be allocated more than 145 MW of capacity. Read the full article by Rick Williams, Braeden Stang, and Jennifer Archer with Borden Ladner Gervais LLP.

Ottawa, Alberta and British Columbia Chart a Path
Forward for a New West Coast Oil Pipeline
On July 2, 2026, the Canadian federal government, along with the provincial governments in Alberta and British Columbia, announced a coordinated package of agreements intended to collectively further a number of initiatives tied, directly or indirectly, to the advancement of a new oil pipeline from Alberta to the south coast of British Columbia (the "Proposal"). Taken together, these announcements – building on the November 2025 Canada-Alberta Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") discussed in an earlier post, as well as on the Implementation Agreement of May 15, 2026 (the "Implementation Agreement") – represent one of the most significant developments in Canadian energy infrastructure policy since completion of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project in 2024.

This post summarizes the key elements of the announcements, the key development conditions attached to a federal approval, and how the pipeline proposal is linked to the Pathways Alliance carbon capture project and the new federal-provincial funding arrangements with the government of British Columbia. Read the full article by Keith R. Chatwin and Kurtis Reed with Stikeman Elliott LLP.

Critical Minerals: A Joint Strategy for
Western and Northern Canada
On June 25, 2026, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut released Stronger Together: A Critical Minerals Strategy for Western and Northern Canada (the Strategy). Through the Strategy, the seven provinces and territories seek to accelerate the development of critical minerals mining projects, enhance value-chain opportunities and make supply chains more resilient. The ambition is to position Western and Northern Canada, which recorded more than CA$80 billion in critical-mineral shipments from 2020 to 2025, as a supplier of choice for responsibly sourced critical minerals worldwide.

The Strategy delivers on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the seven provinces and territories on January 25, 2026. Under the MOU, the provinces and territories agreed to cooperate on three fronts: making Western Canada a global hub for critical minerals innovation and sustainable development, prioritizing regional critical mineral hubs, and planning the infrastructure investments required to expand extraction, processing and export capacity in the region. They also committed to considering and integrating Indigenous perspectives and input throughout the Strategy's development and implementation. Read the full article by Peter Bryan, Anoosh Loertscher and Naomi Jauvin with Dentons.

Berg Project Aims to Be B.C.'s Second-Largest Copper Producer
Surge Copper Corp. (TSX-V:SURG) says the biggest advantage of its Berg copper-molybdenum development project is its location, far from B.C.'s Golden Triangle.

Located about 120 kilometres south of Smithers, B.C., near the Huckleberry copper mine, the Berg deposit is in an historic copper mining region with nearby infrastructure, unlike projects in the northwest that require heavy investments in roads and power transmission.

Should it get built, it would be the second largest copper producer in Canada, behind Highland Valley copper, and one of the top 10 molybdenum producers in the world. Read the BIV article.

B.C. Government Approves Higher Mount Polley
Tailings Dam, 12 Years After Disaster
Ministers in British Columbia have approved plans to increase the height of the tailings storage facility at the Mount Polley copper and gold mine, the site of a catastrophic dam collapse more than a decade ago.

The government says the height increase, which had been subject to a court challenge, is part of an expansion of the mine that will allow production to continue until 2033, protecting 430 jobs.

The plan, approved by Environment Minister Tamara Davidson and Mining Minister Jagrup Brar, will allow the mine to raise the height of the tailings storage facility by 13 metres, bringing the dam height to 77 metres. Read the BIV article.

Updates to Natural Resource Taxes
The following update to natural resource taxes was recently posted:

Royalty transition 2022 to 2026

• July 21, 2026
  The invoice specification file for the new royalty framework has been updated to include columns on the OGR Well Detail invoice for Ethane Litemix, as it will have separate royalty calculations from Ethane Mix and Ethane Spec. New columns are: AF, AG, AH, AI, AJ, AK.

For more information, visit the BC government website.

BC Energy Regulator Announcements
The following BC Energy Regulator announcements were posted recently:

• Statement on BCER's Approval of FortisBC's Waste Discharge Permit Amendment for Eagle Mountain Pipeline Project
• Environmental Protection Notice – Aitken Creek Gas Storage
• TU 2026-15 – Northeast Water Tool (NEWT) and Water Portal Updates
• IU 2026-05 – BCER Issues Order to NorthRiver Midstream Related to Contamination at McMahon Facility
• TU 2026-16 – Changes to the Requirements for Consultation and Notification Regulation

Visit the BCER website for more information.

When Will a Court Order Contact for a
Non-Guardian in British Columbia?
A recent British Columbia Supreme Court decision provides important guidance for stepparents, former partners, grandparents, and other non-guardians seeking contact with a child following the breakdown of a family relationship.

In G.P.T.D. v. H.B.D., 2026 BCSC 1318, the Court reaffirmed that while non-guardians may apply for contact under British Columbia's Family Law Act, there is no automatic right to maintain a relationship with a child, regardless of how significant that relationship may have been. Instead, every application turns on one question: Is the proposed contact in the child's best interests? Read the full article by Jeannette Aucoin, Chantal Cattermole and Madison Czypinski with Cozen O'Connor.

Ahluwalia and BC Limitation Periods: What the New Tort of
Intimate Partner Violence Means for Historic Claims
The Supreme Court of Canada's decision in Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia significantly expands the legal framework governing family violence. In recognizing a new tort of intimate partner violence, the Court acknowledged that coercive control within intimate relationships may create distinct legal harms not fully addressed by traditional tort claims.

In our previous alert, Supreme Court of Canada Recognizes New Tort of Intimate Partner Violence in Landmark Family Violence Decision, the Court's recognition of the tort of intimate partner violence and the broader evolution of tort law in addressing family violence was examined.

However, the practical implications of the tort of intimate partner violence have yet to be clearly defined, including how provincial limitation periods apply. Read the full article by Oliver C. Hanson, Madison Czypinski and Chantal Cattermole with Cozen O'Connor.

Common-Law Status in BC: Does Cohabitation
Matter More Than Before?
For people in a relationship who are unmarried, a lot can turn on whether those individuals are in a "marriage-like relationship" (what is commonly referred to as "common-law spouses"). If two or more people are "spouses", they may be entitled to things like spousal support or division of property if the relationship ends. They may also be entitled to challenge their spouse's will if the spouse passes away.

Over the years, our courts have developed a robust framework to apply to the question of whether people in a relationship are spouses. The courts look at a long list of factors, one of which is co-residence or co-habitation. It may be surprising to many that the law in BC does not actually require that people live together in the same residence in order to be "spouses". While moving in with a partner is often viewed as a sign of commitment in a relationship, it isn't, necessarily, the beginning of the "marriage-like relationship". Read the full article by Alison Colpitts and Isaac Waller with Clark Wilson LLP.

Bringing More In-Person Legal Services to
Survivors of Family Violence
People experiencing family violence in Prince George and Kamloops will soon be able to access free, in-person family law services, expanding support that was available only virtually.

"People experiencing family violence are often dealing with fear, uncertainty and urgent legal issues," said Niki Sharma, Attorney General. "Through the Family Law Centre, we are making it easier to access free legal support in person, closer to home, so people can find safety, stability and a path forward."

Family Law Centres are law clinics, funded by the Province and delivered by Legal Aid BC, that offer free, trauma-informed services to survivors of family violence who cannot afford legal representation. Read the BC government news release.

Ministerial Approval and the Duty to Accommodate
Section 54(2)(a) of British Columbia's Forest Act provides that any transfer of a forest tenure issued under the Act is "without effect" if the transfer does not first receive the approval of the Minister of Forests. While there are many issues related to competition and the public interest that will factor into a minister's decision whether to approve any particular tenure transfer, an important part of the process involves the Crown's constitutional obligation of consultation and accommodation owed to First Nations whose constitutionally protected Aboriginal rights are potentially affected by a proposed tenure transfer.

Since the Supreme Court of Canada's 2004 decision in Haida Nation v. British Columbia (Ministry of Forests), there is no debate whether a decision to approve a tenure transfer attracts the Crown's obligation of consultation and accommodation. While the existence of the duty is no longer seriously disputed, the content of the duty in particular circumstances is a more difficult question given it will vary based upon a potentially affected First Nation's strength of claim and the impact of a transfer approval on the rights of the nation. Read the full article by Jeff Waatainen in the BC Forest Professional.

Back to 'Reasons First': FCA Reinforces Vavilov in Canadian
Nuclear Laboratories Ltd. v Canada (Attorney General)
The Federal Court of Appeal's recent decision in Canadian Nuclear Laboratories Ltd. v Canada (Attorney General), 2026 FCA 106, reinforces the 'reasons first' approach to reasonableness review as articulated by the Supreme Court of Canada in Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v Vavilov, 2019 SCC 65 (Vavilov).

The Federal Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal from a decision overturning the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada's issuance of a permit under the Species at Risk Act, SC 2002, c 29.

While both the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal found the Minister's decision unreasonable, the Federal Court of Appeal reached that conclusion by focusing on the adequacy of the Minister's reasons, and found that the Federal Court had wrongly focused on the substantive merits of the decision. Read the full article by Richard Lizius and Kasia Wodz with McCarthy Tétrault.

B.C. EPR Requirements Expanding to
Automotive Products and Canisters
British Columbia is preparing to expand its extended producer responsibility requirements for hazardous and special products. According to Gowling WLG's latest national product stewardship update, Product Care Recycling was required to submit an amended Household Hazardous Waste Plan by June 30, 2026, incorporating newly designated products in the automotive and canister categories. The new regulatory requirements are scheduled to take effect on February 1, 2027, for automotive products, followed by April 1, 2027, for canisters.

The B.C. changes form part of a broader expansion and refinement of EPR programs across Canada, affecting packaging and printed paper, batteries, electronics, beverage containers, lighting products and hazardous materials. Businesses operating in multiple provinces may wish to review Gowling WLG's full article, "Canadian product stewardship and EPR: 2026 summer update" for a concise overview of recent developments, implementation dates and emerging compliance obligations across the country.

Wildfire Liability in British Columbia: Legal Exposure,
Cost Recovery, and Emerging Litigation Trends
Within the last five years, Canada has experienced two of its worst wildfire seasons on record. Over the last three years, wildfires have burned roughly 31 million hectares of land – a staggering total that exceeds the area burned during each of the three preceding decades – and underscores the accelerating scale of wildfire risk across the country. On the heels of these record-setting seasons, the 2026 wildfire season is already showing signs of a similar pattern: wildfires have triggered numerous evacuation orders, and warmer and drier-than-normal conditions are forecast for the months ahead.

Wildfires have not only destroyed vast forest resources, but have caused catastrophic property damage, including the loss of the Village of Lytton in 2021, the destruction of a substantial portion of the town of Jasper in 2024, and widespread destruction in Fort McMurray in 2016. The impacts have also extended far beyond the burned areas. In recent seasons, smoke from Canadian wildfires has drifted across central and eastern Canada and into the United States, leading to hazardous air quality, reduced visibility, and public health advisories in major cities including Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal. Read the full article by Scott Harcus and Frances Miltimore with Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP.

New Provincial Guidance for Considering Cumulative Effects
The Government of British Columbia has released new guidance materials under the Cumulative Effects Framework (CEF) to support the consideration of cumulative effects in applications for land and resource use activities, where required by regulating agencies.

These materials are intended to support Qualified Environmental Professionals (QEPs), including Forest Professionals of BC (FPBC) registrants, who are involved in the planning, assessment, and preparation of applications for natural resource projects across BC. Read the full article by Melissa Lucchetta in the BC Forest Professional.

Environmental Appeal Board Decisions
The following Environmental Appeal Board decisions were made recently:

Environmental Management Act

• Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako v. Director, Environmental Management Act [Final Decision – Appeal Dismissed]

Integrated Pest Management Act

• Gordon Lageweg and Sonja Lageweg v. Administrator, Integrated Pest Management Act [Dismissal Order – Appeal Dismissed]

Visit the Environmental Appeal Board website for more information.

Forest Appeals Commission Decisions
The following Forest Appeals Commission decision was made recently:

Forest and Range Practices Act

• Tolko Industries Ltd. v. Government of British Columbia [Final Decision – Administrative Penalties Varied]

Visit the Forest Appeals Commission website for more information.

Significant Charter Win for the Council of
Canadians with Disabilities
McCarthy Tétrault represented the Council of Canadians with Disabilities ("CCD") in a successful Charter challenge to the involuntary treatment regime under British Columbia's Mental Health Act. The Supreme Court of British Columbia [in 2026 BCSC 1416] held that the regime established by the Mental Health Act was unconstitutional – a significant victory for persons living with mental disabilities in British Columbia and confirmation of the Charter's strong protection for healthcare decision-making autonomy.

Under the Mental Health Act and related legislation, individuals involuntarily detained for treatment lack the health care consent rights enjoyed by all other British Columbians. Involuntary patients do not have the right to give, refuse, or revoke consent to psychiatric treatment – even if they are capable of making treatment decisions while detained (as some are). Further, involuntary patients cannot appoint a representative or rely on a family member or friend to serve as a substitute decision-maker: the power to administer treatment rests with the director of the facility detaining the person. No other province or territory has a regime for involuntary treatment that limits health care consent rights as much as the Mental Health Act and related legislation.

CCD challenged British Columbia's involuntary treatment regime under s. 7 (the right to life, liberty, and security of the person) and s. 15 (the right to equality) of the Charter. The trial lasted 34 days and involved dozens of witnesses, including experts from around the world, health care practitioners, and patients and their family members. Read the full article by Patrick Williams, Connor Bildfell, Tanner Lorenson and Kyra McGovern with McCarthy Tétrault.

Supreme Court of Canada Upholds Validity of Dosage Regimen Patent While Maintaining
Status Quo That Methods of Medical Treatment Are Unpatentable Subject Matter
The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) released its much-anticipated decision in Pharmascience Inc. v. Janssen Inc., 2026 SCC 26, addressing the patentability of methods of medical treatment (MMT). In particular, the court was asked to determine whether claims to a dosage regimen in a Janssen patent were patentable subject matter. In a 158-page decision, the SCC affirmed the Federal Court of Appeal's (FCA) decision that the dosage regimen claims were not MMT and therefore patentable subject matter. Lengthy concurring minority reasons supported the outcome but found that MMT are not inherently unpatentable.

Janssen markets INVEGA SUSTENNA® (paliperidone palmitate) for the treatment of schizophrenia and related disorders. Janssen's Canadian Patent No. 2,655,335 (335 Patent) teaches a dosing regimen. Patients are to receive a first and second loading dose followed by maintenance doses at specific concentrations on specific days. Read the full article by Pardeep Heir, Kristin E. Wall and Orestes Pasparakis with Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP.

Minister's Statement About New Licensing Bylaws Approved
by College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC
Josie Osborne, Minister of Health, has released the following statement about new licensing bylaws approved by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia for internationally trained physicians:

"To meet the growing health-care needs of people across the province, we are continuing to take action to strengthen health care and connect more patients with the care they need. This means training more doctors here, recruiting experienced physicians from elsewhere and removing unnecessary barriers that can keep qualified professionals from getting to work.

"Starting Monday, July 6, 2026, bylaw changes by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC come into effect. The changes will allow more internationally trained physicians to apply directly for a full licence to practise in B.C., rather than first having to work under a provisional licence. This will reduce paperwork, make the process easier to navigate and help qualified physicians begin practising independently sooner." Read the BC government news release.

Health Canada's New Draft Guidance on Foreign
Regulatory Reliance for Certain Drugs
On July 15, 2026, Health Canada's Ministerial Reliance Order Providing for Reliance on Decisions of, or Documents produced by, Foreign Regulatory Authorities in Respect of Certain Drugs ("MRO") came into force, marking a significant shift in the way certain drug submissions may be reviewed in Canada. On the dame day, Health Canada published a new draft guidance that provides the first detailed explanation of how the framework will operate in practice. A 60-day public consultation period, during which Health Canada is seeking feedback from industry stakeholders, is open until September 12, 2026.

Under the MRO, Health Canada may, in certain circumstances, rely on decisions or review documents produced by specified foreign regulatory authorities ("FRAs") when reviewing eligible human and veterinary drug submissions. While Health Canada retains full authority for Canadian approval decisions, the framework introduces a mechanism through which portions of the review process can be deemed to have already been satisfied based on work performed by trusted international regulators. Read the full article by Robert Quesnel, Mathieu Gagné, Jean-Raphaël Champagne, Dara Jospé, Lina Bensaidane, Justine Letellier and Raphaëlle Nadon with Fasken.

Employment Standards Act and Temporary Foreign
Worker Protection Act Changes in Force
The Labour Statutes Amendment Act, 2026 came into force on August 1, 2026, by B.C. Reg. 141/2026, amending the Employment Standards Act and Temporary Foreign Worker Protection Act. The amendments aim to improve the efficiency of the complaint and dispute resolution process for employers and workers by resolving complaints on straightforward issues more quickly and by helping workers recover unpaid wages sooner.

The amendments will allow the Employment Standards Branch to return unclaimed wages to workers more quickly through Unclaimed BC, a provincial fund that holds money for rightful owners. Employers may appeal a decision but must deposit the full amount owed before an appeal can proceed. Additionally, the director of employment standards will be granted the ability to close a complaint when no wages are owed and decide when a written report is necessary.

Other changes require employers and workers to attend complaint resolution meetings for straightforward matters to encourage earlier communication between the parties, before a full investigation is launched. According to the government, these amendments will align BC practices with other Canadian jurisdictions.

Worker Classification to After-Acquired Cause: Key Employment
Law Lessons from Salina v. Investors Group
In Salina v. Investors Group Financial Services Inc., 2026 BCSC 1168, the Supreme Court of British Columbia considered the termination of a long-serving investment advisor whose relationship with the defendant spanned almost three decades. The decision provides helpful guidance on worker classification, termination clauses, just cause, after-acquired cause, and the enforceability of post-contract obligations.

The advisor worked with the defendant and its predecessor from 1991 until termination of the relationship in 2018. At the time the relationship ended, the advisor managed approximately $92.5 million in client assets and serviced roughly 500 clients.

On May 23, 2018, he attended what he believed would be a congratulatory breakfast meeting with a senior executive, only to be handed a termination letter.

The defendant terminated the advisor's contract for cause, alleging that he was "unsupervisable." The advisor subsequently commenced a wrongful dismissal action, while the defendant advanced a counterclaim alleging breaches of his non-solicitation and confidentiality obligations following his departure. Read the full article by Tanner Lorenson with McCarthy Tétrault.

The Equal Pay Countdown: Preparing for the
Canada Labour Code's New Wage Rules
Federally regulated employers have a new compliance deadline on the horizon. New equal pay provisions under the Canada Labour Code (CLC) come into force on October 20, 2026, establishing a statutory framework that requires equal pay for substantially similar work, regardless of an employee's employment status.

For employers with a mix of full-time, part-time, temporary and agency workers, this is more than a paperwork exercise. It requires a real look at how pay decisions are made and documented. Here is what employers need to know, and what they should be doing now to get ready. Read the full article by Andrew Bratt with Gowling WLG.

BC Supreme Court Finds Insurance Brokerage Wrongfully
Dismissed Employee Who Was Stalked for Years
The British Columbia Supreme Court ruled that an insurance brokerage company wrongfully terminated an insurance producer who developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder after a representative of one of her clients stalked and harassed her for years.

In 2014, the plaintiff in Hedrick v Johnston Meier Insurance Agencies Ltd., 2026 BCSC 1250, began working as an insurance producer at the defendant insurance brokerage.

Shortly after the stalking began, the employee informed her manager about the situation, which they addressed through office safeguards. However, by summer 2021, the stalking had become more frequent and intense. Read the full article by Bernise Carolino in the Canadian Lawyer.

Bank of Canada Ordered to Stop Using Replacement
Workers During Strike – Again
The Bank of Canada has been ordered for the second time this month to stop using contract workers to replace striking security officers, after the Canada Industrial Relations Board found the central bank had again contravened the Canada Labour Code.

The board found that the bank had used contractors from Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations during the ongoing strike by its security officers, the Canadian Press reported.

An earlier ruling earlier in July found the bank had similarly relied on contractors from Garda Canada Security Corporation, as well as the services of union members, in violation of the code. Read the full article by Louise Smith in the Canadian HRReporter.

Cressey Construction Corporation v. Parolin: BC Court of Appeal Provides
Guidance on Remote Work and Constructive Dismissal
In Cressey Construction Corporation v. Parolin, the British Columbia Court of Appeal ("the Court of Appeal") upheld the British Columbia Supreme Court's ("Supreme Court") decision that the employer constructively dismissed the employee when the company ordered her to return to the office full-time without providing her with reasonable notice. The Court of Appeal held that the remote work arrangement constituted an enforceable express oral term of the employee's agreement with the employer. The Court of Appeal dismissed the employer's appeal.

In this case, the employee worked for the employer for approximately 18 years. For the last five years of the employment relationship, the employee was the employer's Director of Marketing. The employee's employment contract's terms were primarily oral except for a written job description of the Director of Marketing's roles and responsibilities. Following the employee's return from maternity leave, the employee's request for a flexible work schedule was approved by the employer. Read the full article by Tiffany Lee with Pushor Mitchell LLP.

A Recent Decision on Liability for Unsafe Crosswalks
On January 27, 2026, the BC Supreme Court released its judgment in H.D. v. North Vancouver (District), 2026 BCSC 124, which considered a local government's duty to construct and maintain crosswalks in a non-negligent manner such that their users are safe from an unreasonable risk of harm. The events giving rise to this case occurred on June 12, 2015. That morning, the seven-year-old plaintiff was walking to school when she was struck by a van while crossing a crosswalk, resulting in a life-altering traumatic brain injury. The plaintiff subsequently sued the District of North Vancouver (the District), alleging that it had been negligent in maintaining the crosswalk. The issues at trial were (a) how liability for the accident should be apportioned as between the District, the driver, and the plaintiff, and (b) the amount of damages to which the plaintiff was entitled. Read the full article by Piers Fibiger, published in the Young Anderson Barristers & Solicitors Newsletter Volume 37, Number 2 – LGMA Conference Issue.

Lessons from Lougheed: Staff Interactions with Development
Variance Permit Applicants Need to Be Disclosed to Council
In the recent decision of Lougheed v Sechelt (District), 2026 BCSC 1219, the BC Supreme Court found that District staff's failure to provide Council with complete information regarding staff's engagement with the applicant rendered a Council decision to deny the applicant's Development Variance Permit ("DVP") unreasonable because it was based on incomplete factual assumptions. This decision is a reminder that, even though the courts grant a high degree of deference to elected bodies, a municipal council decision may still be set aside where it was based on an incomplete or inaccurate record. Read the full article by Thomas Haughian and Kiyara Armogam with Stewart McDannold Stuart.

Where the Rubber Meets the Law: Road Dedication Agreements
When a local government seeks to acquire a piece of privately owned land for highway purposes, we frequently see that accomplished through a 'road dedication agreement' in which the private owner agrees to dedicate a portion of their land shown on a survey plan for highway purposes pursuant to section 107 of the Land Title Act. The Community Charter broadly defines highway to include a street, road, lane, bridge, viaduct and any other way open to public use, other than a private right of way on private property. Section 107 of the Land Title Act provides that the deposit [in the land title office] of a subdivision, reference or explanatory plan showing a portion of the land as highway operates as an immediate and conclusive dedication by the owner to the public of that portion of land shown as a highway. Read the full article by Jacob Lewin, published in the Young Anderson Barristers & Solicitors Newsletter Volume 37, Number 2 – LGMA Conference Issue.

Privilege and Reprisal Clauses: Tipping the Balance
This article explores how local governments exercise broad discretion in awarding construction contracts through "privilege clauses", including related "reprisal clauses". "Tendering" is the process by which a person (an "Owner"), who intends to enter into an agreement relating to their land with another person (a "Contractor"), solicits binding offers. In Canada, tendering is governed by two contracts: Contract A and Contract B. "Contract A" arises when a bidder submits a bid to an Owner. Once it is submitted, the bid and the rules that help the Owner determine its potential selection are governed by the terms, conditions, and instructions specified by the Owner when they began soliciting bids. These specifications are usually published simultaneously with the announcement that the Owner is seeking to find a Contractor for a project. "Contract B" on the other hand is a formal agreement entered into by an Owner and a Contractor when a bid, which is subject to Contract A, is selected. Customarily, Owners were expected to select the lowest cost bid when awarding Contract B. Read the full article by Peter Mate with Civic Legal LLP.

Groups Ask BC to Help Those in Custody
Vote in this Year's Local Elections
The BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA), the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC), and Prisoners' Legal Services have asked the British Columbia government to ensure that eligible voters confined in provincial correctional centres can participate in BC's Oct. 17 general local elections. "The Province must ensure eligible voters in custody can obtain information, establish their eligibility, and cast a private and valid ballot," said Meghan McDermott, BCCLA policy director, in a press release. "Consistent provincial leadership is necessary to protect equality, democratic participation and respect for the rule of law." In their recent joint letter, the organizations specifically sought:

• province-wide guidance from BC's Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs and Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
• operational support from BC Corrections
• coordination with local governments and chief election officers
• potential legislative or regulatory reform to address any lack of meaningful voting access within the existing system

Read the full article by Bernise Carolino with Canadian Lawyer.

Fisheries Act Authorization Changes to
Take Effect in October
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has announced amendments to the Authorizations Concerning Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Regulations that will take effect on October 15, 2026. Local governments with public works projects that may require Fisheries Act approvals should review these changes. These regulatory changes are intended to simplify and streamline the authorization process for projects that may affect fish and fish habitat, while maintaining environmental protections. This is relevant to local governments undertaking infrastructure, drainage, flood mitigation, water, transportation, and other public works projects that may require Fisheries Act approvals. Read the UBCM article.

Province Seeks Input on Food Processing in ALR
The Province is seeking feedback on a proposal that could expand food processing activity within British Columbia's Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). The Ministry of Agriculture and Food has released a discussion paper proposing a new "5% rule" that would allow certain food processing facilities to be developed on lower-capability ALR lands without Agricultural Land Commission approval, provided at least five percent of the product being processed is grown or raised in BC. Read the UBCM article.

Major Procedural Changes Coming to
BC Supreme Court Chambers Applications
One of the most common ways of appearing before a court in British Columbia is undergoing a significant change. Applications are the method by which most court attendances are addressed other than trials. Effective October 1, 2026, the procedure for bringing applications will change fundamentally. On June 26, 2026, the Lieutenant Governor in Council approved an amendment to the Supreme Court Civil Rules ("SCCR"), the Supreme Court Family Rules ("SCFR") and the Tax Appeals Regulation to change how applications will be brought before the court. Read the full article by Nicole Sapieha with Gowling WLG.

Criminal Code Changes Now in Force
Major changes to the Criminal Code by Bills C-9, the Combatting Hate Act, C-14, the Bail and Sentencing Reform Act, C-16, the Protecting Victims Act, and C-225, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, received Royal Assent in June. Quickscribe published an early consolidation of these changes, all of which came into force from July 15 to 18. The amendments strengthen bail rules for repeat and violent offenders, add tougher sentences for specific crimes, such as violent auto theft, break and enter and extortion, criminalize new public safety threats, and bolster protections for victims of gender-based and sexual violence.

BC's Crown Counsel Policy Manual Updated to
Reflect Criminal Code Reforms
The British Columbia Prosecution Service (BCPS) has updated its Crown Counsel Policy Manual to reflect Criminal Code amendments coming into force this week: the Bail and Sentencing Reform Act (Bill C-14) on July 15, and the Protecting Victims Act (Bill C-16) and the Combatting Hate Act (Bill C-9) on July 18. "Our government worked closely with Ottawa to secure many of these federal reforms, which strengthen public safety, enhance protections for victims and help hold repeat offenders accountable," said Niki Sharma, BC attorney general, in a statement. Read the full article by Bernise Carolino with Canadian Lawyer.

'The Arc of History Bends toward Judicial Review'
The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that the section of the Conflict of Interest Act that bars judicial review of the ethics commissioner's decisions is unconstitutional. The unanimous decision paves the way for a challenge of a commissioner's report on Justin Trudeau's involvement in decisions about funding for the WE Charity. The privative clause, set out in section 66 of the act, barred review of former ethics commissioner Mario Dion's conclusion that Trudeau, who was prime minister at the time, did not breach the act. It states that decisions and orders "shall not be questioned or reviewed in any court" except under limited grounds set out in the Federal Courts Act. Read the full article by Dale Smith with CBA National.

Fuel Disruption: Can Rising Fuel Prices Constitute Force
Majeure in Canadian Infrastructure Contracts?
This is the second article in a series exploring the current energy shock and its implications for infrastructure projects. For additional context, we invite you to read "Fuel shortages and price uncertainty: What past oil shocks can teach us about infrastructure contracts today?", which provides a historical perspective on previous energy shocks and their impact on infrastructure projects. Considering that some major oil and gas producers such as Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain and Qatar have over the past few months declared a force majeure event, this article addresses the following question from a Canadian legal perspective: Could fuel shortages or fuel price increases allow stakeholders in major infrastructure projects to invoke force majeure clauses? For context, the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol, indicated on April 23, 2026, that the current energy crisis arising from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is "the greatest threat to global energy security in history." Read the full article by Nicolas Cayouette, Adriana Da Silva Bellini, Daniel Jordan and Daniel Curevici with Gowling WLG.

Potential New Restriction to Claims for False or Misleading
Statements under Section 7(a) of the Trademarks Act
Section 7(a) of the Trademarks Act precludes anyone from making a false or misleading statement tending to discredit the business, goods or services of a competitor. Previously, section 7(a) has provided a recourse for companies that had been harmed by allegations of intellectual property infringement made by their competitors that turned out to be false. This right of recourse also helped provide guardrails for cease-and-desist letters or accusations of intellectual property infringement that had not been adjudicated by the Courts. In the Federal Court's recent decision in Zoe International Distributing Inc. v. Smoke Arsenal Inc., 2026 FC 792 [Zoe International] the court's comments suggest a potential refinement in cases to which a section 7(a) claim could be made. This, in turn, may have an impact on the ability to rely on section 7(a) to seek remedy where a company has been harmed by false infringement accusations made by a competitor. Read the full article by Frédéric Lussier with Gowling WLG.

Digital Safety Act Seen as Unconstitutional, Unworkable
Introduced in June, the Digital Safety Act aims to reduce online harms, particularly for children, and impose a duty of responsibility on social media platforms. However, observers say it's a blank cheque for the federal government to regulate. While Bill C-34 would create a new Digital Safety Commission to oversee much of the regulation of online spaces, its intention to ban youth under 16 from using social media platforms unless the sites can demonstrate a child-safe environment has drawn most of the attention. This ban would extend to AI chatbots, which are under scrutiny following their alleged role in the Tumbler Ridge shooting in British Columbia earlier this year. Read the full article by Dale Smith with CBA National.

Addressing Cumulative Impacts and
Protecting Rights – the Path Forward
The Province of British Columbia has signed agreements with seven Treaty No. 8 First Nations to fund ecological restoration projects in their territories (the "Restoration Agreements"). The Restoration Agreements provide a total of $283 million of funding over ten years to support projects that will restore and enhance the ecosystem and cultures of the Treaty No. 8 First Nations, including wetland and fish habitat restoration, species-at-risk recovery, restoration of historic industrial sites (where no legal obligations exist), promotion of cultural land-management practices and language revitalization. The Restoration Agreements follow the court decision in Yahey v. British Columbia, 2021 BCSC 1287. In Yahey, the Supreme Court of British Columbia found that in causing and/or permitting the cumulative impacts of industrial development on Blueberry River First Nations' ("BRFN") treaty rights, the Province of British Columbia had breached its obligation to BRFN under Treaty No. 8 and unjustifiably infringed BRFN's rights under Treaty No. 8. Cumulative impacts refer to the combined effects that multiple industrial projects have as a whole, rather than just considering project effects one-by-one. The Court found that the cumulative impacts of the industrial development had meaningfully diminished the ability of Blueberry members to exercise their rights to hunt, fish and trap in their territory as part of their way of life. Further, the Court found that the Province's mechanisms for assessing and taking into account cumulative effects were lacking and contributed to the breach of its obligations under Treaty No. 8. This is a groundbreaking decision, which affirmed that the promises in Treaty No. 8 must be respected by the Crown. Read the full article by Michelle Bradley, Jack Jones and Nick Noble with Woodward & Company LLP.

Ottawa Launches Two Rail Safety Funding
Calls for Crossings and Corridors
Transport Canada has opened two calls for proposals under its Rail Safety Improvement Program, seeking applications from municipalities, road authorities, Indigenous groups and other organizations for projects to reduce injuries and fatalities at railway crossings and along rail corridors. Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons Steven MacKinnon announced the intakes, opening the Education and Awareness stream and the Infrastructure, Technology and Research stream. Transport Canada said the funding is meant to help "protect communities and prevent injuries and fatalities." Read the full article published by Canadian Occupational Safety.

Input Opportunity for Road Safety Strategy
In June, local government staff and elected officials were invited to attend provincial virtual engagement sessions to discuss the draft of the next B.C. Road Safety Strategy, along with its first action plan. Over 100 representatives from 51 local governments and other organizations attended these sessions. Those that did not attend, and that still wish to provide input, may do so until August 31, 2026. Webinars presented an opportunity for local government attendees to offer their input on how the B.C. Road Safety Strategy could be adjusted to better reflect the road safety needs of communities throughout B.C. Many participants indicated that they would like to see increased collaboration and transparency between the Province and local governments. The importance of having a Strategy that recognizes different regions' needs was also raised – noting differences in road safety approaches and priorities between rural and remote areas and urban settings. Read the UBCM article.

BC Hydro to Triple EV-charging
Network to 3,500 Ports by 2035
British Columbia's Crown power utility is planning to add more than 2,500 public charging ports for electric vehicles, tripling the size of its network by 2035. The province's Transport Ministry says the expansion of BC Hydro's network to 3,500 ports will be along major highway corridors and in communities across the province, supported by a $700-million investment. Energy Minister Adrian Dix says in a news release that more BC residents are purchasing electric vehicles as fuel prices increase, and the government needs to make sure people can count on a reliable charging network. Read the BIV article.

Supporting Road Safety, Streamlining
Licensing for New Drivers
People learning to drive in British Columbia will get the experience they need to develop good driving habits as changes to the Graduated Licensing Program (GLP) prioritize safety and ongoing driver monitoring. "Evidence shows that driving experience gained over time predicts long-term safety as reliably as a single road test," said Nina Krieger, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. "The changes we're making to the GLP maintain our high road safety standards, with a focus on helping new drivers get more time behind the wheel to develop the habits they need to drive responsibly." BC has introduced new regulatory amendments to enable the removal of the second road test to progress to a Class 5 licence by replacing it with a driving record assessment. The assessment shows whether drivers have met the minimum driving experience as a novice driver. A record of unsafe behaviours, including convictions for excessive speeding and electronic device use, will result in re-starting the "novice" driving period. Read the government news release.

CVSE Bulletins & Notices
The following documents were posted recently by CVSE:

• VI Bulletin 02-2026 – Publication of Designated Inspection Facilities Cancelled for Cause
• NSC Bulletin 01-2024 – Safety Rating Certificate and Status for B.C. Carriers
• NSC Bulletin 02-2023 – Publication of Carriers Cancelled for Cause
• CVSE1052 – District Authorizations & Notifications for Very Large Loads
  • List of Contacts for Use with Form CVSE1052
  • Information for Authorities Signing the CVSE1052

For more information on these and other items, visit the CVSE website.

Passenger Transportation Board Bulletins
The following updates were recently published by the BC Passenger Transportation Board:

Applications Received

• 22704-25 24768-25 25578-26 25588-26 25608-26 25580-26 25587-26 25591-26 25705-26 25733-26 25737-26 25735-26 25704-26 25706-26 25738-26 25703-26 25729-26 25730-26 25727-26 25816-26 – Multiple applicants
• 24604-25 – Northern Rainforest Safaris, NRS
• 25134-26 – Vancouver Outdoor Adventures Ltd.
• 25108-26 – Greyhound Lines Inc.
• 25363-26 – Atlas Private Car Service
• 25250-26 – Bluebird Cabs
• 25605-26 – Infinity Limousines
• 25728-26 – EcoVancouver Tours Inc.
• 25801-26 TNS – Hublverse Inc.
• 25127-26 – Associate Taxi Ltd.
• 25602-26 – Transfer from Cando Venture Corp. to Kooterra Venture Corp.

Application Decisions

• 24760-25 – Z's Limo Service (ZLS) Ltd. [Approved in Part]
• 22661-25 – Spoonbill Partners Inc. [Refused]
• 23145-25 – Terrace Taxi Ltd. [Refused]
• 24717-25 – Sarwara Limousine Service Ltd. [Refused]
• 26216-26 PS TOP – Modern Limousine Ltd. [Approved]
• 24139-25 – K & K Ventures Ltd. [Refused]
• 26274-26 PS TOP – Island Chauffeur Inc. [Approved]
• 24679-25 – Ark Cab Company Ltd. [Approved]
• 24716-25 – Peake Driving Services/North Island Party Bus [Approved in Part]
• 24738-25 – Sener Art Motion [Approved]
• 25052-26 – City Star Limousine Service Ltd. [Approved in Part]
• 25202-26 – KJ Limousine Service Inc. [Approved]
• 25121-26 – Dara's Dolphins Transportation Services Ltd. [Approved]

Visit the Passenger Transportation Board website for more information.

Occupational Health and Safety Prosecutions –
Supreme Court Clarifies Delay Framework
On May 29, 2026, the Supreme Court of Canada released R. v. Vrbanic ("Vrbanic") and R. v. Jacques-Taylor ("Jacques-Taylor"), clarifying how delay will be assessed under section 11(b) of the Charter. In these two companion decisions arising from complex multi-accused criminal prosecutions, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the Jordan framework, which sets presumptive ceilings of 18 months (provincial court) and 30 months (superior court) from charge to trial, after which delay is presumed unreasonable. The decisions also clarify how courts will assess delay in complex cases, especially those involving large amounts of evidence, multiple parties, and scheduling challenges. Read the full article by Tala Khoury and Dina Zonoozi with Fasken.

Board of Directors Approves Amendments to the
Occupational Health and Safety Regulation
At its July 2026 meeting, WorkSafeBC's Board of Directors approved amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The amendments relate to Face Seal, Automotive Lifts, and Periodic Certification. Source: WorkSafeBC

BOD Decision – 2026/07/09-03 – Classification of
Sawmill and Forest Tenure Firms
On July 9, 2026, WorkSafeBC's Board of Directors revised policy in the Assessment Manual to clarify that firms engaged in forest tenure operations in connection with a sawmill may be assigned to multiple classification units. The revised policy applies to all decisions made on or after January 1, 2027. Source: WorkSafeBC

WorkSafeBC Announces Base Rate for
Employer Premiums in 2027
WorkSafeBC announced Monday [July 13] that it will hold the average base rate for employer premiums at $1.55 per $100 of assessable payroll in 2027. This marks a decade of consecutive years without an increase if the proposal receives final approval from the organization's board of directors this fall. WorkSafeBC also confirmed the organization plans to return approximately $960 million in surplus funds to employers through two separate mechanisms: discounted base rates and direct assessment credits. Read the full article by Louise Smith with Canadian HRReporter.

OHS Policies/Guidelines – Updates
Guidelines – Workers Compensation Act
July 9, 2026
Editorial revisions were made to the following guideline:

• Division 2 – Scope of OHS Provisions
  • G-P1-2-7 Jurisdiction over mines

Visit the WorkSafeBC website to explore this and previous updates.

New Residential Tenancy Act
Supportive Housing Regulations
On July 30, provisions of 2026 Bill 11, c. 12, the Residential Tenancy Amendment Act, 2026, were brought into force by B.C. Reg. 142/2026. The Bill amended the Residential Tenancy Act to add a division to the of special provisions for supportive housing, and allow for regulations on amending supportive housing tenancy agreements and the standard terms for supportive housing. The new Residential Tenancy (Supportive Housing) Regulation also came into force. The remainder of the changes in Bill 11 will come into force by regulation at a future date.

Kelowna's Exemption from the Principal Residence Requirement under
BC's Short-Term Rental Accommodation Act
Since the introduction of British Columbia's Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act (the "Act"), property owners, municipalities, developers, and tourism operators across the province have been operating within a significantly restructured regulatory framework. In practical terms, the Act is intended to redirect residential properties away from commercial short-term rental use and back into the long-term housing market. At the same time, the framework allows for some flexibility in areas where local housing conditions improve. Municipalities that meet certain criteria may qualify for an exemption from the principal residence requirement. Kelowna was recently granted such an exemption by the Province, effective June 1, 2026. This exemption provides an early example of how the framework may balance the need for long-term housing with the economic realities of tourism-driven markets.

The Principal Residency Requirement and Eligible Vacancy Rate
In general, the principal residence requirement restricts short-term rental activity to an individual's principal residence or a prescribed secondary dwelling unit associated with that residence. Under the statutory framework, municipalities may be exempt from the principal residence requirement upon satisfaction of a prescribed eligible vacancy rate. In particular, section 7 of the Short-Term Rental Accommodations Regulation (the "Regulation") provides that a municipality may qualify for exemption if it maintains an eligible vacancy rate of at least 3% for two consecutive years immediately preceding the relevant reference date.

Read the full article by Rachel Lum (Articling Student) with Boughton Law.

Certifying Completion: Look to the Contract,
Not the Project Phase
Can an owner certify only part of the work under a contract as complete? In Aragon (Lampson) Properties Ltd. v. Stanmar Construction Inc., 2026 BCSC 1052, the Supreme Court of British Columbia held that it cannot. Under the British Columbia Builders Lien Act (the Act), a certificate of completion can be issued only once the work under a contract – not merely one phase of it – has been substantially completed. The dispute arose from the redevelopment of a heritage hotel in Esquimalt, British Columbia. The head contract between the registered owner, Aragon (Lampson) Properties Ltd. (Aragon), and Stanmar Construction Inc. (Stanmar), divided the siding work into two phases under a single contract. In January 2024, Aragon's construction manager issued a certificate of completion for the "phase 1" works and released the corresponding holdback to Stanmar. After the contract was terminated in August 2025, three lien claims were filed. Aragon applied to pay money into court to extinguish its lien liability. Read the full article by Chelsea Wilson and Ju Hee Park with Dentons.

BC Housing Breached Agreement with
Ramada Duncan, Judge Rules
BC Housing has breached its agreement with the Ramada Duncan hotel which required it to return the hotel to its previous condition and pay rent up until the work was complete, a judge has ruled. During the COVID-19 pandemic, BC Housing leased the Ramada Duncan hotel to use as a homeless shelter. "For the unhoused, creative solutions were required to address the reality that shelters could not accommodate the same number of individuals," Justice Karrie Anne Wolfe wrote in her decision. "In some communities in British Columbia, provincial entities worked with organizations involved in social housing to temporarily rent hotel space to provide shelter for the unhoused." Read the CHEK news article.

BC Strata Ordered to Pay Condo
Owner after Four Floods
A BC condo owner had limited success at the online Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) after her unit flooded four times in seven months starting in November 2022 due to what she alleged was the strata's failure to maintain the common property plumbing. Maintenance of the kitchen stacks and pipes was at issue in a July 9 decision by the CRT, where Frances Choe alleged negligence against her strata, known as The Owners, Strata Plan BCS 3495, in a dispute that may hold lessons for other BC stratas. Choe claimed $51,071.01 for alternative living expenses, personal belongings, the amount of two insurance deductibles, emergency service expenses and an increase in insurance premiums. The strata denied Choe's claims and said she failed to prove the strata breached its repair and maintenance obligations. The strata also said most of Choe's claimed damages had already been paid by its insurer or were speculative, duplicative or unrecoverable. Addressing the dispute, tribunal member Megan Stewart found the common property pipes caused the flooding in Choe's unit. Evidence indicated the floods were most likely caused by blockages in the common property stacks and pipes, the tribunal said. Read the BIV article.

Inventory or Capital Property? Seek Tax Advice before
You Do Anything with Your Land
Land in Canada, particularly in British Columbia, is a valuable commodity. Federal and provincial regulators have sought to address rising residential home prices by implementing tax rules to disincentivize speculative purchases of residential property for the purpose of resale. A statutory rule aimed at curbing the flipping of residential properties was implemented in 2023 and is found in subsections 12(12) to (14) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act"). The tax consequences of these provisions are sometimes referred to as the "federal home flipping tax." However, this label is somewhat misleading, as these provisions do not introduce a new tax; they change the way certain gains are characterized for tax purposes. For residential property located in British Columbia, a conceptually similar but distinct tax known as the 'BC Home Flipping Tax' can also apply. Read the full article by Max Walker and Jisoo Vis with Lawson Lundell.

Security for Costs: An Advantage for Owners and
Contractors Defending Against Litigation
Owners and contractors defending against litigation from impecunious corporate plaintiff contractors or subcontractors should be aware of their ability to obtain security for costs, which guards against the real risk that they may be unable to recover costs from a plaintiff if they are successful in defeating an action. In a recent decision, The Wallin Company Inc. v Knappett Projects Inc., 2026 BCSC 729 ("Wallin Company"), the BC Supreme Court applied the established test for security for costs and highlighted several evidentiary considerations relevant to obtaining an order for security for costs in the context of a builders lien action. Read the full article by Dan W. Melnick and Aaron Libby with Clark Wilson.

Moving in the Right Direction: The Do's and
Don'ts of Charging Moving Fees
Moola Manor is a residential strata corporation in Vancouver, British Columbia. Several years ago, the community passed a bylaw enabling the strata corporation to charge owners and tenants a non-refundable move-in and move-out fee to the tune of $200. The rationale for the fee was to offset the associated administrative and maintenance costs arising from ownership and tenancy changes, as well as to receive some revenue arising from the residents' exclusive use of Moola Manor's elevator. Recently, one of the new residents questioned the charge and pushed back on any such payout. The Council wondered…what amounts to a valid moving fee anyway? A move-in or move-out fee in a strata corporation is a "user fee". At the outset, a strata corporation is permitted to charge user fees for the use of common property or common assets. However, the buck doesn't stop there. The Strata Property Act and its regulations place limits on what these fees can be. Read the full article by Lisa Mackie with Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP.

Successful Claim for Continuing Trespass on First Nation
Lands Leads to Mandatory Injunction
In a recent case, Tsawwassen First Nation v. Martinolich, 2026 BCSC 793, the BC Supreme Court granted a mandatory injunction requiring the leaseholder defendants to remove encroachments that extended from their leased property onto First Nations' owned land. This case is worth noting because:

• it confirms that continuing trespass remains a powerful way for First Nations to remedy new and historical encroachments, and
• it demonstrates how robust First Nations law (in this case, Tsawwassen First Nation ("TFN")'s Land Act provisions re: trespass) can be used in conjunction with the common law to secure robust remedies like injunctions.

Read the full article by Susan Fridlyand with Woodward & Company LLP.

When Retaining Walls Become Property Litigation
Property disputes between neighbours can begin with practical concerns involving access, grading, drainage, parking, retaining walls, or driveways. However, when those concerns involve registered easements and construction near a property boundary, the legal issues can become complex quickly. A recent Supreme Court of British Columbia decision, Flavel v. Comeau, considered a long-running dispute between neighbouring property owners in Kelowna. The case involved an easement, a retaining wall, a settlement agreement, allegations of trespass and nuisance, and a request to modify the easement under British Columbia's Property Law Act. Read the full article published by Meridian Law Group.

BC Proposes Modernizing the Escheat Act
BCLI has released a consultation paper examining what should happen when land reverts to the Crown because an individual dies without an heir or a corporate owner dissolves. The project intends to clarify competing property claims and developing mechanisms that better recognize Indigenous rights and title. The legal principle of escheat developed within the feudal system in England and was introduced in BC as part of colonization. Within this area of law, land is not considered to be owned outright. Rather it is held of the Crown. As a result, if property has no owner because the previous owner dies without a will or heir or because a corporate owner dissolves, the property reverts to the Crown (escheats). The consultation remains open until September 18, 2026. Visit BCLI for more information.

Henriksen Estate
The Wills, Estates and Succession Act allows the court to give effect to a document or other record as a will even though the will does not comply with the formal signing and witnessing requirements for making a valid will in British Columbia. Section 58 has been used to non-compliant documents if the court finds that the document is authentic and represents a deliberate or fixed final intention of a deceased person. But what if the document is created after the death of that person? This is what occurred in Henriksen Estate, 2026 BCSC 1058. Krista Henriksen and Awad Mohamed met with a lawyer to make wills, powers of attorney and representation agreements. Their instructions to the lawyer were that they wanted to make wills that were like each other, or mirror wills, except for a gift of jewelry in Ms. Henriksen's will. Each was going to name the other as executor and leave the residue of their estates to each other, with the same contingent beneficiaries named on the death of the last of them to die. Read the full article by Stan Rule on Rule of Law.