Articles

A change to the Canada Labour Code adds 10 new days of paid leave for federally regulated workers

As a result of new provisions in the Canada Labour Code (the “Code”) that came into force on December 1, 2022, Canadian workers in federally regulated sectors are now entitled to ten days of medical leave. The change was first announced by the government more than a year ago, so that  workers who were unwell would no longer have to choose between self-isolating and receiving pay.

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Québec government tables bill to streamline access to justice in civil cases (and amend civil procedure)

On February 1st, 2023, the Government of Québec tabled Bill 8, An Act to improve justice efficiency and accessibility, in particular by promoting mediation and arbitration and by simplifying civil procedure in the Court of Québec (the “Bill”). Its aim, according to the Minister of Justice, is to provide efficient, accessible, faster and less expensive justice services.

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COP15 and its impacts on Indigenous and environmental law

In December 2022, Montreal hosted the 15th Conference of the Parties (“COP15”) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (“CBD”). The global meeting adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (“Kunming-Montreal Framework”), a non-binding agreement that sets historic goals and targets but leaves the means to achieve them in the hands of party states.

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Are municipalities entitled to levy property taxes on data centre equipment?

Quebec has proven a highly attractive location for data centres, but a recent Quebec Court of Appeal decision adds a caveat: certain equipment and infrastructure can be deemed to increase an immovable property’s value and, consequently, its tax assessment. The Court’s ruling and the reasoning behind it have far-reaching repercussions for other sectors.

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