A promissory note is a signed written promise to pay a specified sum of money to another party by a certain date in accordance with terms typically set out in the note. Promissory notes are [...]

Proposed Amendments The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) have published for comment proposed amendments to National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions (NI 45-106) and National [...]

Background The Ontario Securities Commission has adopted a new rule 72-503 Distributions Outside Canada.  The new rule will come into force on March 31, 2018. The Ontario Securities Act does not [...]

The Ontario government has introduced legislation to amend the Ontario Corporations Act (“OCA”).  The OCA is the statute that currently governs provincially incorporated not for profit [...]

Cryptocurrencies have been in the news recently.  By one estimate, over US$1.2 billion has been raised worldwide in initial coin offerings (“ICOs”) and initial token offerings (“ITOs”).  This [...]

In Ontario, most gym memberships or contracts are regulated by the Consumer Protection Act, 2002 (Act).  The Act applies to any gym or other physical activity membership if you have to pay $50 or [...]

The Ontario Government has adopted the Scale Up Vouchers Program.  This is a four-year, $32.4-million initiative funded by the Government of Ontario, and delivered through MaRS, Communitech and [...]

Most of Canada’s anti-spam law (CASL) came into effect on July 1, 2014. However, not all of the provisions of CASL came into force at that time. On July 1, 2017, the provisions of CASL that [...]

Many small businesses regularly use promissory notes, such as when they are borrowing money or when they are paying suppliers. Most small business owners never think about whether their [...]

The Government of Ontario is proposing to amend the rules for delivery of franchising disclosure documents. Under the current rules, a franchisor must deliver its franchise disclosure document [...]