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Bruce A. Hibbard

Public and Private Capital Markets, Investment Fund and M&A Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner 

J. Sébastien A. Gittens

Intellectual Property and Technology Commercialization Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner, Trademark Agent

Julia N. Pasieka

Corporate Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Associate

Westport Fuel Systems Inc. has entered into a binding agreement to sell its interest in Westport Fuel Systems Italia S.r.l., which includes the Light-Duty segment, including the light-duty OEM, delayed OEM, and independent aftermarket businesses, to a wholly-owned investment vehicle of Heliaca Investments Coöperatief U.A., a Netherlands based investment firm supported by Ramphastos Investments Management B.V. a prominent Dutch venture capital and private equity firm. The transaction provides for a base purchase price of US$73.1 million, subject to certain adjustments, and potential earnouts of up to an estimated US$6.5 million if certain conditions are achieved, in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

Westport Announces Agreement to Divest the Light Duty Segment for US73 1 Million

Westport Announces Agreement to Divest the Light-Duty Segment for US$73.1 Million

Gary S.A. Solway

Technology, Media and Entertainment, Corporate Commercial and Governance Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Partner

Lisa Kakoske

Corporate and Securities Lawyer

Incorporation Forum Shopping in Canada: Considerations for Canadian Tech Startups, is a comprehensive guide designed to help Canadian technology startups navigate the complexities of choosing the right jurisdiction for incorporation.

Incorporation Forum Shopping in Canada Considerations for Canadian Tech Startups

Incorporation Forum Shopping in Canada: Considerations for Canadian Tech Startups

Joseph N. Blinick

Commercial Litigation, Securities, Class Actions and Insolvency Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Andrew Bozzato

Corporate, M&A, Securities Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Stephen D. Burns

Technology Lawyer, Intellectual Property Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Bennett Jones has once again been recognized as a leading Canadian law firm in fintech in the 2025 edition of the Chambers <a rel="noopener noreferrer" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chambers.com/legal-rankings/fintech-legal-canada-49:2744:50:1?l=en-GB" target="_blank" style="color: #258481; background-color: transparent;">FinTech Legal in Canada Rankings</a>. The guide highlights our team's extensive expertise in key areas of the fintech sector, including payments, blockchain, cybersecurity and data protection.

Bennett Jones Ranked in Chambers Canadian Fintech Guide 2025

William S. Osler KC

Capital Markets, Securities, M&A and Corporate Governance Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Valeria Palacio

Corporate Commercial Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

As an update to our previous blog posts, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bennettjones.com/Blogs-Section/Greater-Flexibility-for-Reporting-Issuers-Access-Equals-Delivery" target="_blank">Greater Flexibility for Reporting Issuers: Access Equals Delivery</a> and <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.bennettjones.com/Blogs-Section/CSA-Seeks-Comments-on-Access-Equals-Delivery-Model-for-Prospectuses-Financial-Statements-and-MDA" target="_blank">CSA Seeks Comments on “Access Equals Delivery” Model for Prospectuses, Financial Statements and MD&A</a>, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) have published for comments a revised access model for certain continuous disclosure documents (CD Documents) of non-investment fund reporting issuers (Proposed Access Model). The Proposed Access Model is subject to a 90-day comment period, ending on February 17, 2025.

CSA Seeks Comments on Proposed Access Model Modernized Approach for Delivery

CSA Seeks Comments on Proposed Access Model: Modernized Approach for Delivery of Continuous Disclosure Documents

Lorelei Graham

Food and Agribusiness Lawyer, IP Lawyer, Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Across the Atlantic, the European Union (EU) and its member states have also been encouraging climate-resilient agri-tech innovation, but their approach to intellectual property incentives has been a bit different. The European Union has set ambitious climate goals (like achieving climate neutrality by 2050) and launched the European Green Deal, a broad policy agenda to support sustainable technologies. While funding and regulations (such as support for sustainable farming practices) are big parts of the EU strategy, there is also recognition that IP rights play an important role in fostering innovation. However, unlike Canada or the recent US pilot program, Europe has not implemented a unified “green channel” for patent examination at the European Patent Office.

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part III

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part III: Green Without the Label: Europe's Pragmatic IP Approach to Agri-Tech Innovation

Steven L. Major KC

Commercial Dispute, Construction, Fraud, Police and Personal Injury Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Drew C. Broughton

Corporate Commercial and M&A Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Kevin Myson

Corporate, Commercial Transaction, Energy, Natural Resource and M&A Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Canada is navigating a "wild frontier" in the energy industry, with a unique opportunity to forge successful and sustainable partnerships both domestically and internationally. This was the rallying call at the Energy Business Forum during the 74th Canadian Energy Executive Association (CEEA) conference in Banff, Alberta, where industry leaders gathered to share visions for the future of Canada's energy landscape.

Key Takeaways From the Wild Frontier Energy Business Forum CEEA 74

Key Takeaways From the "Wild Frontier" Energy Business Forum at CEEA '74

Melanie Teetaert

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Jennifer (Jenn) K. Choi

Maruska Giacchetto

This article examines the Ontario Court of Appeal's decision in J.P. Thomson Architects Ltd. v Greater Essex County District School Board, 2025 ONCA 378, which provides critical clarification on the interpretation of multi-step dispute resolution (MSDR) clauses. MSDR clauses, commonly used in commercial contracts, outline escalating steps such as negotiation, mediation, and arbitration to resolve disputes. The Court addressed ambiguities in the drafting of MSDR timelines, emphasizing that specified timeframes should be interpreted as minimum waiting periods rather than strict deadlines. The decision overturned a lower court ruling that barred a party from arbitration due to a perceived failure to meet a 30-day mediation request deadline. This article highlights the importance of precise drafting in MSDR clauses, discusses the implications of the Court's decision, and provides practical guidance for parties drafting or negotiating dispute resolution provisions in commercial agreements.

Do you need to rush to mediate - Ontario Court of Appeal

Do You Need to Rush to Mediate? Ontario Court of Appeal Clarifies Interpretation of Multi-Step Dispute Resolution Clause

The United States has long been a major player in both agri-tech innovation and the intellectual property (IP) landscape. In the past, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) offered its own version of a green patent fast-track to encourage climate-friendly inventions. Notably, in 2009 to 2011 the USPTO ran a Green Technology Pilot Program that prioritized examination for certain eco-friendly patents. The pilot ended in 2012, but more recently the USPTO brought back the idea in June 2022, with the Climate Change Mitigation Pilot Program, which was essentially an accelerated examination program for patent applications directed to fight climate change. Under this program, inventions designed to reduce or monitor greenhouse gas emissions, including many clean energy, sustainability or climate-smart agriculture innovations, could be examined out of turn. Importantly, like Canada’s program, the US pilot did not charge the usual petition fee for expediting. The goal was to spur green tech by making it faster and cheaper to secure IP rights.

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part II

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part II: Innovation Interrupted: What the End of the USPTO's Green Program Means for Agri-Tech

Climate change is driving a surge in agricultural technology (agri-tech) innovations aimed at making farming more resilient and sustainable. From drought-resistant crops to carbon-capturing soil techniques, these climate-focused agri-tech solutions are crucial for global food security. An often-overlooked piece of this puzzle is intellectual property (IP) strategy, namely how patents and other IP rights are used to protect and incentivize innovation.

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part I

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part I: Planting the Future: Why Canada's IP System May Be the Climate Innovation Sleeper Hit

Bennett Jones in Lexpert's DealWire Spotlight

Authors


Bennett Jones In The News Bennett Jones in Lexpert's DealWire Spotlight July 5, 2016 Authors Bruce A. HibbardPartner The completion of the merger between Westport Innovations Inc. and Fuel Systems Solutions, Inc. is highlighted in Lexpert's DealWire Spotlight. The merged company, Westport Fuel Systems Inc., has a combined equity value of approximately $350 million. Westport was represented in Canada by Bennett Jones with a team led by Bruce Hibbard and consisting of Matt Olson, Tessa Guenther and Kristopher Simard. Share by Email Social Media Download Download Subscribe Republishing Requests For permission to republish this or any other publication, contact Amrita Kochhar at kochhara@bennettjones.com. For informational purposes only This publication provides an overview of legal trends and updates for informational purposes only. For personalized legal advice, please contact the authors. Authors Bruce A. Hibbard, Partner Calgary • 403.298.8141 • hibbardb@bennettjones.com