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Andrew L. Jeanrie

Commercial Real Estate and Infrastructure Development Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Partner

Samuel Judson

Commercial Real Estate Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Associate

On May 12, 2025, the Honourable Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing (the "Minister"), introduced Bill 17—the Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025 ("Bill 17"). On June 5, 2025, Bill 17 received royal assent. As a whole, Bill 17 is an omnibus bill that amends multiple statutes with respect to infrastructure, housing, and transit, aiming to accelerate the construction of infrastructure and homes while supporting economic and community growth.

Bill 17 Building Even Smarter and Faster than Before

Bill 17: Building Even Smarter and Faster Than Before?

Helen Cassie

Associate at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Mark V. Lewis

Commercial Real Estate Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Michelle F. Yung

Real Estate Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Bennett Jones has advised on nine of the top 100 projects featured in the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://emagazine.renewcanada.net/?pid=ODg8853947&v=3.14" target="_blank">2025 Top100 Infrastructure Projects Report</a>, published by ReNew Canada. These nine projects collectively represent over $44 billion in infrastructure development.

Bennett Jones Advises on 44 Billion Worth of Projects in 2025 Top100 Infrastructure Projects Report

Bennett Jones Advises on $44 Billion Worth of Projects Featured in 2025 Top100 Infrastructure Projects Report

Jane C. Helmstadter

Real Estate Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Meg Tweedlie

In the world of real estate, it is common to use fair market value (FMV) as a way of describing the value of real estate or rents payable. However, perhaps not often considered is the issue that the term FMV can mean different things to different people. For some, FMV may be the price that someone would be willing to pay for the land under its current use. For others, FMV may be the price that someone would be willing to pay for that same land under its highest and best use, such as for redevelopment purposes. Alternatively, for certain unique assets, FMV may have other meanings, such as replacement value.

Fair Market Value What Does it Mean

Fair Market Value—What Does it Mean?

Aaron E. Sonshine

Corporate Finance, Mergers and Acquisitions and Corporate Governance Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Partner 

Abbas Ali Khan

Mining, Technology, Securities and Corporate Commercial Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Adam Kalbfleisch

Competition, Foreign Investment Review and Regulatory Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Bennett Jones is proud to have once again been recognized as one of Canada’s leading law firms across 41 practice areas, with 135 lawyer rankings in <a rel="noopener noreferrer" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chambers.com/law-firm/bennett-jones-llp-canada-20:2791" target="_blank">Chambers Canada 2025</a>. These rankings reflect the deep trust our clients place in us to solve their most complex legal matters and underscore our lawyers' extensive understanding of their industries and businesses, enabling us to consistently deliver an exceptional experience. In this year's guide, Bennett Jones has 10 Band 1 practice rankings, 20 Band 1 lawyer rankings and 10 newly-ranked lawyers. In addition to this year's rankings, Bennett Jones was awarded Class Action Law Firm of the Year and was a finalist for Real Estate Law Firm of the Year.

Bennett Jones Top Ranked in Chambers Canada 2025

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

Land Use Compatibility

From the Same Authors