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Michael C. Smith

Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Partner

Reyhaneh Rahimi

Articling Student at Bennett Jones in Toronto

Articling Student

Ontario has launched a 10-year pilot program, running from August 1, 2025 to August 1, 2035 to evaluate the use of automated commercial motor vehicles (ACMVs) on Ontario's roads.

Ontario Introduces Pilot Project for Automated Commercial Motor Vehicles

Kanwar Brar

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Associate

Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Made Under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Recall Information), <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2025/2025-01-01/html/sor-dors274-eng.html" target="_blank">SOR/2024-274</a> (Regulations) came into force on January 1, 2025.  The Regulations amend: The Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations; The Motor Vehicle Restraint Systems and Booster Seats Safety Regulation; and The Motor Vehicle Tire Safety Regulations.

Driving Compliance Updates to Canadas Motor Vehicle and Equipment Safety Regulations

Driving Compliance: Updates to Canada's Motor Vehicle and Equipment Safety Regulations

Passed on May 30, 2019, the British Columbia <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/19029" target="_blank">Zero-Emission Vehicles Act</a> requires automakers, and indirectly their dealers, to sell or lease an escalating percentage of new zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) vs. new internal combustion engine vehicles in the province, and to reach certain milestones: 10 percent ZEVs by 2025, 30 percent by 2030, and 100 percent by 2040.  Bill 39-2023, the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.leg.bc.ca/parliamentary-business/legislation-debates-proceedings/42nd-parliament/4th-session/bills/first-reading/gov39-1" target="_blank">Zero-Emission Vehicles Amendment Act, 2023</a>, has been introduced in the British Columbia Legislative Assembly.  If passed, it will increase the milestones to:  26 percent ZEVs by 2026, 90 percent by 2030, and 100 percent by 2035.

BC Accelerating Zero Emission Vehicle Sales Mandate

B.C. Accelerating Zero Emission Vehicle Sales Mandate

Lamont Bartlett

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Edmonton

Gannon Beaulne

Jonathan G. Bell

Commercial, Securities and Class Action Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Bennett Jones is Highly Recommended in the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://benchmarklitigation.com/Firm/Bennett-Jones/Profile/111070#profile" target="_blank">2023 Benchmark Canada</a><a rel="noopener noreferrer" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://benchmarklitigation.com/Firm/Bennett-Jones/Profile/111070#profile" target="_blank"> rankings</a>, with 40 individual lawyers ranked this year—30 Litigation Stars and 10 Future Stars.
Benchmark Litigation's law firm and lawyer rankings based on extensive interviews with litigators, dispute resolution specialists and their clients as well as analysis of the market’s most important cases and firm developments.

Forty Bennett Jones Lawyers Recognized In Benchmark Canada 2023

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

Michael Smith on ABA Panel on Mass Torts and Product Liability

Authors


Bennett Jones Speaking Engagement Michael Smith on ABA Panel on Mass Torts and Product Liability January 28, 2021 Authors Michael C. SmithPartner Michael Smith speaks on a cross-border American Bar Association (ABA) panel on some of the biggest recent mass tort and product liability MDL and Class Action cases in Canada and the U.S., including waiver of tort, pure economic loss, amendments to Ontario’s class actions legislation, and COVID-related cases. The panel is a part of the ABA's 2021 Environmental & Energy, Mass Torts, and Products Liability Litigation Committees’ Joint Virtual Regional CLE Program. It is presented by the ABA's Litigation Section. 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 Michael C. Smith, Partner Toronto • 416.777.5758 • smithmc@bennettjones.com