Newsletters

April 7, 2016

116

New Competition Bureau and Investment Canada Thresholds

When mergers and acquisitions reach a certain size, calculated, for instance, by the value of the assets of the resulting corporation, parties to the transaction can be required to obtain government’s green light before finalizing the deal.

The Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development recently announced statutory annual adjustments to two of these thresholds.

Effective February 6, 2016, the 2016 pre-merger transaction size threshold for notification to the Competition Bureau is now $87 million (up from $86 million in 2015).

As of the same date, the 2016 Investment Canada review threshold for direct foreign acquisitions of control of a Canadian business by state-owned enterprises that are members of the World Trade Organization [WTO] is $375 million (up from $369 million in 2015).

For WTO members who are not state-owned enterprises, the threshold of $600 million set in 2015 remains in effect through 2016 and is set to increase to $800 million in 2017.  In the case of cultural enterprises, the $5-million threshold remains in place without regard to the identity of the purchaser.

To know more about transactional compliance with the Competition Act or the Investment Canada Act, please contact Sharon G. Druker.

116

Authors

Sharon G. Druker, Ad. E.

Lawyer, Partner and Head of the Corporate Services Department

Articles in the same category

Insurance Law / Newsletters

July 31, 2026

When it’s too late for latent defects…

The Superior Court recently rendered a judgment in Reinert v. Construction Maurice Bilodeau Inc., 2026 QCCS 2276, dealing with timeliness to give notice in cases of latent defects. The Facts In 2013, Ms. Sylvie Reinert and Mr. Denis Leclerc retained Construction Maurice Bilodeau Inc. (“CMB”) for the construction of a residential building on a vacant lot in Lévis. […]
Insurance Law / Newsletters

July 28, 2026

Insurance Math: One Claim, Two Fires, Three Points of Origin, Zero Recovery: When Circumstantial Evidence Speaks Louder Than a Confession

In Chatel v. Desjardins Insurance, 2026 QCCS 712, the Quebec Superior Court reaffirmed a principle of insurance law: direct evidence is not required to establish an intentional fault. Mr. Chatel claimed $532,000 under his homeowner’s insurance policy following two fires that occurred four days apart. The first caused partial damage to his residence, while the second […]
Civil and Commercial Litigation

July 27, 2026

The Quarrelsome Litigant: When the Right to Sue Becomes a Scourge

Access to the courts is a fundamental right, but what happens when a person uses it not to assert legitimate rights, but to harass others or clog the system to excess? This is quarrelsomeness: the tendency to exercise one’s right to litigate in an excessive or unreasonable manner. Far from being a marginal phenomenon, it […]
Insurance Law

July 15, 2026

Before Buying a Product, Read This: The Rules Are Changing on October 5!

On October 5, 2026, the final amendments to the Regulation amending the Regulation respecting the application of the Consumer Protection Act (the “Regulation“) are expected to come into force, completing the implementation of the new “good working order” warranty in the province of Quebec. When this warranty applies, the merchant or manufacturer will be required to repair […]
Insurance Law

May 11, 2026

No Notice of Default, No Termination

In Pavage Wemindji Inc. v. Compagnie de Construction et de Développement crie ltée, the Quebec Superior Court emphasized that a valid notice of default (mise en demeure) is not just a formality—it’s a precondition to exercising remedies like contract termination in many cases under Quebec civil law. The Decision The plaintiff, Pavage Wemindji Inc. (“Wemindji”), […]
Insurance Law

May 6, 2026

Public Contracts: When Does a Penalty Clause Cross the Line?

Penalty clauses are a practical tool for owners: instead of having to prove actual losses when a contractor falls short, they can rely on a pre-agreed sum. For contractors, however, the stakes are equally significant — a lump-sum penalty can consume a substantial portion of the contract’s value. Still, the mechanism has its limits. Courts […]