COVID-19 & IP Offices
Just as other sectors are reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic, so are intellectual property offices around the world (“IP Offices”). The measures that some IP Offices are enacting include providing extensions for some due dates to account for disruption caused […]
Amendments to the Patent Act in response to COVID-19
Co-authored by: Eliane Leal da Silva, Business Advisor In response to the COVID-19 crisis and in consideration of the public health emergency, on March 25, 2020 the Federal Government of Canada enacted Bill C-13, amending numerous statutes and regulations, including […]
Protecting your Instagram account: 4 ways to keep your page open for business
Social media platforms like Instagram are an excellent tool for running an online business. However, conducting your business through Instagram raises a serious risk: account deactivation. Anyone who has experienced a mistaken Instagram account deactivation and tried to appeal it […]
CIPO announces expedited examination process and other measures to improve Canadian trademark examination timelines
In an effort to address significant trademark prosecution delays, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) issued two key Practice Notices on May 3, 2021. In the first Practice Notice (Requests for expedited examination), CIPO announced that it will accept requests […]
Trademarks on signage – proposed changes in Québec under Bill 96
After much media coverage about anticipated changes to the Charter of the French Language (the “Charter”), the Québec government tabled Bill 96: An Act Respecting French, The Official and Common Language of Québec (the “Bill”) on May 13, 2021 in […]
BIM, Blockchain and the Smart Construction Contract
While the construction industry has traditionally been criticized for being too slow to innovate, the last several years have seen it embrace new business practices, new software and new technologies. The increased use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a […]
CSA enhances regulation of unregistered crypto asset trading platforms
On February 22, 2023, the Canadian Securities Administrators (the “CSA”) published Staff Notice 21-332: Crypto Asset Trading Platforms: Pre-Registration Undertakings Changes to Enhance Canadian Investor Protection (the “Staff Notice”), which marks another positive step towards clarity in regulation of the […]
The Celsius bankruptcy and application of the bad debt rules
Many cryptocurrency lenders have declared bankruptcy. These loss events are indicators of the significant losses the cryptocurrency market has experienced this year. For investors who have suffered, an important consideration is how to capitalize on these losses. Accordingly, this article […]
The potential blockchain revolution in asset securitization
Blockchain technology is rapidly evolving and continues to transform many aspects of the financial services industry. One such area is securitization – where blockchain can significantly enhance transaction transparency while reducing operational inefficiencies and costs in the securitization process. This […]
RegTech: How technology can revolutionize compliance
Highly regulated industries, such as the financial services industry, have faced ever increasing regulatory compliance obligations. Technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), that can be utilized to innovate the manner in which these organizations operate can lead to additional challenges […]
Roadmapping your new token: Key considerations in token development
This article assumes the reader has some foundational knowledge regarding blockchain technology and digital assets. Crypto assets have become wildly popular in recent years and they do not give the impression of slowing down. According to a New York Times […]
New house on the block(chain)
Introduction Would you trade your home for a work of art? An art critic might consider it. But what if it wasn’t art you were trading your home for, but Bitcoin? Like artwork, Bitcoin’s value is largely dependent on the […]
Decentralized finance: Regulation, growth, and legal enforcement
Decentralized finance (“DeFi”) is a financial alternative offered through various cryptocurrency platforms where liquidity pools are available to investors without the need for third-party lending institutions. In the years to come, the nascent DeFi industry may shape, transform and even […]
Initial Coin and Token Offerings may engage securities laws
With the rise in popularity of cryptocurrency, many small fintech businesses have begun developing their own coins and tokens. This has led to a rise in Initial Coin Offerings (“ICOs”) and Initial Token Offerings (“ITOs”) as a means to raise […]
Asset tracing and corporate intelligence techniques in cryptocurrency investigations
In the first half of 2018, $1.1 billion USD in cryptocurrency was stolen or trafficked online, with the majority of attacks targeting either regular businesses or cryptocurrency exchanges.[1] By 2019, that figure had jumped to $4.4 billion.[2] Despite these staggering […]
Digging deep: Mining finance and blockchain
Banks to blockchains Historically, the mining industry has relied on traditional institutions such as banks and capital markets for financing needs. However, times are changing. More recently, mining companies have found it increasingly difficult to obtain financing through such traditional […]
