Resources, Articles, & Advocacy
Legislative Update | January 23, 2026
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of January 19
EV Boycott: Premier Ford is calling on Canadians to boycott Chinese-made EVs following a deal between Canada and China to allow up to 49,000 vehicles to enter Canada tariff-free.
Legislative Update | January 20, 2026
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of January 12
Premier Ford and China EVs: Following Prime Minister Carney’s meeting with Chinese President Xi, Premier Ford has raised alarm bells about the impact cheap Chinese EVs would have on Ontario's auto sector. The Premier has called the deal, which would allow up to 49,000 Chinese EVs to enter Canada tariff-free, as a lopsided deal.
Legislative Update | January 12, 2026
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of January 5
Premier Ford to Turn Over Personal Phone Records: The Ford government’s request for a judicial review of two IPC rulings on access to the Premier’s private phone logs was dismissed. In their decision, the judges wrote, “The conclusion that the Premier used his personal cellphone to conduct Cabinet Office matters is a finding of fact that attracts a high degree of deference.” The Premier’s office will be seeking leave to appeal the decision.
Submission | December 02, 2025
Bill 60, Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025
The OBA provides comments and recommendations to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing regarding proposed amendments to the Construction Act, Residential Tenancies Act, and Municipal-Related Acts (Development Charges Act, Highway Traffic Act, Planning Act, Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act, and Water and Wastewater Public Corporations Act)
Article | November 11, 2025
PFAS in Canada: From Drinking Water Contamination to Class Action Litigation
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large class of synthetic compounds valued for their resistance to heat, water, and oil. Their chemical stability has driven widespread industrial and commercial use, but also results in environmental persistence and potential health impacts. Recent developments include Health Canada’s updated drinking-water objective, the Government of Canada’s Final State of PFAS Report and proposed Risk Management Approach, and publicly reported mapping of PFAS hotspots nationwide by the CBC and The Globe and Mail. Class actions are also on the rise, largely addressing property-value impacts due to the stigma of PFAS contamination in residential drinking water.
Provincial | September 12, 2025
Queen's Park Day and Pre-Budget Consultation
The OBA will be holding a Queen's Park Day in Spring 2026 and will likely provide a submission on the annual pre-budget consultations, which typically occurs in early January. Sections are invited to provide section executive approved policy proposals for consideration by no later than December 8, 2025.
Article | June 27, 2025
A Municipality’s Obligation to Comply with the Endangered Species Act: A Summary of The Corporation of the Municipality of Marmora and Lake v. His Majesty the King in Right of Ontario
What happens when legal duties under different legislation appear to conflict? In a recent case, The Corporation of the Municipality of Marmora and Lake v. His Majesty the King in Right of Ontario, 2024 ONSC 2254 ,the Municipality of Marmora and Lake (the “Municipality”) considered this question when its required road maintenance work allegedly disturbed an endangered species and its habitat.
Article | June 24, 2025
Accelerated Project Approvals Under the Building Canada Act
On June 6, 2024, the federal government tabled Bill C-5: An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility Act and the Building Canada Act (the One Canadian Economy Act) to, among other things, accelerate approvals for energy and infrastructure projects that are designated as being in the national interest by enacting the Building Canada Act. This legislation aims to address pressing geopolitical, energy security, and economic concerns, while enhancing Canada's national prosperity and protecting the environment, and respecting the rights of Indigenous peoples. The One Canadian Economy Act faces a short sitting period in a minority Parliament, but Prime Minister Mark Carney has suggested that the sitting could be extended to ensure the Act is passed.
