2010 Corporate Year in Review

Given the many issues that influence corporate practice, it is impossible for me to summarize all of the relevant developments in corporate law in the space I have here.  That said, there have been a few newsworthy items that were important enough to cover again. 

For employers, this has been another year of increasing legislation aimed at social value compliance.  The Accessible Customer Service Standard was introduced and the Workplace Violence Policy requirement came into effect.  Clearly the provincial government agenda includes increased governance of corporations.  Whether we agree with the new regulations or not, we are bound to ensure that we follow them. 

More recently the Not For Profit Corporations Act was passed.  Scheduled to come into effect sometime late next year or early the year after, the act codifies significant amounts of case law into legislative form.  The act should help to provide much needed clarity for directors of not for profit corporations.

 And of course the ongoing copyright debate continues with C-32, the Copyright Modernization Act.  Last seen in the dark recesses of legislative committee hearings, the bill is expected to pass, largely unchanged, sometime in 2011.  Expect some convoluted restrictions on fair dealing, inclusion of some format shifting options and support for the unpopular DRM.

 Here at the firm, compliance issues seemed to be the big issue in 2010.  There was a lot of reorganization and housekeeping going on this year.  Next year, with the resurging economy, we expect a return to more transactional work and a lot of finance transactions – a happy new year indeed!

 Happy Holidays!

 Scott R. Young LL.B.