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Brendan Sigalet

Tax Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Associate

Sid Gupta

Articling Student at Bennett Jones in Calgary

Articling Student

Budget 2025 and the Canada Alberta Memorandum of Understanding reaffirm the federal commitment to Clean Economy Investment Tax Credits. The updates provide clarity on the Clean Electricity, Clean Hydrogen and CCUS tax credits, expand eligibility for critical mineral projects and signal potential policy shifts, including for enhanced oil recovery.

Budget 2025 and the Canada Alberta Memorandum

Budget 2025 and the Canada Alberta Memorandum of Understanding Reaffirm Canada’s Clean Economy Commitment

Wesley R. Novotny

Corporate Tax Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner

Wade Ritchie

Zachary Thacker

Canada has proposed amendments to its employee ownership trust (EOT) rules that improve clarity, reduce risks from disqualifying events, and expand access to the C$10 million capital gains deduction. These changes make EOTs a more practical and attractive succession planning tool for business owners.

New Legislative Proposals Boost the Appeal of Employee Ownership Trusts

Jared A. Mackey

The principal purpose test in the OECD Multilateral Instrument has attracted significant academic attention but, until now, no judicial commentary.&nbsp; In this article, Jared Mackey and Wade Ritchie take a deep dive into what is understood to be the world&rsquo;s first decision on the principal purpose test: SC Lowy P.I. (Lux) S.A.R.L., Luxembourg v. Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax, decided by the Delhi Bench of India's Income Tax Appellate Tribunal.&nbsp;

Jared Mackey and Wade Ritchie Analyze the SC Lowy Case

Jared Mackey and Wade Ritchie Analyze the SC Lowy Case—A Landmark Ruling on the MLI Principal Purpose Test

Greg M. Johnson

Energy Tax & Corporate Lawyer | M&A, Reorganizations & PE

Part II focuses on the practical application of the Clean Technology, Clean Hydrogen, Clean Technology Manufacturing and Clean Electricity ITCs—many of which were enacted in 2024 through Bill C-59 and Bill C-69. The authors also examine the soon-to-be-legislated EV supply chain ITC

Climate Change Initiatives

Climate Change Initiatives: Selected Recent Changes and the Application of Existing Tax Principles to Clean Energy—Part 2

Ashley M. White

Corporate & Commercial Transactions Lawyer | Power & Energy

Jason D. Roth

Construction & Infrastructure Lawyer | EPC & Project Development

Larissa D. Lees

Regulatory Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Canada and Alberta have finalized a Co-operation Agreement to streamline impact assessments and reduce duplication between federal and provincial processes. The framework advances a &ldquo;one project, one review&rdquo; approach aimed at improving efficiency, coordination and regulatory certainty for major projects.

Alberta and Canada Sign Co-operation Agreement to Reduce Assessment Duplication

Samantha Lush

Corporate Commercial Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Alixe A.L. Cameron

Commercial Real Estate Lawyer

Kateryna Korneliuk

Articling Student  

Mortgage agreements in Alberta commonly include waivers of Sections 49 and 52 of the Expropriation Act, which can significantly alter how compensation is allocated when land is expropriated. These clauses may shift financial risk from lenders to borrowers and affect entitlement to market value-based compensation and disturbance payments. This blog examines the legal enforceability of such waivers and highlights the importance of clear drafting and independent legal advice.

Drafting Cautiously Waiving Statutory Protections

Sections 49 and 52 of Alberta's Expropriation Act in Mortgage Agreements

Drafting Cautiously: Waiving Statutory Protections 

Sophie Virji

Anna Lekach

The Tax Court of Canada&rsquo;s decision in ExxonMobil Canada Resources Company v. The King highlights the risks of imprecise language in internal corporate communications during CRA audits. The case demonstrates how seemingly innocuous statements can be misconstrued and relied upon to support reassessment positions. It underscores the importance of careful, deliberate drafting to mitigate audit risk and avoid unintended interpretations.

The Issue with Misconstrued Internal Statements

Learnings from ExxonMobil Canada Resources Company v. The King

Jacob Schroeter

Commercial Transactions Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Quinn Rozwadowski

Articling Student at Bennett Jones in Toronto

This article examines the Ontario Court of Appeal&rsquo;s decision in McDonald&rsquo;s v. North Elgin, confirming that landlords cannot terminate long-term leases due to missing Planning Act consent where the approval process remains ongoing. It highlights the importance of &ldquo;saving clauses,&rdquo; cooperation obligations, and the retroactive curing effect of consent under the Planning Act. The decision reinforces that parties must honour their contractual commitments despite administrative delays.

Anchored Down Long Term Leases and the Limits on Landlord Exit Rights

Anchored Down:  Long-Term Leases and the Limits on Landlord Exit Rights

David J. Wahl, FCIArb

Construction Arbitration & Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Christopher Petrucci

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Brian P. Reid

Construction & Energy Litigation Lawyer

The Alberta Court of King&rsquo;s Bench in Phoenix Treatment Systems Ltd v 1924613 Alberta Ltd confirmed that not all activities qualify as lienable work capable of extending lien deadlines under the Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act. The decision reinforces that only work sufficiently connected to the construction process will extend the registration period. Parties should take care to accurately identify the last day of lienable work, as errors may invalidate an otherwise enforceable lien.

Fundamentals of Oil & Gas Taxation

From the Same Authors

Budget 2025 and the Canada Alberta Memorandum of Understanding Reaffirm Canada’s Clean Economy Commitment

New Legislative Proposals Boost the Appeal of Employee Ownership Trusts

Jared Mackey and Wade Ritchie Analyze the SC Lowy Case—A Landmark Ruling on the MLI Principal Purpose Test

Latest Insights

Alberta and Canada Sign Co-operation Agreement to Reduce Assessment Duplication

Drafting Cautiously: Waiving Statutory Protections

The Issue with Misconstrued Internal Statements

Anchored Down: Long-Term Leases and the Limits on Landlord Exit Rights

Stay Informed. Stay Ahead.