COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020, S.O. 2020, c. 18

Future-dated record. Check the official text for the provisions and dates that apply.

Ontario updates the list of public bodies and commission public bodies under the Public Service of Ontario Act

The regulation that defines which organizations count as public bodies or commission public bodies under Ontario's public service law has been updated. Several bodies have been added to the list: Destination Ontario,…

Ontario updates administrative penalty rules for resource recovery and tire management contraventions

Ontario has revised the administrative penalty framework that applies to businesses operating under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act. The $1 million per-contravention cap structure (previously in subsect…

Producer responsibility organizations must now report detailed cost and pricing data for hazardous and special products programs

Producer responsibility organizations (PROs) that manage hazardous and special products (HSP) programs on behalf of producers must now include detailed financial information in their annual reports. Required new discl…

Blue box producer responsibility organizations must now report detailed cost and pricing data in annual reports

Producer responsibility organizations (PROs) operating under Ontario's blue box program must now include four new categories of financial information in their annual reports: total costs related to producer agreements…

Producer responsibility organizations for electronics must now report detailed cost data — but that data stays confidential

Organizations that manage electronics recycling obligations on behalf of producers (called producer responsibility organizations, or PROs) must now include four new items in their annual reports: total costs incurred…

Battery PROs must now report detailed cost data annually, with a one-time catch-up report due by end of 2026

Producer responsibility organizations (PROs) operating in the Ontario battery recycling program must now include four new items in their annual April 30 report: total program costs, cost-per-tonne figures for both col…

Ontario tire producers face higher management targets, new Northern Ontario collection quotas, and stricter site-substitution rules

Tire producers and producer responsibility organizations (PROs) in Ontario face several major changes to how they must collect and manage used tires. The management target—the share of a producer's average supply weig…

Annual venting limit for offshore petroleum installations removed from federal regulations

A section that capped gas venting from individual offshore petroleum installations at 15,000 standard cubic metres per year has been repealed. That limit, along with its definition of 'vented,' no longer appears in th…

Annual gas venting limit for offshore Nova Scotia petroleum installations has been removed

A section that capped the volume of gas an operator could vent from an offshore installation at 15,000 standard cubic metres per year has been repealed. The repealed section also defined what counted as 'vented' for t…

Temporary exemption from gasoline vapour-pressure limits has been removed from the regulation text

A section that had temporarily suspended the vapour-pressure limits for motor gasoline sold in Ontario has now been formally revoked and replaced with a short revocation notice. The practical effect is that the standa…

Steel Derivative Goods Surtax extended, Canadian-origin goods exempted, and auto/aerospace phase-out deadline pushed to 2027

Several changes have been made to the Steel Derivative Goods Surtax Order, which imposes a 25% surtax on imported steel derivative goods. A new interpretation clause clarifies that country of origin is determined unde…

Ontario Place zoning order updated to allow new building projections, expanded public space definitions, and minor setback changes

The zoning order governing Ontario Place has been amended to clarify and expand what is permitted on the west island and Block 4 mainland. A new category of permitted building projections beyond the building envelope…

Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry renamed to Ministry of Natural Resources in assessment rules; conservation land eligibility criteria revised

References to the 'Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry' and the 'Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry' have been updated throughout the regulation to 'Minister of Natural Resources' and 'Ministry of Natur…

Federal impact assessment trigger list updated: fossil fuel power, oil sands, transmission lines and CER pipelines removed

The Physical Activities Regulations, which list the physical activities that trigger a federal impact assessment, have been updated to remove several previously designated project types. Fossil fuel-fired power genera…

Ontario stormwater management works registration rules updated and future amendments folded into consolidated text

Ontario has amended O. Reg. 137/25, which governs registration of stormwater management works under the Environmental Activity and Sector Registry (EASR). The main practical effect is that previously scheduled future…

Minor wording updates clarify stream order threshold and construction site definition for water-taking registrations

Two small but potentially meaningful wording changes have been consolidated into the regulation. First, the threshold for permanent streams subject to registration is now described as stream order 'three or higher' (r…

Minor wording tweak simplifies how source protection plans can reference Ontario Regulation 137/25

A small wording change removes the phrase 'the making of' from the provision that allows source protection plans to be amended without full approval processes when accounting for Ontario Regulation 137/25. In practice…

Permit exemption for building foundation dewatering now covers all buildings, not just residential

An exemption from water-taking permit requirements for sewage works that handle groundwater and stormwater from building foundations has been broadened. Previously, the exemption only applied where the building was us…

Ontario expands approval exemptions for sewer work, stormwater systems, and construction dewatering

Several categories of sewage and stormwater works no longer require Director approval under the Ontario Water Resources Act. The terms 'sanitary sewer' and 'storm sewer' now explicitly replace the generic word 'sewer'…

Standby power rules simplified: 'standby power system' replaced by broader 'standby power source' exemption

The regulation has been updated to replace the former 'standby power system' category (which was limited to reciprocating engine-based equipment used only during power outages) with a broader 'standby power source' ca…

Waste management rules updated: composting exemptions and biogas definitions now in force

Ontario's general waste management regulation has been updated to bring several previously scheduled changes into the consolidated text. A new exemption from waste disposal site approval requirements now applies to sm…

Federal critical habitat protection now applies to Piping Plover (melodus subspecies) on federal lands

A new federal order activates the Species at Risk Act's prohibition on destroying critical habitat for the endangered Piping Plover melodus subspecies (Charadrius melodus melodus). The protection applies to areas iden…

Hydro One's broadband pole-attachment reporting period moved earlier and quarterly forecast schedule clarified

Two practical changes affect how Hydro One Networks Inc. tracks and reports its progress on attaching broadband equipment to electricity poles. First, the tracking start date for counting poles completed under the bro…

Schools, hospitals, non-profits and government bodies no longer automatically disqualify IESO board candidates

The regulation now carves out certain public-sector entities from the conflict-of-interest disqualification rules for IESO board directors. Previously, anyone who was a director, officer or employee of a broad range o…

Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial formally added to the National Historic Sites schedule; Canada National Parks Act application simplified

Two changes appear in this amendment. First, Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site of Canada — approximately 250 hectares comprising the whole of Grosse Île in the registration division of Montmagny…

Two sets of toxic-substance and hazardous-waste rules added to the federal environmental enforcement designation list

This amendment updates the schedule of regulations whose specific provisions can be enforced under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. The 'Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations' entry has been up…

Four new provisions of the Cross-border Hazardous Waste Regulations added to the federal administrative penalties schedule

The federal schedule that lists which regulatory provisions can trigger administrative monetary penalties has been updated for the Cross-border Movement of Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Recyclable Material Regulations…

Canada tightens cross-border hazardous waste rules: broader definitions, new export permit timing requirement, and updated OECD reference

These amendments make several practical changes to how hazardous waste and hazardous recyclable material moving across Canada's borders must be managed. The definition of hazardous waste is broadened to include materi…

New rules set out how Part II.4 environmental assessment projects must be started and managed in Ontario

A brand-new regulation establishes the full procedural framework that project proponents must follow to commence and proceed with "Part II.4" projects under Ontario's Environmental Assessment Act. Proponents must comp…

Ontario adds sweeping transition rules for environmental assessments moving to a new Part II.4 regime

A major set of future-dated amendments (taking effect when a specific COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act provision is proclaimed, noted as January 1, 2027) rewrites how Ontario's Environmental Assessment Act applies to pr…

New emergency exemption added for certain environmental assessment projects under Part II.4

A new section is being added to Ontario's environmental assessment exemptions regulation, effective January 1, 2027. Certain projects designated under Part II.4 of the Environmental Assessment Act will be exempt from…

Ontario adds new environmental assessment requirements for water, sewage, stormwater, shoreline and road projects, effective January 2027

Starting January 1, 2027, a new regulation (O. Reg. 257/26) significantly expands the types of projects that must go through Ontario's environmental assessment process. Municipalities, water and wastewater public corp…

Air-emissions registry rules will extend to a new category of environmental assessment projects

Amendments scheduled to take effect in early 2027 will expand the registration hold requirement in Ontario's air-emissions activity registry to cover a new class of environmental assessment projects (referred to as "P…

Regulation name update for environmental screening reference takes effect January 1, 2027

A future amendment will update the name of a referenced environmental assessment regulation within the rules governing alternative low-carbon fuel approvals. Specifically, the citation to 'Part II.3 Projects — Designa…

Definition of Ontario Reg. 50/24 will be renamed in the Renewable Energy Approvals regulation

A future amendment will update the name of Ontario Regulation 50/24 as it appears in the Renewable Energy Approvals regulation. The title referenced in the definition will change from

Regulation text will be updated to reflect renamed Part II designation categories starting January 2027

A future amendment to this transit and rail project assessment regulation will replace every reference to '(Part II.3 Projects — Designations and Exemptions)' with '(Designation of Part II.3 and Part II.4 Projects)' t…

Upcoming rule change expands and refines the hearing exemption for waste and sewage works under the Environmental Assessment Act

Starting in early 2027, the rule that exempts certain waste disposal sites, waste management systems, and sewage works from Environmental Protection Act hearings will be updated. The exemption will be broadened to cov…

Office of Energy Efficiency moved from Natural Resources Canada to Environment and Climate Change Canada

The federal government has transferred the Office of Energy Efficiency out of Natural Resources Canada and placed it under the control of Environment and Climate Change Canada. This is an administrative machinery-of-g…

Future amendment noted: wording change to source protection plan rules coming in 2026

A transitional note has been added to the regulation flagging that a specific subparagraph will be amended at a future date to remove the phrase "the making of" from a provision about minor, non-policy amendments to s…

Ontario stormwater registry rules updated to cover spill containment works and underdrain systems at power generation sites

A set of amendments scheduled to take effect September 1, 2026 expand Ontario's self-registration framework for stormwater management works to formally recognize two new types of works: spill containment works (design…

Selected Crown Forest Sustainability Act amendments now legally in force

Two specific provisions of the Building a More Competitive Economy Act, 2025 — Schedule 2, sections 4 and 6(2) — have been proclaimed into force by Order in Council. Proclamation means these amendments to the Crown Fo…

Storm-water fee exemption for farm and managed-forest properties is now in force

A new provision has been added to the regulation confirming that the City of Toronto and its local boards cannot impose storm-water fees or charges on portions of properties classified as farm land or managed forests.…

Municipalities barred from charging storm-water fees on farm and managed-forest properties

A new restriction has been added preventing municipalities and local boards from imposing storm-water management fees or charges on portions of a property classified as farmland or managed forest under the Assessment…

Sections 26.1 to 28 of the Crown Forests regulation (approved manuals) are now formally revoked

Sections 26.1 through 28 of Ontario's general Crown forest regulation, which previously set out the approved Forest Management Planning Manual, Forest Information Manual, Forest Operations and Silviculture Manual, and…

Ministerial approval requirement for annual timber harvesting removed from Crown forest licences

The requirement that forest resource licence holders obtain written ministerial approval before beginning harvesting each year has been repealed. Previously, licence holders also risked having that approval withheld i…

Ontario formally approves four forestry manuals governing how Crown forest management plans must be prepared and operated

A new regulation approves four Ministry-prepared manuals that set the rules for Crown forest management in Ontario: the Forest Management Planning Manual (March 2024, with a June 2026 Addendum), the Forest Information…

Four key forestry manuals will be revoked from the regulation in mid-2026

The regulation currently approves four Ministry-prepared manuals — the Forest Management Planning Manual, the Forest Information Manual, the Forest Operations and Silviculture Manual, and the Scaling Manual — as the b…

Two wildlife management areas in Cariboo District updated: Cranberry Marsh/Starratt redescribed, Meteor Lake Wetland added

The Wildlife Management Areas Regulation has been amended in two ways. First, the legal boundary description for the Cranberry Marsh/Starratt Wildlife Management Area in Cariboo District has been replaced with a new d…

New designated area created over Crown land in K'ih tsaaʔdze region under the Forest Act

A specific parcel of Crown land in British Columbia has been formally designated as the K'ih tsaaʔdze Designated Area No. 1 under section 169 of the Forest Act. The designation applies until June 30, 2030. The boundar…

BC Natural Gas Tax Credit rules updated: new LNG Canada feedstock inlets designated and volume calculation language clarified

The Natural Gas Tax Credit Regulation has been amended in three ways. First, two meter stations — the Wilde Lake Compressor Station and the Willow Valley Interconnect — are formally designated as feedstock pipeline in…

Nass Valley Transmission Line added to B.C.'s streamlined renewable energy permitting regime

The Renewable Energy Projects (Streamlined Permitting) Regulation has been amended to formally include the Nass Valley Transmission Line project — a new electric transmission line connecting the proposed Ksi Lisims LN…

Independent power producers selling electricity to FortisBC must be exempted from utility regulation by the BC Utilities Commission

A new provincial direction requires the BC Utilities Commission to exempt independent power producers (IPPs) from most utility regulatory requirements under Part 3 of the Utilities Commission Act. The exemption applie…

BC Timber Sales adds new Category 5 registration for Custom Cutters and Processors

The BC Timber Sales Regulation now includes a fifth registration category — Category 5: Custom Cutters and Processors — for businesses that process large volumes of timber or value-added products at eligible facilitie…

Niagara Escarpment development permit exemptions comprehensively rewritten with new definitions and expanded permitted activities

The list of development activities that do not require a development permit in the Niagara Escarpment Development Control Area has been substantially restructured and expanded from roughly 41 items to 67. New defined…

Ontario wildlife-in-captivity rules updated with plain-language and licensing clarifications

A series of housekeeping amendments have been consolidated into the wildlife-in-captivity regulation. The main practical changes are: zoo and reptile/amphibian keepers must retain the log book itself (not just copies)…

Ontario trapping regulation updated with gender-neutral language and minor firearm rule clarifications

This amendment replaces gendered pronouns ('he or she', 'his or her') with gender-neutral equivalents ('they', 'their', 'them') throughout the trapping regulation. A transitional provision that allowed pre-2019 class…

Ontario wildlife possession and fur-trade rules updated: online Registry replaced, record-keeping extended, and beaver castoreum trade added

The Ministry of Natural Resources has replaced the requirement to use its online Registry when reporting possession of wildlife carcasses and pelts. People who acquire a bear, deer, elk, moose, raptor or furbearing ma…

Ontario hunting regulation updated: expanded family definitions, outdoors card rules, guide requirements, and language modernization

Ontario's hunting regulation has been amended in a wide-ranging update. The definition of 'immediate family member' now includes step-grandparents, step-parents, step-children, step-siblings, and step-grandchildren. T…

New parcel of land added to Niagara Escarpment Area of Development Control

A third parcel of land has been formally added to the designated Area of Development Control under the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act. The new area is described in a plan called the "Plan of the Bound…

Ontario source protection plan amendments: previously undated provisions now have confirmed effective dates

Several amendments to Ontario's source protection planning rules that were previously listed as coming into force 'on a day to be named' now have confirmed dates. A set of changes affecting how source protection plans…

French-language term labels added to definitions; new fire safety duties and future definition changes flagged

The regulation's definitions section now includes French-language equivalents for each defined term (e.g., "véhicule tout-terrain" for all-terrain vehicle). No substantive meaning has changed in the existing definitio…

Three provincial parks gain boundary additions or adjustments effective July 1, 2026

Starting July 1, 2026, the official legal boundary descriptions for three Ontario provincial parks are being updated. Eagle-Dogtooth Provincial Park (Waterway Class) in the Kenora District gains new land designated in…

Canada's toxic substances lists expanded and clarified with new chemicals and more precise identifiers

The federal government has updated Schedule 3 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, which lists prohibited, restricted, and controlled substances. Several existing entries have been sharpened by adding C…

The Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012 have been formally repealed

The entire Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012 (SOR/2012-285) have been repealed. All of the rules in that instrument — including the prohibitions on manufacturing, using, selling, importing or o…

Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2025 — consolidation date updated

The only visible change in this amendment is an update to the regulation's internal consolidation or currency date, moving it from a December 2025 date to a date in mid-2026. No substantive rules, prohibitions, or def…

B.C. replaces Sustainable Environment Fund Revenue Regulation with updated version listing prescribed revenue sources

The 2011 Sustainable Environment Fund Revenue Regulation has been repealed and replaced by a new Sustainable Environment Fund Regulation. The new regulation specifies which government revenue streams must flow into th…

Hazardous waste transport licence applications now require a $500 fee, plus a $200 annual renewal fee

Businesses applying for a hazardous waste transport licence in B.C. must now submit a $500 application fee along with their completed Form 2 (Schedule 5). The director will not process the application until both the f…

B.C. Contaminated Sites Regulation overhauls fee structure for ministry reviews and services

The Contaminated Sites Regulation has been significantly amended to replace the old fee provisions with a detailed new fee schedule (Schedule 3) covering three categories of charges. Flat fees now apply to common mini…

FortisBC exempted from utility commission approval for two Kelowna-area substation projects

A new provincial regulation exempts FortisBC Inc. from the requirement under the Utilities Commission Act to obtain prior commission approval before proceeding with two specific electrical infrastructure projects: upg…

Temporary mineral land reserve restrictions extended on two existing protected areas

The Chief Gold Commissioner has extended the expiry dates on two existing temporary mineral land reserves in British Columbia. Areas previously protected from new mineral claim registrations (under one regulation) and…

New rules require source protection authorities to overhaul drinking-water threat policies tied to regulated instruments

A new regulation sets out how source protection plans must handle policies that govern decisions to issue, create, or amend prescribed instruments (such as permits or approvals) in areas where significant drinking wat…

Upcoming rules expand source-protection permit requirements for municipal drinking water systems

Starting in mid-2026, owners of municipal residential drinking water systems in source protection areas will face broader obligations when seeking permit or licence amendments. The changes extend existing source-prote…

Ontario drinking water source protection rules streamlined: online publication replaces physical inspection requirements, new amendment pathways added

A series of changes to the Clean Water Act general regulation reduce the administrative burden on source protection committees and authorities by removing requirements to make draft documents (terms of reference, asse…

A new parcel of Niagara Escarpment land is being added to the development control area

A third area of land is being added to the designated areas of development control under the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act. This addition is described in a new plan filed with the Office of the Surve…

Softwood lumber export allocation rules repealed in full

The Softwood Lumber Products Export Allocations Regulations have been repealed entirely. All operative provisions — including application requirements, residency rules, ministerial considerations for issuing allocatio…

Three agencies added and one removed from Privacy Act investigative-body exemption list

The schedule listing investigative bodies that can collect personal information without the usual Privacy Act restrictions has been updated. Three new bodies have been added: the Environmental Enforcement Directorate…

Steel export monitoring permit regulations fully repealed

The Export Permit (Steel Monitoring) Regulations have been repealed in their entirety. All substantive provisions — including definitions, the permit application process, issuance requirements, exporter obligations, l…

Export controls on pulpwood and red cedar products removed from Canada's Export Control List

Two forest product categories have been removed from Canada's Export Control List: pulpwood of all species of wood (item 5102) and blocks, bolts, blanks, boards, and other red cedar materials suitable for making shake…

Major Fish Stocks list in federal fishery regulations significantly expanded and reorganized

Schedule IX of the Fishery (General) Regulations, which lists the fish stocks subject to major stock management provisions under the Fisheries Act, has been substantially revised. The list has grown from 30 entries to…

Sulphur compliance unit trading system extended to 2026–2030 with updated record-keeping deadlines

The sulphur compliance unit trading system for gasoline producers and importers has been renewed for the period 2026 to 2030, replacing the previous 2020–2025 window. Primary suppliers who want to participate in pool-…

Several previously pending amendments to Ontario's water and wastewater corporation law are now in force

A group of amendments to the Water and Wastewater Public Corporations Act, 2025 that had been flagged as "not yet in force" have now been given an effective date. The changes that are now operative include: a requirem…

Water and wastewater public corporation rules now in force in Ontario

Specific sections of Ontario's Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act, 2026 dealing with water and wastewater public corporations have been officially activated by government order. Proclamatio…

Ontario brings new water and wastewater public corporations rules into effect

Sections 1 through 21 of Schedule 16 of the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act, 2025 are now legally operative, meaning the framework they establish under the Water and Wastewater Public Corporations Act, 2025 carri…

Cabinet gains power to override Minister's pest-product bans on economic or food security grounds

The Act now allows the Governor in Council (Cabinet) to issue orders that register or amend the registration of a pest control product even after the Minister has refused to do so on environmental grounds, provided Ca…

Rail security exemptions updated: engine/machinery and marine pollutant rules reference new TDG Regulation sections

Several exemptions from the rail security rules for dangerous goods have been updated to reference new or renumbered sections in the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations. The exemption for engines or machiner…

Specific lakes and streams in Newfoundland and Labrador are now exempt from federal work-approval rules for navigable waters

A new federal order removes the requirement to obtain federal approval before carrying out works, undertakings, or obstructions on ten named lakes and three named streams in a specific area of Newfoundland and Labrado…

B.C. hunting seasons, closed areas, trapping rules and motor-vehicle restrictions updated for 2026–27

British Columbia has made a wide-ranging set of changes to its hunting and wildlife management rules. New closed areas are established near Shaman Island, Burnt River, and along the Nisga'a Highway (Highway 113), bann…

Canada's Critical Cyber Systems Protection Act creates mandatory cyber security obligations for federally regulated operators

A new federal law establishes a comprehensive cyber security compliance framework for federally regulated operators in sectors including telecommunications, banking, energy pipelines, nuclear energy, transportation, a…

Canada's new Cyber Security Act introduces mandatory protections for critical infrastructure operators

A new federal Act creates two main frameworks: amendments to the Telecommunications Act and a new Critical Cyber Systems Protection Act (Part 2, not yet in force). It targets operators of vital services and systems —…

Owners of PCB-containing equipment, military gear, and museum objects must now maintain detailed PCB inventories

Three categories of PCB holders—operators of exempt equipment (such as radiation-related gear), the Department of National Defence for military equipment, and museums retaining PCB-containing objects—are now required…

Migratory bird hunting rules updated: Harlequin Ducks closed nationwide, Sandhill Crane seasons added in several provinces, and multiple bag limits and season dates revised

The federal migratory bird hunting regulations have been updated with several practical changes affecting hunters across Canada. Harlequin Ducks are now explicitly listed as having no open season in all hunting zones…

Ontario trapping rules updated: new beaver damage authorization, gender-neutral language, and firearm clarifications

Several changes are being made to Ontario's trapping regulation in two stages. First, the Minister will gain authority to issue special authorizations allowing licensed trappers to harass, capture, or kill beaver outs…

Wildlife possession and fur-trade rules updated: Registry replaced, records expanded, and beaver castoreum trade permitted

A set of staged amendments updates Ontario's rules on possessing, buying and selling wildlife carcasses, pelts, hides, and cast antlers. The online Ministry Registry system for submitting notices of possession will be…

Effective date for two hunting tag rule changes pushed back to January 1, 2027

Two upcoming changes to how hunters must handle invalidated tags — covering possession of untagged animals and the rules for keeping a tag on a carcass until processing — have had their effective dates shifted from Ju…

Metal and diamond mine effluent rules updated: new lethality test, broader notification duties, and clarified reporting

Canada's Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations have been updated in several practical ways. A new acute lethality test using the marine copepod Acartia tonsa (Reference Method STB 1/RM/60) is added alongside e…

Wastewater effluent rules updated: tighter bypass authorization conditions, new 'operator' definition, and revised authorization forms

Several targeted changes have been made to the federal Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations. A formal definition of 'operator' has been added, clarifying that it covers any person who operates, controls, has custod…

Pulp and paper mills can now use a Canadian algae test method for marine effluent toxicity testing

The regulations governing effluent from pulp and paper mills have been updated to add a third accepted test methodology for sublethal toxicity testing of effluent deposited into marine or estuarine waters. Mills now h…

Upcoming rules lock water and wastewater public corporations to public ownership and protect employees during asset transfers

A set of amendments — not yet in force — will tighten the rules governing water and wastewater public corporations (WWPCs) in Ontario once activated by order. When the changes take effect, WWPCs may only be designated…

Ontario drinking water law updated to recognize new water and wastewater public corporations and streamline consent rules

Ontario has amended the Safe Drinking Water Act to expand the definition of 'municipal drinking water system' to include systems owned by corporations designated as water and wastewater public corporations under the n…

Ontario removes two regulation-making powers under Building Code Act and clarifies that municipal environmental bylaws can coexist with the Building Code

Two previously existing regulation-making powers have been repealed: the authority to prescribe specific building code provisions and conditions/limits for the purposes of related municipal-act sections no longer exis…

Ontario Planning Act overhauled: standardized official plan structure, new EV and parking rules, expanded County of Simcoe planning changes

Ontario's Planning Act has been significantly amended by the Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act, 2026. The most sweeping change (not yet in force) requires all Ontario municipalities and pl…

B.C. updates hunting seasons, zone boundaries and closed areas for moose, mountain goat, elk, caribou and other species

B.C. Reg. 89/2026 amends three hunting regulations under the Wildlife Act, making a wide range of changes to open seasons, bag limits, closed-area boundaries, and zone maps across all eight wildlife management regions…

New mineral claim exclusion zones added and old ones removed across several B.C. park areas

The Chief Gold Commissioner has updated two mineral land reserve regulations that control where mineral and placer claims can be registered in British Columbia. Several park and protected area sites have been removed…

Offshore energy regulators renamed in federal impact assessment law's list of federal authorities

The federal Impact Assessment Act has been updated to replace the term 'Board' with 'Regulator' for the two offshore energy bodies — the ones operating under the Canada–Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada–Nova Scotia…

Federal aquatic invasive species rules updated: new substance class added, minister powers expanded, provincial contacts revised

Several practical changes have been made to the federal rules governing aquatic invasive species. First, the list of authorized deleterious substances (used in control and eradication work) now includes a third catego…

General Export Permit No. Ex. 3 (consumable stores for vessels and aircraft) has been repealed

The General Export Permit No. Ex. 3, which previously allowed any person to export usual and reasonable quantities of consumable stores (fuel oils, lubricants, provisions, medical supplies, etc.) to vessels and aircra…

Allocation Method Order for Softwood Lumber Products export quotas has been repealed in full

The entire Allocation Method Order – Softwood Lumber Products, which governed how monthly export quota quantities were distributed among primary producers and remanufacturers shipping softwood lumber from Ontario, Que…

Allocation Method Order (2008) – Softwood Lumber Products has been repealed in its entirety

The Allocation Method Order (2008) – Softwood Lumber Products, which set out how monthly export allocations for softwood lumber were divided among primary producers and remanufacturers in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, an…

The 2009 Softwood Lumber Export Allocation Method Order has been fully repealed

The entire Allocation Method Order (2009) – Softwood Lumber Products has been repealed and its substantive content removed. This order previously set out the formulas and rules for dividing monthly softwood lumber exp…

Allocation Method Order (2010) for Softwood Lumber Products has been repealed

The Allocation Method Order (2010) — Softwood Lumber Products, which governed how export quotas for softwood lumber were distributed among primary producers and remanufacturers in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, and Saskat…

Softwood Lumber Allocation Method Order (2011) has been repealed in its entirety

The Allocation Method Order (2011) — Softwood Lumber Products, which governed how monthly export quantities for softwood lumber were divided among producers and remanufacturers in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, and Saskat…

Allocation Method Order (2012) — Softwood Lumber Products has been fully repealed

The entire Allocation Method Order (2012) — Softwood Lumber Products has been repealed. All of its provisions — including the formulas and rules governing how monthly export quantities were allocated to primary produc…

Softwood lumber export allocation rules for Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan have been repealed

The full text of the Allocation Method Order (2013) — Softwood Lumber Products, which set out how monthly export quotas for softwood lumber were divided among producers and remanufacturers in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba…

Allocation Method Order (2014) for Softwood Lumber Export Quotas Has Been Repealed

The entire Allocation Method Order (2014) — Softwood Lumber Products, which governed how monthly export quotas for softwood lumber were distributed among producers and remanufacturers in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, and…

Softwood lumber export allocation rules for Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan have been repealed

The Allocation Method Order (2015) — Softwood Lumber Products, which set out the formulas and procedures for distributing monthly softwood lumber export quotas among primary producers and remanufacturers in Ontario, Q…

General Export Permit No. 41 updates cross-references for certain dual-use goods covered under the permit

Three cross-references to items in the Export Control List Guide have been updated within General Export Permit No. 41, which allows Canadian exporters to ship specified dual-use goods and technology to eligible desti…

General Export Permit No. 38 for CWC Toxic Chemical and Precursor Mixtures has been repealed

General Export Permit No. 38, which allowed Canadian residents to export certain mixtures of Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) toxic chemicals and precursors without an individual export licence, has been fully repeal…

New federal rules let Ontario municipalities maintain municipal drains without separate Fisheries Act approvals — if strict conditions are met

A new federal regulation creates a self-authorizing pathway for Ontario municipalities to carry out routine maintenance and repair work on designated municipal drains without needing individual project authorizations…

LNG marine fuel carbon-intensity table updated with new load-range and methane-slip values

The regulation's Table 4, which sets the Additional Carbon Intensity Attributable to Use (UCI) values for LNG fuel, has been replaced with a revised version covering marine end uses. The new table introduces different…

B.C. sets new emergency planning rules for local authorities, including mandatory plan reviews and publication duties

This regulation fills in operational details under British Columbia's Emergency and Disaster Management Act. Local authorities must now prepare emergency management plans meeting specified content requirements, includ…

New land parcels added to BC mineral claim registration exclusion lists

The Chief Gold Commissioner has added 14 new sites to the list of lands where no new mineral claims can be registered, and one additional site where neither mineral nor placer claims can be registered. The newly restr…

Canada adds 23 individuals, 5 entities, and 100 vessels to Russia sanctions list

Canada's Russia sanctions regulations have been expanded with three categories of new additions. Twenty-three named individuals have been added to the designated-persons list, meaning their assets in Canada must be fr…

B.C. hunting rules updated to align with new Firearm Violence Prevention Act and clarify boat-hunting restrictions

Several hunting and wildlife regulations have been updated to integrate the new Firearm Violence Prevention Act into B.C.'s existing wildlife enforcement framework. Hunters using motorized boats are still prohibited f…

Section removed from B.C. parks regulation as part of broader conservation officer update

An amendment repeals section 56(c) of the Park, Conservancy and Recreation Area Regulation, which governs conduct and activities in B.C. provincial parks, conservancies, and recreation areas. The same order also updat…

B.C. wildlife permit rules updated: new permit purposes, 25-year disability permits, and wolverine trapping fine revised

Several wildlife-related regulations under the Wildlife Act have been amended. The Permit Regulation now explicitly lists ten approved purposes for which a regional manager may issue a permit — including scientific, e…

B.C. tightens rules on owning non-native cats and adjusts raccoon trapping methods

Two sets of wildlife rules have been updated. First, the list of prohibited alien cat species has been restructured: all members of the cat family (Felidae) are now prohibited unless they are native species (cougar, C…

Critical habitat of the endangered Channel Darter (Lake Erie populations) now legally protected under federal species-at-risk law

A new federal order activates the legal prohibition on destroying or damaging the critical habitat of the Channel Darter (Lake Erie populations), an endangered fish species. The protected critical habitat is defined i…

Federal order activates legal protection for Channel Darter critical habitat in Lake Ontario

A new federal order brings the critical habitat of the Channel Darter (Lake Ontario populations) — an endangered fish species — under the active prohibition regime of the Species at Risk Act. The practical effect is t…

Future-dated amendment notes removed as changes from O. Reg. 123/26 are now in force

The regulation governing occupation of public lands has been updated to incorporate changes that were previously flagged as upcoming amendments taking effect in May 2026. Those future-dated notes have been removed and…

Ontario updates public lands work permit rules: new definitions, registration system, artifact/remains duties, and geotechnical exemption

Ontario has consolidated a series of previously announced amendments to the public lands work permit regulation into the main text. Key practical changes include: the definition of 'shore lands' is now based on the hi…

Ontario renewable energy approvals rules updated: Indigenous terminology, qualified-person assessments, and new biogas exemption

This amendment makes several practical changes to the rules governing Renewable Energy Approvals under the Environmental Protection Act. All references to 'aboriginal communities' have been replaced with 'Indigenous c…

Ontario updates wildlife-in-captivity rules: new annual reporting for falconry licence holders, revised log-book retention, and gender-neutral language throughout

A set of amendments updates the regulation governing wildlife kept in captivity in Ontario, with changes falling into three main areas. First, holders of general, apprentice, and commercial falconry licences will be r…

Ontario fish licensing rules updated: outdoors cards, cross-border fishing rights, and language modernized

A package of amendments to Ontario's fish licensing regulation makes several practical changes taking effect in mid-2026. The definition of 'outdoors card' is broadened so that a card identified on a licence summary c…

Future repeal of two Financial Administration Act exemptions flagged in Electricity Act consolidation

The consolidated text of the Electricity Act now includes editorial notes signalling that two provisions — one exempting certain Part transactions from section 28 of the Financial Administration Act (s. 51), and anoth…

Ontario's 36 conservation authorities will be amalgamated into 9 regional authorities starting February 2027

Beginning on the 'transition date' (currently set for February 1, 2027, subject to change by regulation), Ontario's existing 36 conservation authorities will be merged into nine newly named regional conservation autho…

Ontario creates the Protect Ontario Account Investment Fund as a new designated purpose account under the Financial Administration Act

The amendment establishes a new designated purpose account called the Protect Ontario Account Investment Fund (Fonds d'investissement du compte Protéger l'Ontario). The Minister of Finance is required to set up this f…

B.C. adds hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to "electric motor vehicle" definition and creates new EV OK road sign

The Motor Vehicle Act Regulations have been updated in two practical ways. First, the definition of "electric motor vehicle" is expanded: it now covers not only battery-electric vehicles that charge from an external s…

Northern Rockies Regional Municipality added to wildfire regulation's listed area in Section 2.1(h)

The Wildfire Regulation has been amended to replace the existing entry in section 2.1(h) with "Northern Rockies Regional Municipality." This change updates the geographic scope of that provision to reference the curre…

Farm and managed forest properties shielded from Toronto storm water fees, with refund rules for overpayments

Toronto and its local boards are being prohibited from charging storm water management fees or charges against portions of properties classified as farm or managed forest under the Assessment Act. An exception applies…

Municipalities barred from charging storm water fees to farm and managed forest properties — with refund obligation

A new rule blocks municipalities and local boards from imposing storm water management fees or charges on land classified as farm property or managed forests under the Assessment Act. The ban has a narrow exception: i…

Order designating the Minister of Natural Resources under the Sustainable Jobs Act has been repealed

The order that formally appointed the Minister of Natural Resources as the responsible minister under the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act has been repealed. This means the ministerial designation established by that ord…

Federal order naming two ministers as 'specified ministers' under the Sustainable Jobs Act has been repealed

An order that designated the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Employment and Social Development as the 'specified ministers' responsible for administering the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act has been repealed. Thi…

Minister of Employment and Social Development now leads Canada's Sustainable Jobs Act

A new Order in Council designates the Minister of Employment and Social Development as the responsible minister under the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, replacing the previously designated minister under a 2024 order…

Minister of Natural Resources formally designated as a specified minister under the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act

A new Order in Council designates the Minister of Natural Resources as a 'specified minister' under the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, replacing a prior 2024 order that made the same type of designation. This formal s…

Sustainable Jobs Secretariat moves from Natural Resources Canada to Employment and Social Development Canada

The federal government has transferred the Sustainable Jobs Secretariat out of Natural Resources Canada and into Employment and Social Development Canada. This means the secretariat — which supports workers and commun…

Conditions for Exempted Persons Regulations repealed in full

The Conditions for Exempted Persons Regulations, which governed export limits and exemption conditions for named softwood lumber producers under the Softwood Lumber Products Export Charge Act, 2006, have been repealed…

Payments to the Provinces Regulations under the Softwood Lumber Products Export Charge Act have been repealed

The Payments to the Provinces Regulations, which governed how export-charge revenues were calculated and distributed to Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, have been fully repealed.…

American Consumption of Softwood Lumber Products Regulations repealed in full

The American Consumption of Softwood Lumber Products Regulations have been repealed entirely. All provisions—including definitions, data-source rules, formulas for calculating American softwood lumber consumption, mar…

Steel surtax remission expanded: more product types added and in-transit window extended to late December 2025

The federal remission order that waives the steel import surtax for qualifying goods has been updated in two ways. First, the in-transit relief window has been extended: goods that were in transit after August 1, 2025…

B.C. expands greenhouse gas new-entrant rules to cover parts of industrial operations and proposed operations

Two B.C. greenhouse gas regulations have been updated to allow parts of an industrial operation—not just whole operations—to qualify as "new entrants" with reduced compliance obligations, provided the operation has in…

B.C. rural property tax rates updated for 2026 and future years across all property classes

The provincial rural area property tax rates have been replaced with new fixed rates that apply from 2026 onward. Two separate rate tables now exist: one for most of British Columbia and a separate, higher one for the…

New monetary penalty ranges added for vessel traffic services and Canada Shipping Act provisions

Three provisions of the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 (paragraphs 126(1)(a), 126(1)(b), and subsection 129(2)) have been added to the penalty schedule, each carrying fines of $260 to $10,000. A new Part 18 has also been a…

Northern Canada Vessel Traffic Services Zone Regulations (NORDREG) repealed in full

The Northern Canada Vessel Traffic Services Zone Regulations, which required certain vessels operating in Arctic and sub-Arctic Canadian waters to file sailing plan, position, final, and deviation reports with NORDREG…

Coast Guard responsibility transferred to Minister of National Defence, with new security mandate added

Responsibility for coast guard services has been moved from the Minister responsible for oceans to the Minister of National Defence. The coast guard's mandate now explicitly includes security functions, such as securi…

Federal tribunal support service expanded to cover territorial bodies and gains a new Environmental Protection Tribunal

The Administrative Tribunals Support Service of Canada Act has been amended to allow the Service to support bodies established under territorial legislation, not just federal tribunals. The Minister of Justice can now…

Review of enforcement orders now goes to the Environmental Protection Tribunal of Canada, not the Chief Review Officer

The amendment replaces all references to the "Chief Review Officer" in this Act with the "Environmental Protection Tribunal of Canada." In practical terms, anyone who receives an enforcement order under this Act and w…

Building Canada Act registry must now cover a fifth project outcome, and Schedule 2 gains a new regulatory entry

Two practical changes appear in this amendment. First, the public project registry that the Minister must maintain now has to disclose how each national interest project is expected to meet a fifth category of outcome…

LNG export licences get a new 50-year validity cap, separate from other natural gas licences

The Canadian Energy Regulator Act now contains a dedicated provision for liquefied natural gas (LNG) export licences, capping their maximum validity at 50 years from a date set in the licence itself. Previously, the r…

CEPA enforcement review body replaced: 'Review Officers' become the Environmental Protection Tribunal of Canada

The amendment replaces the informal roster of Review Officers and the Chief Review Officer role with a formally constituted tribunal — the Environmental Protection Tribunal of Canada. The Tribunal takes over all funct…

Green-claims rule for businesses narrowed: 'internationally recognized methodology' standard removed, private complaints blocked

The amendment makes two connected changes to the Competition Act's environmental claims provisions. First, the substantiation standard for business-level environmental representations (such as net-zero or sustainabili…

Reviews of environmental penalty notices now go to the Environmental Protection Tribunal, not review officers

The body that handles challenges to administrative monetary penalty notices under federal environmental laws has changed. Previously, requests for review were directed to the Chief Review Officer and handled by review…

First Nations tax law gains a new Part 3 letting eligible First Nations impose tax on alcohol, fuel, cannabis, vaping and tobacco products

A new Part 3 has been added to the federal First Nations Goods and Services Tax Act, creating a framework that lets qualifying First Nations governing bodies (bands or bodies with equivalent legislative power) enact t…

Compliance order reviews now go to the Environmental Protection Tribunal of Canada, not the Chief Review Officer

References to the Chief Review Officer throughout the compliance order review process in the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act have been replaced with the Environmental Protection Tribunal of Canada. Anyone who rec…

Review of enforcement orders under the International River Improvements Act now goes to the Environmental Protection Tribunal of Canada

The body that handles requests to review enforcement orders issued under this Act has changed. Previously, reviews were directed to the Chief Review Officer (a role now repealed); they are now handled by the Environme…

Review of migratory-bird enforcement orders now goes to a new federal tribunal, not the Chief Review Officer

The body that handles requests to review enforcement orders issued under this Act has changed. Previously, affected parties sent review requests to the Chief Review Officer; they now send them to the newly established…

Canada's Red Tape Reduction Act gains new regulatory sandbox powers for innovation and competitiveness

The Act has been restructured and significantly expanded. The existing one-for-one administrative burden rules are now grouped under Part 1, with minor wording updates but no substantive change to those obligations. A…

Wildlife Act enforcement reviews now go to the Environmental Protection Tribunal of Canada, not the Chief Review Officer

The Canada Wildlife Act has been updated to replace all references to the 'Chief Review Officer' with the 'Environmental Protection Tribunal of Canada' (EPTC) as the body that handles reviews of compliance orders issu…

New reporting and record-keeping obligations for holders of uranium, plutonium-239 and thorium now in force

Anyone in possession of uranium, plutonium-239, or thorium must now file annual inventory reports with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) detailing the items held, their masses, and their chemical and physi…

Canada's nuclear import/export control list updated to align with latest IAEA non-proliferation standards

The schedule listing controlled nuclear substances, equipment, and information under Canada's nuclear non-proliferation import and export rules has been substantially revised. The controlled-items lists are now aligne…

Nuclear penalty schedule updated: new safeguards reporting violations added, one item repealed

The schedule of violations subject to administrative monetary penalties under the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission's rules has been revised. A previously listed reporting violation (Item 41, related to filing a full…

New Qikiqtait Marine Protected Area designated in Hudson Bay, Arctic Ocean

A new Marine Protected Area (MPA) has been formally established in a portion of Hudson Bay in the Arctic Ocean, covering the seabed, subsoil to five metres depth, the water column above, and sea ice. Most activities a…

New Sarvarjuaq Marine Protected Area designated in Baffin Bay and Nares Strait

A new Marine Protected Area (MPA) has been formally established in the Arctic Ocean, covering parts of Baffin Bay and Nares Strait, including the seabed, subsoil to five metres depth, the water column, and sea ice. Mo…

Deadline in clean energy regulation extended by three years to April 2029

A Treasury Board order has pushed back a deadline that previously fell on April 1, 2026, in two specific provisions (paragraphs (c) and (d)) of B.C. Reg. 185/2023 under the Clean Energy Act. The new deadline is April…

BC Utilities Commission directed to replace biomass energy program rates by April 1, 2026

The provincial government has amended the direction governing the Biomass Energy Program to require the BC Utilities Commission to issue final orders replacing the existing biomass energy rate with a new rate structur…

BC's Spongy Moth Eradication Regulation gets an updated Schedule of regulated areas

The Schedule attached to the Spongy Moth Eradication Regulation has been repealed and replaced with a new version. The Schedule typically defines the geographic areas subject to spongy moth eradication controls — such…

B.C. rewrites fee rules for renewable energy project permits, adding tiered costs based on project size

The Renewable Energy Projects Regulation has been amended to replace its entire fees-and-security section with a new structured framework. Permit application fees are now tiered: smaller projects (over 5 MW and under…

Federal protection now applies to Plains Minnow critical habitat in Canada

A new federal order formally activates the Species at Risk Act's prohibition on destroying critical habitat for the Plains Minnow, a threatened freshwater fish. The critical habitat is defined in the species' recovery…

B.C. broadens groundwater diversion exemptions for construction and adds new rules for riparian-area development assessments

The Water Sustainability Regulation now allows construction dewatering (pumping groundwater to keep a site dry) without a water authorization, provided daily volumes stay under 300 m³ (no professional oversight requir…

BC Energy Regulator cuts pipeline permit fees and revises LNG facility levies for several major projects

The BC Energy Regulator has amended the fees and levies payable under the Fee, Levy and Security Regulation for certain energy projects. Two existing pipeline permit fees have changed: one fee drops from $1,700 to $42…

B.C. Energy Regulator overhauls dormancy, liability reduction, and consultation rules for oil and gas permit holders

The British Columbia Energy Regulator has amended five regulations governing dormant and former energy sites, hydrogen facilities, processing facilities, service obligations, and pipeline consultation. Key practical c…

B.C. creates comprehensive permitting and operating rules for wind and solar energy projects

The British Columbia Energy Regulator has adopted a new regulation that establishes end-to-end requirements for renewable energy projects (primarily wind and solar) that go through the streamlined provincial permittin…

BC sets out the Minister of State for AI and New Technologies' performance targets for 2026/27

A new regulation establishes the specific results the BC Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence and New Technologies must achieve during the 2026/2027 fiscal year under the provincial ministerial accountability…

BC Parks adds non-resident surcharge and raises camping fee ceilings

BC Parks has updated its recreation user fee rules in two key ways. First, people who are not British Columbia residents must now pay an additional fee — ranging from $5 to $30 — on top of standard rates when using fr…

BC creates competitive process and capacity caps for data centres and hydrogen exporters seeking BC Hydro power

A new regulation requires that AI data centres, conventional data centres, and hydrogen-for-export facilities go through a formal competitive process run by BC Hydro (the authority) before receiving new grid connectio…

BC brings major consumer contract and direct sales protections into force, with new rules on subscriptions, fitness contracts, and door-to-door sales

A package of amendments to BC's consumer protection framework takes effect, updating rules across several areas that touch businesses selling directly to consumers. The threshold for a 'future performance contract' is…

Two new land areas added to B.C. mineral claim reservation lists, blocking new mining registrations

The Chief Gold Commissioner has added two new sites to B.C.'s mineral land reserve tables, which prohibit the registration of new mineral (and in one case placer) claims on those lands. The first site, Ajax North & So…

Trail builders on Crown land can now cut timber if necessary to build or maintain recreation facilities

A new provision has been added to the Forest Recreation Regulation allowing anyone who holds an authorization to construct, rehabilitate, or maintain a trail or other recreation facility on Crown land to cut, damage,…

Nuclear Security Regulations: consolidated text reference date updated, no substantive rule changes

The only change visible in this amendment is an update to an internal date field in the consolidated text of the Nuclear Security Regulations. No provisions, requirements, or obligations appear to have been added, rem…

Canada's Energy Efficiency Regulations updated with new consolidated version date

The consolidated version of the Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2016 has been updated to reflect a new consolidation date. This is an administrative update to the regulation's metadata rather than a change to any subst…

Fisheries authorization process overhauled: new application rules, timelines, and a separate track for older facilities

A pending set of amendments (not yet in force) will significantly restructure the process for obtaining federal authorization to carry out works that could harm fish or fish habitat. Applicants will now submit applica…

Nuclear Safety Commission gains power to charge fees for services provided under other federal laws

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) can now charge fees for information, products, or services it provides under any federal Act beyond the Nuclear Safety and Control Act itself — not just under that Act. Th…