Line Fences Act forms now listed under Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness on Ontario's forms website

The official forms used in line fence disputes — including fence-viewer awards, notices, and owner agreements — are now listed on the Ontario Central Forms Repository under the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, rather than the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Anyone who needs to access these forms (for example, to initiate or respond to a fence-viewer process) should look under the updated ministry listing on the government's forms website. The forms themselves and their content have not changed. Landowners, municipalities, and local boards involved in boundary fence matters should update any bookmarks or internal references to where these forms are found.

Line Fences Act appeals division dissolved; notice address rule updated

The formal 'appeals division' covering all Ontario lands has been revoked — it no longer exists as a named body under the regulation. The rule about where to send notices to the referee has been updated: notices should now be addressed as directed on the website of the ministry of the responsible Minister, rather than the Ministry or Government of Ontario website generally. Property owners or neighbours involved in a line fence dispute who need to file a notice of appeal should check the current ministry website for the correct service address. The fee rules for initiating an appeal remain unchanged.

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 where storm water drains directly from a private storm sewer on the property into a City-owned storm sewer. Where fees were collected contrary to this new limit, the City or local board must refund the affected amounts and pay interest — calculated at the lowest Schedule I bank prime rate — starting either from the date the rule takes effect (for payments already received) or 90 days after receipt (for payments received afterward). Property owners with farm or managed forest classifications who have been paying storm water charges to the City of Toronto should review whether a refund may be owed to them. The section on police record check fees was also updated to replace 'municipality' with 'City' and 'local board (extended definition),' a terminology clarification with no apparent change in practical scope.

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: if storm water from the affected portion of a property drains directly from an on-site storm sewer into a municipal storm sewer system, the charge may still apply. Where fees were already collected contrary to this new limit, the municipality or local board must refund the affected amounts and pay interest — at the lowest Bank of Canada Schedule I prime rate — starting either from when the rule takes effect (for pre-existing payments) or 90 days after receipt (for payments made after the rule takes effect). Farm operators and managed forest landowners who have been paying municipal storm water charges should review their accounts to determine whether a refund may be owed.

Fence-viewer rules for unorganized territory updated: ministry name references removed, notice delivery simplified

This regulation, which governs how boundary fence disputes are resolved on land in territory without municipal organization, has been amended in several housekeeping ways. The definition of 'Minister' has been removed from the regulation text, and references to 'the Ministry of Municipal Affairs' have been replaced with the more generic 'the ministry of the Minister.' Requirements to send certified copies of awards and certificates to owners and occupants 'at their last known place of residence' have been dropped — the obligation to send copies remains, but the specific address qualifier is gone. The location description for prescribed forms on the government website has been simplified by removing the reference to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Landowners and fence-viewers operating under this regulation should be aware that notice and delivery obligations are slightly reworded, though the core dispute resolution process is unchanged.

Food Safety regulation updated with a formal table of contents listing all sections and parts

The regulation has been amended to add a table of contents at the beginning of the document. The table of contents lists both major parts of the regulation: Part I covering seizure and detention of things under the Food Safety and Quality Act, and Part II covering service, effective dates, and deadlines. No substantive rules appear to have changed — only the navigational structure of the document has been updated. Businesses and operators subject to food safety inspections and enforcement should be aware that the underlying rules on seizure, detention, disposal, and service of documents remain the same.

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 entirely. All operative provisions—including rules on base average monthly production, export limit calculations, penalties for exceeding limits, and the conditions for maintaining an exemption from the export charge—are now gone. Producers who were previously named in the schedule to the Act and relied on this exemption framework no longer have those rules in place. Affected companies should review their current obligations under the Act directly and seek updated guidance on how the export charge now applies to them.

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. All substantive provisions — including the definitions, revenue attribution rules, cost-allocation formula, and reconciliation requirements — have been removed. Businesses and provinces that previously relied on these rules for understanding how softwood lumber export charge proceeds were shared no longer have this regulatory framework in place. Those involved in softwood lumber exports or provincial revenue administration should be aware that the underlying distribution mechanism no longer exists in regulation.

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, market-share calculations, and the seasonal adjustment factor schedule—are no longer in force. Businesses and compliance teams that relied on these rules to determine export charge obligations or market-share thresholds under the Softwood Lumber Products Export Charge Act, 2006 should note that this regulatory framework no longer exists. Affected parties should consult legal counsel to understand what, if anything, replaces these requirements.

Certain commercial driver's licences now require proof of legal ability to work in Canada

A new provision ties specific classes of Ontario driver's licences to a requirement under the Highway Traffic Act that applicants demonstrate they are legally entitled to work in Canada. Class A, B, C, D, E, and F licences are all captured by this rule. However, Class D licences issued under the minister's special authority (the provision covering certain non-standard situations) are excluded from this requirement. The section is stated to apply despite the Human Rights Code, meaning that Code protections do not override this work-authorization check. Licence applicants in these classes should be prepared to provide evidence of their eligibility to work in Canada as part of the licensing process.

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 order is no longer in effect. Organizations or stakeholders who were engaging with the Minister of Natural Resources as the lead authority under that Act should note the change in ministerial responsibility. Anyone with compliance obligations or ongoing dealings under the Act should verify which minister now holds responsibility for its administration.

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 step determines which federal minister holds responsibilities and authorities assigned to a specified minister under that Act, such as involvement in sustainable jobs planning and workforce transition measures. Businesses, workers, and organizations in natural resource sectors who engage with federal sustainable jobs processes should be aware that the Minister of Natural Resources holds this designated role. A previous order on the same subject has been repealed and replaced by this new designation.

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. This means the ministerial assignments established by that order are no longer in effect. Organizations and employers engaged with sustainable jobs planning processes, advisory bodies, or compliance obligations under that Act should monitor federal announcements for updated ministerial responsibility. No replacement designation is visible in this change.

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 that is now repealed. This is an administrative reassignment of ministerial responsibility—the legislation itself is unchanged. Businesses, workers, and industry groups engaged with sustainable jobs planning, transition support, or related federal consultations should now direct inquiries and submissions to Employment and Social Development Canada rather than the previously responsible department.

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 communities affected by the shift away from fossil fuels — will now sit within the employment and labour-focused ministry rather than the natural resources ministry. Organizations, unions, and businesses that interact with the Sustainable Jobs Secretariat should update their government contacts and monitor any changes to program delivery or points of contact that follow from the move. No programs or entitlements are eliminated by this transfer; it is a structural reorganization of which department holds oversight.

Three more Saskatchewan First Nations added to GST remission list; short-title provision repealed

This amendment makes two practical changes to the order that remits goods-and-services tax for First Nations in Saskatchewan purchasing land under treaty land entitlement agreements. Three bands — Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation, Mistawasis Nêhiyawak, and Zagimē Anishinabēk — have been added to the schedule, each with a specified land quantum (in acres), making them eligible for the GST remission. At the same time, the short-title section of the order has been repealed. Bands already on the schedule are unaffected by these changes.

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 and on or before December 26, 2025 now qualify for remission, provided they are imported into Canada on or after December 26, 2025. Second, the schedule of eligible steel goods has grown substantially — from 8 entries to 92 — adding dozens of specialized product categories including various tool steels, oil country tubular goods, coated and pre-painted sheet, specialty bars, line pipe grades for SAGD and CSS applications, structural steel, and semi-finished cast iron products. Importers who paid or are liable to pay the surtax on goods matching any of the newly listed descriptions should review whether a remission claim is available. Claims must still be filed with the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness within two years of the date of importation.

New federal regulations set out how the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants must operate, discipline members, and compensate clients

Canada has introduced comprehensive regulations governing the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (the College), which oversees licensed immigration and citizenship consultants. The rules establish a compensation fund for clients who suffer financial losses due to dishonest acts by a licensee — covering theft, fraud, misappropriation of funds, and knowingly providing false information in immigration or citizenship proceedings. Two new committees are created: a Compensation Fund Committee to process and pay claims, and a Capacity Evaluation Committee to assess whether a licensee's conduct stems from a health or capacity issue rather than misconduct. Detailed requirements are set for the College's register of licensees, annual reporting to the Minister, how complaints are investigated and referred to discipline, what disciplinary actions the Registrar and Discipline Committee may impose (including monetary penalties up to $50,000), and when the Minister may appoint a temporary administrator. Licensed consultants must comply with licence conditions, maintain accurate application information, co-operate with investigations, and follow dispute-resolution outcomes. The regulations also specify when the College may share personal information with law enforcement, foreign regulators, and other bodies.