Willis Business Law

09/01/2026

The Ontario Court of Appeal’s recent ruling in Baker v. Van Dolder's Home Team Inc. brings welcome clarity to employment contract drafting across the province.

The Court rejected overly technical interpretations that invalidated termination provisions based on hypothetical statutory conflicts, confirming that standard phrases like "at any time" or "for any reason" remain enforceable when the contract as a whole preserves statutory minimums under the Employment Standards Act, 2000. This common-sense, contextual framework restores predictability for employers while ensuring statutory protections for employees remain fully intact.

Read our latest blog post to learn how this decision affects your current employment contracts, workplace policies, and severance liabilities in Ontario: https://ow.ly/mWez50ZHtNF

Ontario Court of Appeal clarifies termination clauses, ESA compliance and wrongful dismissal risks for employers in Baker v. Van Dolder.

08/27/2026

Today, the Willis Business Law team gathered for lunch to officially welcome our newest Senior Associate, Anthony Malandruccolo. It was a great opportunity to connect, celebrate, and kick off what we know will be an exciting next chapter for both Anthony and our firm. Welcome to the team, Anthony!

08/26/2026

As cross-border trade pressure mounts, a new report highlights that Ontario could see tens of thousands of job losses tied to upcoming U.S. tariffs - with manufacturing and supply chain sectors facing significant strain. For Windsor businesses and employees, navigating these economic shifts requires proactive planning, whether that means managing workforce adjustments, evaluating employment standards, or restructuring contracts to protect business operations.

https://ow.ly/BOu750ZFgMN

New analysis estimates nearly 90,000 Canadian jobs could be affected by 50 per cent U.S. tariffs, with Ontario, Quebec and B.C. facing the biggest potential losses.

08/24/2026

When a cross-border dispute arises with an American supplier or client, deciding whether an Ontario business should sue in Canada or the United States is a critical strategic choice. Key factors include evaluating forum selection and arbitration clauses, separating governing law from court jurisdiction, and considering practical realities such as witness availability and asset location.

Read our latest blog post to learn how to navigate cross-border litigation: https://ow.ly/vKhs50ZC48J

Should an Ontario business sue in Canada or the U.S.? Learn about jurisdiction, contract clauses and enforcement in Windsor-Ess*x.

08/18/2026

Retaining experienced talent requires modern, compliant workplace accommodation strategies.

As discussed in a recent news report, conversations are expanding around how employers accommodate workers experiencing significant menopause symptoms. For Ontario employers, failing to flexibly address health-related accommodation requests can lead to constructive dismissal claims or human rights disputes on s*x, age, or disability grounds.

Our Windsor employment law team assists both employers in establishing compliant accommodation frameworks and employees seeking to understand their workplace rights.

Read more: https://ow.ly/jiRt50ZAZGj

Rhode Island has become the first U.S. state to explicitly require employers to provide workplace accommodations for employees experiencing menopause. Canadian experts say the move is prompting an important conversation about whether workers in this country need more support.

08/13/2026

A new report warns that a breakdown of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) could result in over 316,000 combined job losses and significant economic contraction across North America.

The study models three distinct negotiation scenarios - a status quo tariff environment, a complete agreement collapse, and a successful renegotiation - highlighting the critical stakes for cross-border supply chains, manufacturing, and commercial trade stability.

For businesses managing cross-border exposure, evaluating potential duty changes, supply chain vulnerabilities, and contractual risk allocation is essential as negotiations progress.

https://ow.ly/mza450ZztEX

A new report from the Canadian American Business Council found that a failure to renegotiate a North American trade deal would have widespread impacts on the Canadian economy, including the loss of 102,000 Canadian jobs and 214,000 American ones. On the flip side, a successful renegotiation would ad...

08/12/2026

Youth-led social innovation is driving progress in agriculture, healthcare, and education across resource-constrained settings. Investing in young entrepreneurs yields long-term dividends for entire societies.

08/11/2026

The Government of Canada has officially released its updated National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, AI for All, replacing the 2017 Pan-Canadian AI Strategy. Shaped by over 11,300 public- and private-sector submissions, the framework specifically addresses Canada's commercialization gap by shifting its focus toward small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

With Canadian SME AI adoption currently at roughly 8 percent, AI for All provides targeted resources—including direct financing incentives, readiness assessment tools, and IP protection programs—to help smaller businesses implement practical AI solutions.

https://ow.ly/QLqL50Zyzzn

08/06/2026

While ordinary employees are free to work for local competitors, unlawful competition occurs when departing staff breach non-solicitation covenants, misuse confidential data, or fail to uphold fiduciary duties. For Windsor-Ess*x businesses, protecting proprietary assets requires an immediate review of contractual obligations and digital footprints to evaluate exposure and enforce valid protections.

Our latest blog covers the key indicators of actionable competitive conduct, current enforceability standards for restrictive covenants, and practical risk mitigation strategies for employers.

https://ow.ly/kI4B50ZwkcC

Learn employer litigation options when a former employee joins a competitor in Windsor-Ess*x, including injunctions & confidentiality claims.

08/04/2026

The gap between corporate AI expectations and workers' actual proficiency is widening, creating substantial operational and compliance risks for Canadian organizations.

According to the 2026 TD AI Insights Report conducted by Ipsos, 32 percent of Canadian workers admit to exaggerating their artificial intelligence competencies in professional settings. This widespread exaggeration stems directly from a systemic lack of corporate support, as only 37 percent of employees report receiving adequate training from their employers.

https://ow.ly/acw650ZtUQu

New TD research exposes critical AI skills gap in Canada, with one in three workers admitting to overstating abilities