What Corner Brook (City) v. Bailey Means for Ontario Businesses

When parties settle disputes, releases are used to bring finality. But how far does a release go? Can it bar claims that weren’t specifically contemplated? The Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Corner Brook (City) v. Bailey, 2021 SCC 29, offers important guidance for anyone drafting or relying on releases in Ontario and across Canada1. Overview […]

Who Qualifies to Seek Asylum in Canada?

Introduction Canada’s refugee protection system offers protection to individuals who have a well-founded fear of persecution or are at risk of torture, risk to life, or risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment if returned to their country of nationality or habitual residence. Recent legislative amendments, including the Strong Borders Act (Bill C-2, 2025), […]

Federal Court overturns IRCC refusal for failing to properly assess Substituted Evaluation in Start-up Visa application

On June 6, 2025, the Federal Court rendered a significant decision in Helmzadeh v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2025 FC 1023, granting judicial review of a visa officer’s refusal to substitute an applicant’s language test results in the context of a Start-up Business Class permanent residence application. This judgment provides important guidance on the […]

Should You Hire an Immigration Lawyer for a Canadian Visitor Visa?

Key Evaluation Criteria and Legal Guidance for 2025 Visitor Visa refusals are at record highs If you are applying for a Canadian visitor visa in 2025, you need to be aware that refusal rates have reached unprecedented levels. Recent government data shows that in 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) refused 1.95 million visitor […]

Canada Small Business Finance Loan

Protecting your Small Business from CSBF Loan fraud and legal pitfalls

Introduction Background: The CSBFL Loan and the Fraud In this case, Rejuv Medical and its director secured a $350,000 CSBFL loan, along with other credit facilities, by claiming the funds would be used to buy medical equipment for their clinic. However, the business never purchased the equipment, and the supporting invoice was fabricated. The funds were […]

An overview of the “Strong Borders Act” (Bill C-2)  related to upcoming changes to  Immigration and Refugee System

By Ahlawat Law PC On June 3, 2025, Bill C-2, known as the “Strong Borders Act,” was introduced in the House of Commons, proposing substantial amendments across various Canadian statutes. This legislative initiative aims to fortify Canada’s border security and introduce an array of related measures. For those navigating Canada’s immigration and refugee landscape, several […]