COVID-10 Portal - Field Law

COVID-19

COVID-19

Industries

Professional Regulatory

Services

Cross-Border Services

Labour + Employment

Privacy + Data Management

Professional Regulatory

Overview

Experience

People

News + Views + Events

With the vast amount of news regarding COVID-19 being delivered daily, Field Law is consolidating the most up-to-date and important information and providing resources relating to the implications for businesses and other organizations via this COVID-19 Portal.

Business

COVID-19: Force Majeure Clauses in Business Agreements - Webinar (March 31, 2020)

Patent Issues under Canada’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Act (March 26, 2020)

Your Guide to the Federal COVID-19 Aid Legislation (March 25, 2020)

Additional Financial Support for Alberta Employers (March 25, 2020)

The Force Majeure Hit List – 7 Things You Need to Know (March 24, 2020)

Post-Crisis Planning – What Will You Do When the Crisis Ends? (March 23, 2020)

Will the Pandemic Impact Trademarks in Canada? (March 19, 2020)

Cannabis

COVID-19 and the Impact on the Cannabis Industry (July 29)

Construction

Contractors and COVID-19: How Far Must We (and Can We) Go to Meet OHS Obligations? (March 30, 2020)

Construction Claims and COVID-19: What is Still Available? (March 24, 2020)

COVID-19 and Construction Contract Performance: Frustration When you Don’t Have a Force Majeure Clause (March 23, 2020)

Cross-Border Clients

Key Cross-Border Points for Canadians to Consider at this Time (March 20, 2020)

Immigration

New Canadian Entry Requirements (Feb 2, 2021)

New Year, New Travel Rules, New US Immigration Policy (January 25, 2021)

Immigration Update: What Changed Over the Summer? (September 2)

Exceptions, Resumptions and Some Restrictions: Canada-US Border Update (June 5)

COVID-19 Immigration Update (May 13)

Top 10 Immigration Questions Answered (April 6)

This Just Tweeted… US Immigration Updates based on COVID-19 (March 31, 2020)

COVID-19 Impact on Immigration and Travel Ban (March 24, 2020)

Travelling soon? Here’s your Coronavirus Round-Up (March 9, 2020)

Canadian Border Officials Halt most Deportations in face of COVID-19 (March 18, 2020)

Insurance

Navigating Business Interruption Claims Due to COVID-19 - Webinar (April 15)

Business Interruption Claims Due to COVID-19 (April 2)

Intellectual Property + Technology

Will the Pandemic Impact Trademarks in Canada? - An Update (April 27)

Signing Contracts in a Distanced World (April 22)

Labour + Employment

UPDATE: CERB Extension and Changes to Employment Insurance (Aug 24)

Working from Home: Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic (Aug 6)

Update: Proposed Changes to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) (July 21)

Highlights of Bill 32: Restoring Balance in Alberta’s Workplaces Act (July 13)

WFH: Policies + Considerations Beyond the Pandemic -Webinar (July 8)

Bill 24: A Further Extension of the Temporary Layoff Period to 180 Days (June 30)

CERB Extension – What Does This Mean for Employers? (June 30)

Ready for Re-Launch! – Practical Advice for Employer “Return to the Workplace” Planning Amidst COVID-19 (June 18)

What to do When an Employee Resigns after Being Recalled to Return to Work (June 12)

Employees are Afraid to Return to Work. Now What? (May 19)

We said “Back to work!” They said “We refuse!” Now what? - Webinar (May 13)

Lay-offs vs. Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy: Pros + Cons - Webinar (April 22)

The Nuts + Bolts of the CEWS for Employers (April 16)

Roadmap for Employers Navigating COVID-19 (April 16)

Eight Things to Know About the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (April 13)

Eligibility Requirements for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (April 9)

Suspended or Not? Limitation Periods in Employment Law (April 8)

Temporary Changes to Alberta Employment Standards Legislation (April 6)

UPDATE: What Does the 75% Wage Subsidy Mean for Employers? (April 1)

What Does the 75% Wage Subsidy Mean for Employers? (March 27, 2020)

Virtual Workplace: Employers Can Rely on Electronic Employment Records (March 27, 2020)

COVID-19: Employment + Immigration Do’s and Don’ts - Webinar (March 20, 2020)

New Federal Support for Employees + Employers (March 19, 2020)

UPDATE: Alberta Government Announces Details of COVID-19 Leave (March 18, 2020)

Lock Down! Tips for Employers + Businesses Facing the Inevitable (March 17, 2020)

COVID-19: An Update for Employers (March 16, 2020)

An Employer's Guide to Managing the Coronavirus in the Workplace (Feb 3, 2020)

Privacy + Data Management

Privacy for Health Care Organizations: What Has Changed and What Hasn’t? - Webinar (July 7)

The ABTraceTogether App - Key Privacy Considerations (May 20)

Returning to Campus During a Pandemic: Privacy Issues (May 15)

Privacy + Data Management Considerations for Employers in a Pandemic - Webinar (April 1)

Professional Regulatory

COVID-19 + The Duty to Report (March 24, 2020)

Real Estate

Commercial Tenancies Protection Act (Alberta) (June 22)

Condo Corporations Now Permitted to Access Reserve Funds in “Emergencies” (June 3)

No Contractors Allowed: Court Calls Condo Matter “Urgent” (April 8)

Tackling COVID-19 and Minimizing Risk: Considerations for Alberta Condominium Corporations (April 3)

Landlords: How do you Spell (Rent) Relief? (March 24, 2020)

Convening a Condominium AGM Amid Concerns over COVID-19? (March 18, 2020)

Wills, Estates + Trusts

Virtual Witnessing of Wills in Alberta Not so Clear (May 26)

Remote Witnessing of Wills, Enduring Power of Attorneys, and Personal Directives Arrives in Alberta (May 21)

Sticky Situation: Sticky Note Will Accepted by Alberta Court (March 16, 2020)

Helpful Links

Alberta Health Services

Government of Canada

NWT Health and Social Services

Field Law - Remote Working (March 17, 2020)

Field Law - Response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) (March 13, 2020)

February 2021 - 1 min read

New Canadian Entry Requirements

Prime Minister Trudeau announced new legal requirements for entry into Canada in an effort to further curb the spread of COVID-19 and protect Canadians. Cancellation of Flights As of January 31, 2021, Canadian airlines have agreed to ca...

January 2021 - 2 min read

New Year, New Travel Rules, New US Immigration Policy

Canadian Travel Requirements Travel into Canada continues to be regulated (see our previous post with details) and the monthly extension of restrictions remains without any end in sight. In late December 2020 the federal government announced a new...

December 17, 2020

The Old is New, Again? Bill 47 and Psychological Health + Safety

The COVID-19 pandemic has seriously affected peoples’ mental health, and its impacts can be felt in the workplace. Occupational health and safety law requires that employers take steps to promote their workers’ psychological well-being. Joi...

December 3, 2020

Cocktails + Counsel: Setting Your Business Up for Success in Uncertain Times

Join Field Law for another edition of Cocktails + Counsel, this time co-presented with PARK. This complimentary series brings you together with a few of our lawyers for an unscripted chat about legal issues pertinent to local business owners in th...

November 2020 - 2 min read

New Restrictions = New Lay-Offs? What Employers Need to Know

On November 24, 2020, the Government of Alberta announced additional restrictions in response to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the province. Effective November 27, 2020, many businesses will be subject to closures, limited capacity, or appoin...

October 7, 2020

Cocktails + Counsel: Workplace Accommodation in the COVID Era

Join Field Law for the second installment of a complimentary new webinar series that brings you together (virtually) with a few of our lawyers for an unscripted chat about legal issues. Your questions guide the discussion, and we provide our legal pers...

August 2020 - 1 min read

UPDATE: CERB Extension and Changes to Employment Insurance

The Federal government has announced a four- week extension to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).As explained by the Government of Canada, the CERB is being extended from 24 weeks to 28 weeks for workers who: stopped working due to COVID...

August 2020 - 5 min read

Working from Home: Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic

In March 2020, the world shifted and many employees had to adapt to working from home. Now several months on, many employees are hoping to make this arrangement permanent. Having your employees work from home may benefit and be feasible ...

July 2020 - 4 min read

COVID-19 and the Impact on the Cannabis Industry

Keeping Up With Cannabis

Cannabis retail outlets, producers, manufacturers, distributors and warehouses were deemed to be essential services by the Alberta Government on March 30, 2020. As a result, cannabis businesses and services can and have continued to serve Albertans thr...

July 2020 - 4 min read

8 Tips for When the Bank Calls

It is no secret that, due to COVID-19 and the collapse in oil prices that many companies in Alberta are in financial distress. While lenders have generally cooperated during this period, business owners are now, with good reason, anxiously dreadi...

July 2020 - 1 min read

Update: Proposed Changes to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)

UPDATE: Bill C-20 passed Royal Assent on July 27, 2020. As a result, the changes to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program, described in detail below, came into force on July 27, 2020. On July 17, 2020, the Canadian government proposed changes to...

July 2020 - 5 min read

Highlights of Bill 32: Restoring Balance in Alberta’s Workplaces Act

Workwise Newsletter

UPDATE: Bill 32 passed Royal Assent on July 29, 2020. As a result, the changes to the Employment Standards Code and the Labour Relations Code, described in detail below, will begin to come into force. The now passed legislative amendments com...

WFH: Policies + Considerations Beyond the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many employers and their employees to abruptly adopt work-from-home arrangements. Although the relaunch of the Alberta economy is underway, employers and employees have become accustomed to remote work and “Zoom&rdquo...

Privacy for Health Care Organizations: What Has Changed and What Hasn’t?

Health care organizations have had to adapt quickly during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to managing an unknown disease and focusing on patient care, day to day operational life has changed- videoconferencing, fit for work screening, and liab...

June 2020 - 2 min read

Bill 24: A Further Extension of the Temporary Layoff Period to 180 Days

As we reported in April, the Government of Alberta previously announced an extension of the temporary layoff period in Alberta’s Employment Standards Code (the “Code”) from 60 days to 120 days.Recently, the Government of Alberta intro...

June 2020 - 6 min read

Commercial Tenancies Protection Act (Alberta)

The Alberta government is moving forward with Bill 23, the Commercial Tenancies Protection Act (“CTPA”). The Bill was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on June 16, 2020 and passed First Reading the same day. This is a government Bill,...

June 2020 - 2 min read

CERB Extension – What Does This Mean for Employers?

The Federal Government recently announced an extension to the Canada Emergency Relief Benefit (CERB). The program, set to expire at the end of June, will now be available to support Canadians unable to work due to the COVID-19 pandemic till the end of ...

June 2020 - 6 min read

Ready for Re-Launch! – Practical Advice for Employer “Return to the Workplace” Planning Amidst COVID-19

As endless as these past few months have seemed, it was not so long ago that most workplaces had to abruptly wrestle with how to scale down and make sometimes drastic changes to the way that their work gets done in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Wh...

June 2020 - 2 min read

What to do When an Employee Resigns after Being Recalled to Return to Work

Employers Asked, We Answered

As restrictions begin to lift, many employers are recalling employees from temporary layoff. In some cases, employees are responding to the request to return to work by resigning. As a result, many employers are wondering whether they are complicit in ...

Return to Play – Legal Considerations

As we begin to find a new normal and economies undergo the re-opening process, the return of amateur sports is now emerging on the horizon. This is a happy development that will have a profound positive impact on the physical and mental health of...

Canadian Construction Projects and COVID-19: Future Forecasts

Canadian Bar Association

Exceptions, Resumptions and Some Restrictions: Canada-US Border Update

With proclamations and Orders-in-Council slowing down to a trickle, we can now take stock and note some trends in the new era of immigration law. While the Canada -US border will remain closed until at least June 21, 2020, Canada continu...

A Provincial Twist on the Emergency Suspension of Limitation Periods

Canadian Underwriter

Condo Corporations Now Permitted to Access Reserve Funds in “Emergencies”

Real Estate Blog

May 2020 - 4 min read

Virtual Witnessing of Wills in Alberta Not so Clear

In Alberta, as in most other provinces, generally wills, powers of attorney and personal directives need to be signed and witnessed in person for the documents to be legally valid. Our wills legislation allows certain departur...

May 2020 - 1 min read

Remote Witnessing of Wills, Enduring Power of Attorneys, and Personal Directives Arrives in Alberta

Alberta’s Ministry of Justice and Solicitor General has announced a process for remote witnessing and signing of wills, enduring power of attorneys, and personal directives during this time of public emergency. Temporary amendments have been...

May 2020 - 4 min read

The ABTraceTogether App - Key Privacy Considerations

In a bid to help combat the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Alberta has become the first Canadian province to launch a contact tracing app to track community transmission of COVID-19.Alberta released the app, ABTraceTogether, on May 1, 2020...

May 2020 - 2 min read

Employees are Afraid to Return to Work. Now What?

On May 13, 2020 we hosted a webinar about pandemic-related work refusals as Alberta and other governments enable businesses and other organizations to reopen and call employees back to work. The most frequently asked question was: What do I do with an ...

May 2020 - 5 min read

Returning to Campus During a Pandemic: Privacy Issues

This week, as this article went to press, several major Canadian and American universities announced plans to maintain classes online when the fall semester starts in September. Other universities and colleges are making plans to bring students ba...

Cybersecurity in the Age of COVID-19 (And Beyond)

We said “Back to work!” They said “We refuse!” Now what?

The Alberta government announced its "safely staged COVID-19 relaunch" and you’re thinking it’s time to call your laid-off or working-from-home crews back to work. Or you’re carrying on providing essential services and the &...

COVID-19 Immigration Update

The US Restricts Immigration On April 20, 2020, President Trump tweeted that he would close down immigration in response to COVID-19. As this was less than descriptive, a Proclamation was issued on...

Will the Pandemic Impact Trademarks in Canada? - An Update

With the significant disruptions to civil society, Canadian business owners face a host of immediate concerns. Trademarks and intellectual property are naturally lower on the list, and brand owners should take some comfort that there’s a bit of b...

The Liability of Long-Term Care Facilities: COVID-19’s Projected Impact

Canadian Underwriter

Lay-offs vs. Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy: Pros + Cons

What are the best options for your organization now, during the pandemic, and post-pandemic? The response to COVID-19 has resulted in a shut-down of the economy. While the operating costs for organizations have remained, revenues have dropped dramat...

Signing Contracts in a Distanced World

When many people think of signing a contract, the traditional picture is a meeting, a pen and paper, and handshakes at the end. With current social and physical distancing protocols in place, all of these traditional images are jarring. Now, every...

The Nuts + Bolts of the CEWS for Employers

As the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (“CEWS”) was made official on April 14, 2020, employers potentially eligible for this subsidy should now be considering what proactive steps they can take to support the intent of the new legislation, sp...

Navigating Business Interruption Claims Due to COVID-19

COVID-19 will result in a big surge in business interruption claims. Get ahead of the curve by getting up to speed on the key issues you will need to know to deal with those claims. Presented by Mike Doerksen and Angela Beierbach, this webinar will pro...

Roadmap for Employers Navigating COVID-19

Has your company experienced a decrease in work due to COVID-19? Download our comprehensive roadmap to explore the options you have for assistance as well as other frequently asked questions.

Eight Things to Know About the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy

The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (the “Subsidy”) is a measure announced by the Government of Canada providing a 75-per-cent wage subsidy to eligible employers for up to 12 weeks, retroactive to March 15, 2020. Field law has previousl...

Eligibility Requirements for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy

We provided our most recent update on the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy on April 1, 2020. On April 8, 2020, the Government of Canada announced changes which relax the eligibility requirements for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (the “Subsi...

Suspended or Not? Limitation Periods in Employment Law

On March 30, 2020, Ministerial Order 27/2020 from the Minister of Justice and Solicitor General suspended limitation periods and periods of time within which any step must be taken in any proceeding or intended proceeding, from March 17 to June 1, 2020...

Temporary Changes to Alberta Employment Standards Legislation

On April 6, 2020, the Alberta Government announced temporary changes to the Employment Standards Code and Employment Standards Regulation to assist employers and employees in this difficult time. What we know about the changes so far, and their p...

Top 10 Immigration Questions Answered

In the current state of the world where travel is essentially non-existent, employers who rely on any foreign workers are lost in a sea of unanswered questions. Field Law’s Immigration lawyers have many of the same queries and in an effort ...

April 2020 - 8 min read

Tackling COVID-19 and Minimizing Risk: Considerations for Alberta Condominium Corporations

Real Estate Blog

Business Interruption Claims Due to COVID-19

As a result of COVID-19, countless businesses have been forced to temporarily shut their doors or change the way they operate significantly. As a direct result, many businesses have lost and continue to lose income. More and more businesses will be loo...

Privacy + Data Management Considerations for Employers in a Pandemic

During a pandemic it can be difficult to balance employee privacy rights with the need to collect the information required to make critical decisions. Presented by Katrina Haymond and Kelly Nicholson, this webinar will provide employers with informatio...

UPDATE: What Does the 75% Wage Subsidy Mean for Employers?

The Government of Canada continues to announce details of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (the “Subsidy”). On April 1, 2020, the following details were provided: The Subsidy is available to companies (including partnerships and sole p...

COVID-19: Force Majeure Clauses in Business Agreements

Learn about force majeure clauses, and why context is important in interpreting how it might apply to your commercial contracts. Presented by Cameron Hughes and Richard Stobbe, this webinar will review the concept of “frustration” of contra...

The Impact of COVID-19 on Professional Regulators

The COVID-19 pandemic is presenting profound challenges world-wide stressing the capacity of societal institutions, businesses, and organizations. We know that our professional regulatory clients are facing extraordinarily difficult and unique challeng...

This Just Tweeted… US Immigration Updates based on COVID-19

Whether you saw it as a tweet or during a press conference over the weekend, President Trump announced that all social distancing must continue for Americans for at least another month, if not longer. While this isn’t the first or last update on ...

Contractors and COVID-19: How Far Must We (and Can We) Go to Meet OHS Obligations?

Much has been published in the last few weeks about the obligations of employers under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, SA 2017, c O-2.1 [OHSA] to ensure that work sites are safe and healthy (and we’ll have more to come about the obligatio...

Virtual Workplace: Employers Can Rely on Electronic Employment Records

Recent changes in legislation permit Alberta employers to use electronic signatures and maintain electronic employment records. These legislative changes are particularly helpful as employers navigate increasingly common work-from-home arrangements and...

What Does the 75% Wage Subsidy Mean for Employers?

On March 27, 2020, the Government of Canada announced that it would be increasing a previously announced wage subsidy for small and medium businesses from 10% to 75%. The stated goal is to help employers keep employees on the payroll. The wag...

Additional Financial Support for Alberta Employers

On March 23, 2020, the Government of Alberta announced new measures for private sector employers to help them cope with the financial effects of the COVID-19 crisis. They include: an Education property tax freeze an Education property tax deferra...

Your Guide to the Federal COVID-19 Aid Legislation

Bill C-13 today received royal assent, bringing into force many of the initiatives first announced by the federal government on March 18, 2020 in response to the challenges employees and employers are facing due to COVID-19. Part of Bill C-13 brou...

Landlords: How do you Spell (Rent) Relief?

Alberta is now in its fifth year of a depressed economy, and the misery has recently been significantly worsened by the double blows of a severe drop in oil prices and a pandemic. Many Alberta businesses and non-profit organizations are suffering, and ...

COVID-19 + The Duty to Report

Perspectives for the Professions

On March 17, 2020, Alberta declared a state of public health emergency “due to pandemic COVID-19 and the significant likelihood of pandemic influenza”.While in the normal course, a patient’s right to privacy is paramount, in the face ...

March 2020 - 4 min

The Force Majeure Hit List – 7 Things You Need to Know

The COVID-19 Pandemic has unprecedented and wide-spread impact on commercial obligations. Many business relationships are being disrupted or suspended, and many business deals are delayed or completely cancelled. The global lock-down has...

COVID-19 Impact on Immigration and Travel Ban

Less than a month ago, we wrote about business travellers who had their phones arbitrarily searched at the border. Two weeks ago, we wrote about travel insurance for those looking to travel for business or even (gasp) pleasure....

Construction Claims and COVID-19: What is Still Available?

The status of what businesses can remain open, in what capacity, and with access to whom, is ever-changing in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. For ongoing construction projects, or those for which a party has recently performed work, ...

March 2020 - 2 min read

Post-Crisis Planning – What Will You Do When the Crisis Ends?

During a crisis, there are immediate priorities as the situation changes day-to-day and at times, hour-to-hour. Understandably, post-crisis planning for business owners can often be over-looked. Post-crisis planning steps that should be tak...

COVID-19 and Construction Contract Performance: Frustration When you Don't Have a Force Majeure Clause

The ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will likely have many parties looking at their ongoing and future contractual obligations. In the construction context, many contracts will include a force majeure provision outlining what happens when contr...

COVID-19: Employment + Immigration Do’s and Don’ts

Learn what employers and employees can and can’t do during the pandemic, and how travel restrictions will affect Canadians. Presented by Christin Elawny and Miranda Sinclair this webinar will discuss up to date information on the ever-evolvi...

Key Cross-Border Points for Canadians to Consider at this Time

Things are changing every day in the wake of COVID-19. Unanticipated consequences have begun to cause a fury of questions and unknowns. The below aims to address both the immigration and tax concerns as it relates to those with assets and ties to...

New Federal Support for Employees + Employers

As part of a new $82 billion spending package, the federal government today announced that approximately $27 billion would be directed to support for employers and employees affected by the COVID-19 situation. Parliament could be recalled as early as n...

UPDATE: Alberta Government Announces Details of COVID-19 Leave

On March 16, 2020, Field Law reported on the Alberta government’s plans to amend the Employment Standards Code to allow employees who are required to self-isolate or care for a family member with COVID-19 to take 14 days of paid leave to cover th...

Canadian border officials halt most deportations in face of COVID-19

Field Law - Remote Working

As the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to rise, we are writing to update you on the steps Field Law is taking to ensure the well-being of our employees, clients, and our community. We continue to monitor updates from Alberta Health Servi...

Lock Down! Tips for Employers + Businesses Facing the Inevitable

The advice from Canadian public health officials is trending in one direction: increasing self-isolation. Not less.Calgary and Red Deer announced states of emergency earlier this week. Today, Ontario...

COVID-19: An Update for Employers

Changes to Alberta’s Employment Standards Code and an Updated Employer’s Guide to Managing Pandemics in the Workplace

While the risk of contracting COVID-19 in Alberta and the Northwest Territories remains low, the situation is fluid and changing quickly. As a result, employers worldwide are balancing the steps necessary to lessen the effects of COVID-19 with continui...

Sticky Situation: Sticky Note Will Accepted by Alberta Court

While our office remains open during the escalating global coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in Alberta, we have taken steps to minimize the potential impact of the virus in accordance with our firm’s business continuity plan and th...

Field Law - Response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

As the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to unfold, Field Law has taken steps to minimize the potential impact of the virus. As of March 12, all our offices (Calgary, Edmonton and Yellowknife) remain open and fully functioning. In...

Travelling soon? Here’s your Coronavirus Round-Up

Your much awaited vacation to Asia or Europe is fast-approaching and suddenly you’ve started to take notice of the non-stop coronavirus coverage. Should you cancel? What are your options? Does your insurance cover you? Field Law&rs...

An Employer’s Guide to Managing the Coronavirus in the Workplace

While the public risk associated with the Coronavirus in Canada is still considered low, employers should prepare antidotes for the various workplaces issues that arise in the wake of large-scale threats to health. Below are some frequently asked quest...