Business law insights and analysisBusiness analysis
and commentary.

Litigation

Exclusion, dilution, excessive pay: the remedy designed for the shareholder without control.

The oppression remedy: the minority shareholder’s tool

Transactions

Non-binding as to the transaction, yet four of its clauses bind you from the moment you sign.

The letter of intent: what actually binds you

Corporate

The first document a buyer asks for, and the one that most often stops a transaction.

The minute book: the document that blocks transactions

Contracts

Definition, exceptions, return of material: the four clauses that separate a useful document from a decorative one.

The confidentiality agreement: what it actually protects

Corporate

Protecting surplus cash, holding real estate elsewhere, serving shareholders with different needs.

The holding company: what it is actually for

Business

Government fees, professional fees and the three items the posted price never includes.

What incorporating in Québec really costs

Compliance

When the obligation arises, why registering early pays, and the mistakes that cost money.

Registering your business for GST and QST

Succession

Part 1The wave of business transfers is accelerating. How to approach a first acquisition methodically.

Buying a business in Québec: where to start

Succession

Part 2Contracts, lawsuits, employees, permits: the checklist of what to examine before signing.

Due diligence: knowing what you are really buying

Succession

Part 3The two main ways to buy a business, and their lasting consequences.

Shares or assets: the choice that changes everything

Immigration

Stream 2 or stream 3: the same net worth and spending, but two projects and two levels of control.

Starting or buying: which Entrepreneur Program stream to choose

Immigration

Net worth, notice of intent, work permit, spending to demonstrate: the full path.

The Start a business stream: a complete guide

Immigration

A five-year-old business, control to acquire, a mandatory support organization, a succession plan.

The Business takeover stream: a complete guide

Immigration

A $1M five-year investment, a $200,000 contribution, and when the funds are actually committed.

The Quebec Investor Program: the investment and when it is made

Immigration

Two years self-employed, $100,000 net worth, level 7 spoken French, a start-up deposit.

The Quebec Self-Employed Worker Program: the 2026 guide

Immigration

Assets minus liabilities on a given date. The arithmetic is simple; proving lawful origin is not.

Net worth in business immigration: calculating and proving it

Immigration

Planning, directing and controlling resources. A job title proves nothing.

Management experience: what is actually recognized

Immigration

The narrative traces where the money came from, the plan proves the project. They must agree.

The narrative document and the business plan: making the file cohere

Immigration

Level 7 spoken, recognized tests, two-year validity. Being a native speaker is not enough.

The French test: level 7 and the proof accepted

Immigration

Spouse, common-law partner, dependent child: precise definitions, with effects on fees and net worth.

Spouse and children: who is included in the application

Immigration

Quebec or federal statute, non-resident directors, Investment Canada notice, a compliant name.

Incorporating in Quebec before permanent residence

Immigration

Holding the 25 % threshold or control for years, and planning for a refusal.

Shareholders’ agreements when a partner is immigrating

Immigration

It protects two things at once: your money and the eligibility of your file.

Due diligence in a takeover by an immigrant entrepreneur

Immigration

In stream 3 the regulation targets legal control. The form of the transaction becomes decisive.

Share or asset purchase: the impact on your eligibility

Immigration

A two-year deadline running from filing, and an offer that must match the succession plan.

The acquisition offer: content and deadlines

Immigration

Real estate is the exclusion that demands the most attention. Each verb targets a distinct activity.

Ineligible sectors: real estate and the other traps

Immigration

An entrepreneur holding a work permit is one of the exceptions, on two precise conditions.

Buying a home in Canada without permanent residence

Immigration

Refused if a condition is missing, rejected if integrity is in question. And a window to respond.

Refusal and rejection: the common grounds and the remedies

Business

Designated officer, incident register, cookies, penalties: a complete tour of the obligations.

Law 25: what your business actually needs to put in place

Business

Business name, domain name, registered trademark: only registration grants a true monopoly.

Protecting your trademark from Québec

Business

Tax deferral, intercorporate dividends, income splitting rules: putting your surplus to work.

Holding companies: the financial advantages

Succession

Exemption, purification, freeze: the tax bill is decided years before the sale.

Selling your business without giving half of it to the taxman

Corporate

The forced buy-sell mechanism that resolves deadlocks, and its very real pitfalls.

The shotgun clause: the duel you should never have to fight

Succession

Normalized EBITDA, multiples and deal terms: understanding what a buyer will really pay.

How much is your business really worth?

Succession

Cap the tax, transfer future growth and keep control during the transition.

The estate freeze: locking in value, passing on growth

Corporate

Employment or business sale: the criteria that determine whether a clause survives in court.

The non-compete clause: the one that holds, and the one that falls

Business

Assignment, change of control, renewal: what to check before you buy.

The commercial lease: the forgotten asset in a transaction

Business

Liability, taxes, formalities: choosing your structure without mortgaging the future.

Partnership, corporation or self-employed: the choice that follows you for 20 years

Litigation

Priorities, proof of claim, the 30-day repossession right: act fast and plan ahead.

Your client goes bankrupt: the remedies you have left

Corporate

Starting a business is a major step: what you need to know to make an informed choice.

Federal or provincial incorporation: which one should you choose?

Corporate

Why the best agreements are drafted while everything is going well.

The shareholder agreement, the contract signed too late

Business

Asset protection, taxes, transfers: what a holding company can do for you.

The holding company, an underused tool for SMEs

Litigation

Well drafted, it sometimes settles the dispute before any proceedings are filed.

The demand letter: your first strategic weapon