Canadians in the commercial real estate business affected by COVID-19 include landlords, tenants, real estate developers, property managers and others that are directly affected by the pandemic. The effects of this pandemic continue to change. Some of the first changes may have been a landlord's decision to restrict access to its premises and ramp up cleaning and sanitization requirements. Further changes have led to tenants deciding to reduce operating hours and have now evolved into both landlord and tenant closures, developers having to cease construction either due to limited workers or insufficient materials, borrowers unable to pay their mortgage payments due to a disruption in their operations, or a purchasers' inability to close a transaction due to financing or other impediments directly or indirectly caused by this pandemic.

Practical Law Canada Commercial Real Estate has created content to assist with these challenges when advising on commercial leases.

As a major trading nation, Canadian companies are directly or indirectly affected by the pandemic. It may, for example, result in disruption of the supply chain, delaying supplies to Canadian companies and, in turn, performance of their delivery obligations.

Practical Law Canada Commercial Transactions has created and maintained content that considers the contractual and commercial issues resulting from COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic will inevitably lead to litigation. However, the most immediate concern for litigants and litigation counsel are those matters that are currently pending before the courts or soon to be commenced.

Practical Law Canada Corporate & Commercial Litigation has created content to assist with these challenges when advising on litigation related matters.

COVID-19 will have a significant impact on both corporate transactions, such as mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and on corporate governance matters, such as the holding of board meetings and satisfying legislative reporting and disclosure requirements.

Practical Law Canada Corporate and M&A has created content to assist counsel advising on these challenges.

Canadian employers are directly or indirectly affected by the epidemic. They have immediate obligations to protect the health of workers who may be exposed to COVID-19. They may also face workforce interruptions, either due to employees contracting the virus or due to supply chain disruption.

Practical Law Canada Employment has created and maintained materials to assist counsel when advising clients on employment law matters as they navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 will have significant and lasting implications for industries, businesses and the Canadian and US loan markets. Borrowers and lenders are navigating unprecedented and continuously evolving times to understand the impact of COVID-19 on existing and new financing arrangements. Borrowers, on the one hand, are trying to understand and mitigate the impact on their businesses, cash flow, and obligations. Lenders, on the other hand, are trying to accommodate the challenges faced by their borrowers while protecting their loan rights and collateral values.

Practical Law Canada Finance has created content to assist counsel when advising on these unique challenges.