Law Dictionary

Government grants are non-repayable funds provided by government to businesses or organizations for specific purposes, such as research, innovation, hiring or community projects. Recipients must meet eligibility criteria and usually sign a grant or contribution agreement that sets conditions on use of the funds, reporting and audit rights.

Government procurement is the process by which public bodies buy goods, services and construction, usually through competitive bidding. In Canada, a formal tender can create a binding bid contract, called Contract A, that obliges the owner to treat bidders fairly and follow its own rules. British Columbia public bodies must also meet procurement obligations under trade agreements.

Government regulations are rules made under the authority of statutes by the federal or provincial cabinet, ministers or regulators, or bylaws made by local governments, that set detailed requirements for businesses and individuals. Examples include licensing, zoning, environmental, employment and privacy requirements. Regulations have the force of law within the limits of the statute that authorizes them.

In property law, a grant means a transfer or creation of an interest in property, such as the grant of an easement, a lease or a licence. In BC, the term also refers to a Crown grant, the original transfer of land from the Crown. Grant funding from government is a different and unrelated concept.

A grant agreement is a contract under which a government agency or other funder provides money to a recipient for a defined purpose, subject to conditions such as eligible costs, reporting, audit rights, intellectual property terms and repayment if conditions are breached. It is enforced as an ordinary contract, and grant funds usually have income tax consequences.

Green technology refers to products, services and processes that reduce environmental harm, such as renewable energy, energy efficient buildings and clean manufacturing. It is a business and technology term rather than a legal one. Legal issues for green technology businesses include environmental regulation, intellectual property protection, government incentives and environmental marketing claims.

Gross income is the total income earned by a person or business before deducting expenses or taxes. It is an accounting and finance term rather than a legal one. For a business, it is often used interchangeably with gross revenue, although some contexts use it to mean revenue minus cost of goods sold.

Gross negligence is a very marked departure from the standard of care a reasonable person would show, more serious than ordinary negligence. In British Columbia business law it matters most in contracts, where limitation of liability clauses often exclude losses caused by gross negligence or wilful misconduct, and in tax, where it triggers penalties under the federal Income Tax Act.

Gross profit margin is the percentage of revenue left after subtracting the cost of goods sold, showing how much a business earns on its products or services before overhead. It is a finance and accounting term rather than a legal one. It is commonly used to compare profitability over time or against competitors.

A ground lease is a long-term lease of land, often 60 to 99 years, where the tenant builds and owns improvements while the landowner keeps the freehold. Improvements usually revert to the landowner at expiry. In British Columbia, ground leases are registered under the Land Title Act and terms over 30 years can attract property transfer tax.

Group insurance is insurance that covers a group of people, usually employees of a business or members of an organization, under a single master policy held by the employer or organization. Common coverages include life, disability, extended health and dental. The terms of coverage, including eligibility and any conversion rights, are set by the policy.

A guarantee is a promise by a guarantor to pay a debt or perform an obligation of another person if that person defaults. In BC, under section 59(6) of the Law and Equity Act, a guarantee is unenforceable unless it is evidenced in writing signed by the guarantor or the guarantor has acted in a way showing it was given.

Habeas corpus is a court remedy that allows a person who is detained by the state to challenge the lawfulness of that detention and be released if it is unlawful. It is used mainly in criminal, immigration and prison contexts and has no ordinary application in business law.

Hacking is unauthorized access to, or interference with, a computer system or its data. It is a crime under the Criminal Code, including unauthorized use of a computer and mischief in relation to computer data. For a British Columbia business, a hack that exposes personal information also engages its PIPA duty to protect that information with reasonable security arrangements.

Harassment is unwelcome conduct or comments that a person knows or reasonably ought to know would cause another person to be humiliated or intimidated. In the workplace, it includes bullying and harassment as well as discriminatory harassment based on protected grounds such as race, sex or sexual orientation. It may give rise to employment, human rights and criminal consequences.

Hazardous waste is waste that, because of its toxic, flammable, corrosive, reactive or other dangerous properties, poses a risk to human health or the environment and is subject to special handling, storage, transport and disposal rules. Examples include used solvents, certain batteries, waste oil and some industrial by-products.

Health and safety regulations are the legal rules that require employers to protect workers from injury and illness at work. They cover matters such as hazard assessment, training, protective equipment, first aid, incident reporting and investigation. Employers, supervisors and workers each have defined responsibilities.

Health care law is the body of law governing the delivery of health care, including regulation of health professionals and facilities, patient consent, privacy of health information, public health insurance and professional liability. For most businesses outside the health sector it has limited direct relevance, except in areas such as employee health information.

Health insurance is insurance that pays for medical and related health costs. In BC, basic medically necessary services are covered by the public Medical Services Plan. Private extended health insurance covers additional costs, such as prescription drugs, dental care and paramedical services, and is often provided by employers as a voluntary benefit.

Hearsay evidence is an out-of-court statement offered in court to prove the truth of what it says, when the person who made it cannot be cross-examined on it. It is presumptively inadmissible in British Columbia courts unless it fits a recognized exception or meets the principled test of necessity and threshold reliability.

A hedge fund is a privately offered pooled investment fund that uses strategies such as leverage, short selling and derivatives to pursue returns. It is a finance term rather than a legal category. Units are usually sold only to accredited or other exempt investors rather than to the general public under a prospectus.

"High-tech patent" is an informal label, not a separate legal category. It describes an ordinary patent over a technological invention. A Canadian patent gives the owner the exclusive right to make, use and sell the invention generally for 20 years from the filing date, subject to maintenance fees, in exchange for public disclosure of how it works.

Hiring practices are the policies and steps a business uses to advertise jobs, screen applicants, interview and make offers. Legally, the key limits in BC are that hiring decisions and job advertisements must not discriminate on protected grounds, and that applicant information must be collected and handled in line with privacy law.

A holding company is a corporation whose main purpose is to own shares of other companies or investment assets rather than operate a business. In BC, owners commonly hold operating company shares through a holding company to receive intercorporate dividends, move surplus cash beyond the reach of operating creditors and support estate freezes, subject to Income Tax Act anti-avoidance rules.

A holographic will is a will written entirely in the will-maker's own handwriting and signed, but not witnessed. Some jurisdictions accept these as formally valid. British Columbia does not; a handwritten, unwitnessed document can take effect only if a court orders it effective under its curative power.