Commercial law
Commercial law is the body of law governing business dealings, including contracts, the sale of goods, secured lending, negotiable instruments, agency, partnerships and insolvency. It overlaps with corporate law, which governs the creation and internal affairs of companies. Commercial law is drawn from both statutes and the common law.
How BC law treats it
In BC, commercial law includes provincial statutes such as the Sale of Goods Act and the Personal Property Security Act, and federal statutes such as the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the Bills of Exchange Act, together with common law contract principles.
What it means for your business
Most day to day business risks, such as unpaid invoices, defective goods or supplier failures, are commercial law issues best managed through well drafted contracts.
Risks and common mistakes
Relying on standard form terms that were never properly incorporated into the contract can leave a business without the protections it thought it had.
For the full explanation, see our entry on Corporate law.
General information about British Columbia and Canadian law, current to October 2026. It is not legal advice.
