Here are the top 10 legal risks Canadian businesses will face this year

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New climate change regulations, fraud in e-payment systems, "poison pills", privacy class actions and cybersex in the workplace are among the top 10 legal risks companies operating in Canada will face this year, according to Canadian law firm Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG).

In its annual report on the issue, the group outlines those and other key trends, as well as regulatory changes they believe will have the most important legal implications in the year ahead.

BLG cites navigating new climate change regulations as a key challenge for Canadian businesses this year.

"Nationally, there will be significant changes to Canada's energy systems and economy, heavily weighted in natural resources," the report says.

With green energy sources likely to play a larger role, experienced renewable project developers with strong balance sheets and a low cost of capital are likely to be some of the biggest winners in 2016, it adds.

The experts warn that de-carbonization and structural changes to the oil and gas industry will have significant commercial implications, for example, on manufacturers in Central Canada, large energy consumers and overall currency valuation.

You can download the full report here.