On May 30, 2025, Clark Wilson LLP welcomed a strong turnout of business owners and advisors for Employee Ownership Trusts: What You Need To Know, a half-day seminar held at our downtown Vancouver office. The session explored how Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) can offer a practical, values-driven, and ten million dollars of tax-free gain—without the need to take a discount on the price, search for to outside buyers, or ask employees to fund the purchase directly. 

The seminar featured a dynamic panel of legal, tax, financial, and EOT experts. Presenters included David Ford, CEPA, FEA, Business & M&A Lawyer at Clark Wilson LLP; St. John McCloskey, LL.M., Tax & Administrative Lawyer at Clark Wilson LLP; Rachel Simister, CFA, Managing Director of Corporate Finance at BMO Bank of Montreal; David Badalucco, Tax Partner at Doane Grant Thornton LLP; and Tracy Zhang, who represented Rewrite Capital (standing in for Rewrite’s Co-Founder Tiara Letourneau). Together, the panel walked attendees through how EOTs work, who they’re right for, and how business owners can begin evaluating this innovative structure for their own succession plans. 

The audience demonstrated a high level of engagement, contributing insightful questions and participating in discussions—underscoring the increasing interest in succession strategies that emphasize legacy preservation, employee ownership, and local continuity. 

In addition to supporting business education, the event also contributed to the broader community: more than $1,200 in registration fees was raised and will be donated to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. 

This well-received session reflects Clark Wilson’s ongoing commitment to providing confidential, strategic guidance for business owners preparing for transition. A follow-up seminar is already being planned for Fall 2025. 

For more information or to express interest in future EOT seminars, please contact David Ford or St. John McCloskey.