Human Resources Legislative Update

Canada Labour Code Health and Safety Amendments to Come into Force on October 31, 2014

Human Resources Legislative Update

Canada Labour Code Health and Safety Amendments to Come into Force on October 31, 2014

Date: June 26, 2014

The federal government has fixed October 31, 2014 as the date that Division 5 of Part 3 of the federal Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 2 will come into force.

Division 5 of Part 3 of the Act amends the Canada Labour Code (“Code”) and makes consequential amendments to other statutes to align them with these changes. As previously reported, the amendments to the Code include:

  • a new statutory definition of “danger”;
  • modifications to the work refusal process and the investigation of continuing work refusals; and
  • the transfer of investigation powers, duties and functions of a health and safety officer to the Minister of Labour.

The federal government has also registered supporting regulations to these amendments, Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Made Under the Canada Labour Code, which will come into force on October 31, 2014.