Human Resources Legislative Update
Ontario Introduces Bill 13; Proposes Changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Education Act
Date: October 8, 2021
On October 7, 2021, the Ontario government introduced Bill 13, Supporting People and Businesses Act, 2021 (Bill 13) for first reading. Among other things, Bill 13 includes proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act as well as to the Education Act.
Occupational Health and Safety
Proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act include:
- a health and safety representative or a joint health and safety committee member may share with an inspector any of their findings regarding a circumstance where a person is killed or critically injured at a workplace,
- an employer at a workplace in which five or fewer workers are regularly employed may be required to prepare and review at least annually a written occupational health and safety policy and develop and maintain a program to implement that policy, and
- an employer must provide to the joint health and safety committee, the health and safety representative and trade union, if any, a written report of the circumstances of an occurrence where a person is killed or critically injured from any cause at a workplace. This written report must be provided within forty-eight hours of the occurrence.
Education
Proposed amendments to the Education Act include:
- repeal of the requirement that any supervisory officer appointed by a school board must be confirmed as eligible for the position by the Minister of Education and Training. The aim of this proposed change is to allow school boards to complete the process of hiring supervisory officers in less time, and
- removal of the provision in the Education Act that prevents a supervisory officer from holding any other office, having any other employment or following any other profession during their tenure as supervisory officer.
We will continue to monitor Bill 13 and its progress through the legislative process, and will provide a further update on these changes when the Bill comes into force.
The article in this client update provides general information and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. This publication is copyrighted by Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP and may not be photocopied or reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without the express permission of Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP. ©
