The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has published revised guidance on the process for claiming home office expenses for the 2023 taxation year just in time for tax season. The CRA has confirmed that the two temporary methods for claiming deductions for home office expenses—form T2200S, “Declaration of Conditions of Employment for Working at Home Due…
Author: Hicks Morley
Ontario Superior Court Reins In Proposed Discovery Plan and Common Issues
In Curtis v. Medcan Health Management Inc., Justice Perell of the Ontario Superior Court reined in the scope of the plaintiffs’ proposed discovery plan and constrained the scope of the certified common issues in an ongoing employment class action. This class action relates to an allegation of unpaid vacation and public holiday pay. As we…
Federal Government Launches Employment Equity Tool on Workforce Data
On February 2, 2024, the federal government launched a new website, Equi’Vision. It is an employment equity tool which the government states provides “user-friendly, easily comparable data on workforce representation rates and the pay gaps” experienced by women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minorities. These groups are the designated groups under…
Ontario Seeking Employer Feedback on the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program
For employers who are involved with the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program, the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development is seeking feedback on the employer job offer streams as well as employer experience with the Program, among other things. Employers wishing to provide feedback may do so by completing the Ministry’s survey, found on…
Federal Court Approves $817 Million Settlement in Disability Class Action
Class action proceedings often end in negotiated settlements. Those settlements (which must be approved by a court) can be significant in monetary terms. In Manuge v. Canada, the Federal Court recently approved the settlement of a class action arising from the alleged miscalculation and underpayment of disability pension benefits for members and veterans of the…
Ontario Launching New Long-Term Care Home Investigations Unit
The Ontario government recently announced a new 10-person investigations unit to investigate allegations of provincial offences under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021 (FLTCA). The allegations the investigation unit is tasked with investigating include: The work of the investigations unit is distinct from the work of inspectors under the FLTCA. The investigations unit is tasked…
Ontario Human Rights Commission Issues Policy Position on Caste-Based Discrimination
The Ontario Human Rights Commission (Commission) recently released a policy position addressing the issue of caste-based discrimination and confirming the Commission’s perspectives concerning caste-based discrimination as a form of intersectional discrimination contrary to the Ontario Human Rights Code (Code). In its Policy Position on Caste-Based Discrimination (Policy Position), the Commission provides its views on whether…
IPC Power to Determine Administrative Monetary Penalties Takes Effect
On January 1, 2024, changes to the General Regulation made under the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) took effect (see O. Reg. 343/23). The changes stipulate how the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) determines the amount of administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) issued as part of its enforcement powers for violations of PHIPA….
Ontario Court of Appeal Clarifies Transition Provision in Class Proceedings Act, 1992
Ontario’s class proceedings legislation was amended in 2020 and the Ontario courts have recently addressed the question of “transition” for cases begun under the “old” version of the legislation. In Martin v. Wright Medical Technology Canada Ltd., the Ontario Court of Appeal confirmed that there is a “bright line” between actions started under the Class…
New Transparency Requirements for Corporations Subject to the Canada Business Corporations Act Come Into Force on January 22, 2024
The federal government has proclaimed January 22, 2024 as the coming into force date for certain provisions of the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) that were enacted by the Budget Implementation Act, 2022, No. 1. Corporations which are subject to the CBCA (Corporations) will now have additional reporting obligations regarding their registry of individuals with significant…