Budget Bill Includes Carrigan Pre-Retirement Death Benefit Fix

The Ontario government has taken steps in its 2014 Budget to address the impact of the Ontario Court of Appeal’s 2012 decision in Carrigan v. Carrigan Estate (“Carrigan“). On July 24, 2014, the Ontario Legislature passed Bill 14, the Building Opportunity and Securing Our Future Act (Budget Measures), 2014 (“Bill 14”), which implements some of…

Reaching Out – Sixth Edition

Dear Friends, With summer heating up, burning human resources issues continue to smolder as well. At Hicks Morley, we hope that you are enjoying the summer sunshine and we welcome you to the Summer 2014 Edition of Reaching Out, designed to address a number of relevant practical issues of particular interest and application to management…

New Alberta Employment Pension Plans Act Regulation

On July 22, 2014 the Alberta government enacted a supporting regulation to that province’s Employment Pension Plans Act (the “Act”), legislation enacted in December 2012 following recommendations from the Joint Expert Panel on Pension Standards. The Act and the new Employment Pension Plans Regulation will come into force on September 1, 2014. A government summary…

Ontario Passes Budget Bill, Adjourns

On July 24, 2014, the Ontario government passed Bill 14, Building Opportunity and Securing Our Future Act (Budget Measures), 2014, and the House adjourned for the summer break. It will resume sitting in October. More information on Bill 14 and its impact on your organization is available in our FTR Now of July 17, 2014, “Ontario…

Ontario Reintroduces Healthcare Reform Legislation to Enhance Patient Care, Pharmacy Safety

On July 22, 2014, the Ontario government introduced Bill 21, the Safeguarding Health Care Integrity Act, 2014 (“Bill 21”). In part, the amendments outlined in Bill 21 reintroduce healthcare reform measures first proposed in Bill 117, Enhancing Patient Care and Pharmacy Safety (Statute Law Amendment) Act, 2013, which had not been passed before the June election….

Ontario Reintroduces Legislation Amending Workplace Laws (Formerly Bill 146)

On July 16, 2014, the Ontario government introduced Bill 18, the Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act, 2014 (“Bill 18”), proposed legislation that would, if passed, make significant changes to a number of employment-related statutes, including the Employment Standards Act, 2000, the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act,…

Ontario Reintroduces Legislation Amending Workplace Laws

On July 16, 2014, the Ontario government introduced Bill 18, the Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act, 2014 (“Bill 18”). If passed, Bill 18 would make significant changes to a number of employment-related statutes, including the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”), the Occupational Health and Safety Act (“OHSA”) and the Workplace Safety and Insurance…

Ontario Budget 2014

On Monday, July 14, 2014, the newly elected Liberal government introduced the 2014 Ontario Budget. As was pledged by Premier Wynne during the election campaign, the new Budget is virtually identical to the version that was first tabled on Thursday, May 1, 2014 (and which triggered the recent election). The newly tabled Budget is still…

Ontario Government Re-Introduces Budget 2014, New Budget Bill

On July 14, 2014, the Ontario government re-introduced its 2014 Budget, entitled Building Opportunity, Securing Our Future (the “Budget”). On the same day, it tabled Bill 14, Building Opportunity and Securing Our Future Act (Budget Measures), 2014. The amendments outlined in Bill 14 are similar, but not identical, to measures proposed in the May 2014 Budget Bill…

Court Considers Deductibility of STD/LTD Benefits from Notice Award

The Ontario Superior Court recently considered the deductibility of short term disability (“STD”) and long-term disability (“LTD”) benefits from a notice award. It concluded that STD benefits could be deducted because the benefits were provided as salary continuance, the plaintiff had not contributed directly to their cost and the cost was absorbed by the employer…