Ontario has proposed significant changes governing the unlocking of funds held in Life Income Funds (LIF), locked-in Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIF) and Locked-In Retirement Accounts (LIRA). The proposal is most relevant to financial institutions that administer these accounts.
Business Operation: Ontario
Key Changes to the HRTO’s Rules of Procedure and Practice Directions Took Effect August 17, 2026
The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario has updated its Rules of Procedure and Practice Directions. The HRTO also introduced two new Practice Directions and process improvements.
Ontario Court of Appeal Case is a Warning to Employers to Review Their Incentive Plans
The decision has significant implications for employers that provide equity awards or other incentive plans. Employers should review their plans and award documents before the same drafting issue produces a similarly significant claim.
FIFA World Cup 2026™ – Labour and Employment Development Roundup
Two World Cup-related decisions offer practical reminders for employers: major sporting events may influence disputes, but they do not change the legal tests that apply.
Unwritten Practices, Selective Discipline, and the Cost of Bad Faith
Wilsher v. Olympic Wholesale highlights the risks for employers of relying on unwritten practices, enforcing workplace rules inconsistently, and engaging in bad faith conduct during the dismissal process.
Ontario Superior Court Awards Damages for Equity Incentive Compensation Vesting After Notice Period
In Khatib v. GoEasy Ltd, 2026 ONSC 3513, the SCJ (Ont.) awarded a terminated executive damages on a pro rata basis, in respect of equity awards that would not have vested within the reasonable notice period.
Separate Agreements, Separate Forums: When Equity Disputes Escape the Employment Arbitration Clause
How employment and equity arrangements are structured and interpreted remains a focus for Ontario courts. Hicks Morley’s Avleen Banwait examines a key distinction for employers to consider when drafting relevant provisions: equity-based claims may fall outside the scope of an employment arbitration clause where separate agreements and forums are at play.
Final Means Final: Settlement Enforced by Ontario Labour Relations Board
In Yolande Linton v. Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology, the Ontario Labour Relations Board (Board) upheld and enforced a settlement between the parties, dismissing the Applicant’s unlawful reprisal claim under section 50 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. For employers, this decision reinforces that clearly communicated and accepted settlement terms can be…
Ontario Court of Appeal Confirms No Charter Right to Deceptive Workplace Access
In Animal Justice v. Ontario (Attorney General), 2026 ONCA 380, the Court of Appeal for Ontario unanimously reversed the lower court and upheld the constitutionality of the Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, 2020 (Act) and its regulation, General, O. Reg. 701/20 (Regulation).
Past Conduct, Present Cause: Ontario Court Upholds After-Acquired Cause in Birnbaum v. Dr. Chan
What happens when an employer discovers serious misconduct only after terminating an employee without cause? In Birnbaum v. Dr. Chan, the Ontario Superior Court confirmed that employees are not insulated from the consequences of serious misconduct committed before termination simply because it was discovered afterwards.