Further to initiatives first announced in its 2012 Budget, the Ontario government has appointed a special Pension Investment Advisor, Bill Morneau, to develop recommendations for the government’s consideration through a public consultation process in anticipation of a new legislative framework that will facilitate the pooling of pension fund assets in the broader public sector (“BPS”)….
Business Operation: Ontario
Amended Ontario Anti-Bullying Bill Ordered for Third Reading
On May 30, 2012, Bill 13, the Accepting Schools Act, 2012, was reported back to the House as amended by the Standing Committee on Social Policy. The proposed Committee amendments are extensive. Of particular note, Bill 13 now: contains a revised definition of “bullying”; adopts a definition of “cyber-bullying” that essentially tracks the definition proposed…
Federal Pooled Registered Pension Plan (“PRPP”) Legislation Reported Back to House
On May 28, 2012, Bill C-25, An Act relating to pooled registered pension plans and making related amendments to other Acts was reported back as amended to the House of Commons following its consideration by the Standing Committee on Finance, and the House passed a motion concurring with the report. Third reading of Bill C-25…
School Bus Transportation Policy Deemed Discriminatory
A recent decision of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (“HRTO”) has added to the fast growing group of “family status” discrimination cases. J.O. v. London District Catholic School Board highlights that there are many different ways a school board may be vulnerable to claims of family status discrimination. In this FTR Now we review…
Court of Appeal Affirms Non-Construction Employer Declaration does not Infringe the Charter
On May 8, 2012, the Ontario Court of Appeal found that the “non-construction employer” declaration in section 127.2 of the Ontario Labour Relations Act, 1995 (“LRA“) is constitutional. The Court of Appeal upheld the Divisional Court’s February 2011 ruling, finding that section 127.2 does not contravene the freedom of association guarantee found in section 2(d)…
Ontario Proposes Plan Administrator Disclosure Obligations, Proclamation Dates
On May 14, 2012, the Ontario government published additional draft amendments to General regulation 909 under the Pension Benefits Act (“Act”), and further proposed a proclamation date of July 1, 2012 in respect of certain amendments to the Act. The regulatory amendments would specifically outline the information plan administrators are required to disclose, including: “prescribed…
Implementation of Key Ontario Pension Reform Measures is Imminent
On April 30, 2012 and May 3, 2012, the Ontario Ministry of Finance issued two separate draft regulations that propose changes to the general Regulation 909 under the Ontario Pension Benefits Act (the “PBA Regulations”). Together, these two draft regulations are referred to in this FTR Now as the “Draft Regulations.” As discussed in our…
Ontario Anti-Bullying Bill Referred to Committee
On May 3, 2012, Bill 13, the Accepting Schools Act, 2011, passed at Second Reading and was ordered referred to the Standing Committee on Social Policy. As previously reported, Bill 13 is intended to address the issue of bullying in schools, and would, if passed, amend the Education Act to include a definition of bullying,…
Ontario WSIB Funding Changes Announced on Heels of Arthurs Report
On May 4, 2012, the Ontario government announced that it would file a new regulation under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997, to require the insurance fund of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (“WSIB”) to reach sufficiency of 60 per cent funding in 2017, 80 per cent funding in 2022 and a full…
Ontario Releases Proposed Grow-In Benefit Regulations
Further to the release of pension reform proposals, on Thursday, May 3, 2012 the Ontario government published additional draft amendments to General regulation 909 under the Pension Benefits Act (“Act”). As anticipated, the draft regulations prescribe additional “activating events” or circumstances that would trigger grow-in benefits for the purpose of s. 74(1), paragraph 3 of…