The Financial Services Commission of Ontario (“FSCO”) released its Guidance Note (PDF) with respect to how it expects plans to apply the revised Canadian Institute of Actuaries’ (“CIA”) Practice-Specific Standards for Pension Plans (the “Standards”). The Guidance Note expressly states that the application of some of the CIA revisions to the Standards, which became effective…
Business Operation: Ontario
Broader Public Sector Perquisites Directive Issued by the Ontario Government
Management Board of Cabinet has issued the Broader Public Sector Perquisites Directive (the Directive), dated August 2, 2011, which will apply to any person in a designated broader public sector (BPS) organization, including appointees, board members, elected officials (e.g. school trustees) and employees. The Directive has been issued under the provisions of the Broader Public…
Education Act Regulations Filed: Extended Day and Third Party Programs
On June 7, 2011, the Ontario government filed the following two regulations under the Education Act: O. Reg. 221/11, Extended Day and Third Party Programs, which revokes O. Reg. 225/10 (“Extended Day Programs” for schools subject to section 259 of the Act); and O. Reg. 220/11, Full Day Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten, which revoked Schedule…
Ontario Government Releases Final Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation Under the AODA
On June 3, 2011, the Ontario government released the final Integrated Accessibility Standards regulation (the “Final Regulation”) under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (the “AODA” or the “Act“). The Final Regulation combines accessibility standards in three areas – information and communication, employment, and transportation – and comes into force July 1, 2011….
“Publicly Funded Organization” Exclusions Designated Under BPS Act
On June 7, 2011, the Ontario government filed a regulation under the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act, 2010, expressly designating (1) district social services administration boards established under the District Social Services Administration Boards Act, and (2) “First Nations” as defined in the Indian Act as excluded “Publicly Funded Organizations” for the purposes of the…
Pension Agreements With “Designated Jurisdictions,” Aggregate Funding of AbiBow Pension Plan Regulations Filed
On June 3, 2011, the Ontario government filed two regulations under the Pension Benefits Act. O. Reg. 195/11 amends General Regulation 909 by creating a new section, “Designated Jurisdictions and Agreements with Designated Jurisdictions”, and a Table listing multi-jurisdictional agreements entered into under section 100 of the Act, and the date on which the agreement…
Canada Revenue Agency Provides Further Information about New Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit
As originally announced in March of 2011 and confirmed with the re-introduction of the Federal Budget on June 6, the Budget proposes a non-refundable tax credit for volunteer firefighters for 2011 and future tax years. This credit will be available to volunteer firefighters who perform at least 200 hours of service for their communities during…
AODA Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation Now Posted
As previously reported, the Ontario government announced the release of the final version of the Integrated Accessibility Standards regulation under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”) on June 3, 2011. O. Reg. 191/11, which will come into force on July 1, 2011, has now been posted on the e-laws website. More information…
Federal 2011 Budget (Post-Election) Introduced
On June 6, 2011, the federal government re-introduced “Budget 2011, the Next Phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan—A Low-Tax Plan for Jobs and Growth” (PDF). As anticipated, the Budget includes all of the measures previously introduced by the government in March of 2011, which are outlined in our FTR Now of March 24, 2011, “Federal…
BPS Accountability “Perquisites” Provisions To Come Into Force
August 2, 2011 has been named as the date sections 11.1 and 11.2 of the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act, 2010 will come into force. These amendments are contained in Schedule 4 of the Better Tomorrow for Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2011. Section 11.1 pertains to the issuance of perquisite directives by the Management Board…