On April 29, 2013, the federal government tabled Bill C-60, Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 1, omnibus legislation giving effect to some of its Budget 2013 initiatives. In conjunction with the tabling of Bill C-60 and further to its Budget 2013 initiative to ensure that Canadians have first priority at job opportunities when they…
Business Operation: Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Court of Appeal Finds Right to Strike Not Protected by Freedom of Association Guarantee in Charter
A five-member panel of the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal has overturned a lower court decision which had found in part that restrictions on the right to strike in The Public Service Essential Services Act infringed the freedom of association guarantee in section 2(d) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Court of Appeal…
Federal Social Security Tribunal Now Operational
On April 1, 2013, the federal Social Security Tribunal (“SST”) became operational. It creates a new appeals process for decisions made under the Employment Insurance Act (“EI Act”), the Canada Pension Plan (“CPP”) and the Old Age Security Act (“OAS Act”). The SST was enacted by the Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act (“JGLPA”), omnibus legislation…
Saskatchewan Introduces PRPP Legislation
On April 8, 2013, the government of Saskatchewan introduced Bill 92, The Pooled Registered Pension Plans (Saskatchewan) Act. If passed, Bill 92 would authorize pooled registered pension plans (“PRPPs”) to be made available to provincially regulated employees and self-employed persons in Saskatchewan. Subject to the legislation and any supporting regulations, the requirements set out in…
New EI Benefit Rate Calculation to Come Into Force April 7, 2013
On April 7, 2013, certain amendments to the Employment Insurance Act (“EI Act”) made by the federal government’s Budget 2012 legislation, Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, will come into force and create a new benefit rate calculation for employment insurance benefits. As of April 7, 2013, the calculation of the benefit rate of most…
Federal Budget 2013 Highlights
On March 21, 2013, the federal government tabled its Budget 2013, Jobs Growth and Long Term Prosperity – Economic Action Plan 2013. Some of the highlights of interest to employers and pension plan administrators include: simplified GST/HST pension plan rules for employers; amendments to the Income Tax Act to permit the correction of reasonable pension…
Federal Gender Identity, Gender Expression Bill Passes Third Reading
On March 20, 2013, Bill C-279, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code (gender identity and gender expression), a Private Member’s Bill, passed Third Reading in the House of Commons and proceeded to the Senate for debate. If passed, Bill C-279 will add gender identity and gender expression as…
Federal Budget 2013 Introduced
Today, the federal government tabled its Budget 2013, Jobs, Growth and Long Term Prosperity – Economic Action Plan 2013. Hicks Morley is in the process of reviewing the Budget. An FTR Now outlining the Budget’s highlights for employers and pension plan administrators will be available shortly on our website.
Certain Sections of Helping Families in Need Act Proclaimed into Force
Sections 15, 16 and 21 of the Helping Families in Need Act (“Act”) have been proclaimed into force effective March 24, 2013. Sections 15 and 16 amend the Employment Insurance Act (“EI Act”) to allow insured and self-employed persons who are in receipt of employment insurance (“EI”) parental benefits to qualify for EI sickness benefits…
Certain Old Age Security Amendments Contained in Federal Budget Bill Now in Force
The federal government has fixed March 1, 2013 as the day sections 449, 450 and 453 of the Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act (“JGLPA”) come into force. These sections amend the Old Age Security Act to provide for automatic enrolment of eligible persons for Old Age Security (“OAS”) pensions, to allow an eligible person…