The federal government has extended several temporary Employment Insurance (EI) relief measures into 2027 and introduced a new measure affecting claimants who return to insurable employment following a previous disqualification. In our latest FTR Now, these regulatory changes and what they mean for EI eligibility are reviewed.
Category: Pension and Benefits
Ontario Consults on New LIF, Locked-in RRIF and LIRA Unlocking Rules
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.
Highlights from the Federal Government’s 2026 Spring Economic Update
The federal government’s 2026 Spring Economic Update includes several proposals that may affect employers, HR professionals and pension plan administrators.
Employment Insurance Work-Sharing Program Special Measures Extended Into 2027
Temporary special measures under the EI Work Sharing Program have been extended until March 31, 2027. Clare Wooland examines why tariff-impacted employers may want to re evaluate whether to apply for the Program.
Arbitrator Upholds Benefits Related Grievance: “Generic Substitute” Does Not Limit Reimbursement to “Lowest Cost” Drug Per Collective Agreement
In Hydro One Inc. v The Society of United Workers, Arbitrator John Stout upheld a grievance against Hydro One for violating its Collective Agreement. Hydro One had limited reimbursement of prescription drug expenses to only the lowest cost generic medication, rather than covering the full cost of generic medications prescribed by physicians. This limitation was…
Employee’s $76,000 Claim for Vested Stock Units Barred by Wrongful Dismissal Settlement and Release
Settlement agreements require careful attention to both present and future entitlements, as highlighted by the Ontario Court of Appeal’s recent decision in Preston v. Cervus Equipment Corporation. The Court held that the scope of an executed release, indemnity and minutes of settlement (the Settlement Documents) precluded an employee’s subsequent claim to vested stock units, despite…
Ontario to Require Filed Pension Funding and Governance Policies
On November 14, 2022, the Ontario government released the 2022 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review – Ontario’s Plan to Build: A Progress Update. Included in the plan is, as previously announced in the 2022 Budget, the government’s commitment to consult with stakeholders on proposed regulations necessary for implementing a permanent target benefit framework in…
OSFI Introduces New Filing Procedure for Certain Applications Submitted by Pension Plan Administrators
On May 2, 2022, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) issued a notice regarding new instruction guides that will be of interest to administrators of pension plans registered under the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985. As the notice explains, administrators filing certain applications requiring the Superintendent’s approval will now need to do…
Important Updates Regarding the Extension of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)
On October 14, 2020, the Department of Finance Canada released its latest backgrounder regarding the CEWS. The Extending the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy backgrounder (Backgrounder) summarizes a number of new and recently announced changes to the CEWS, including the extension of the CEWS to June 2021.
Ontario Introduces Temporary Funding Relief for Defined Benefit Pension Plans
Sponsors of defined benefit (DB) pension plans registered in Ontario have been given significant temporary contribution relief as part of the Ontario government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On September 21, 2020, Ontario Regulation 520/20 (Regulation) was filed. The Regulation amends Regulation 909 made under the Ontario Pension Benefits Act (PBA) to permit temporary contribution deferral for certain eligible DB pension plans, and extend the time over which catch-up contributions following the filing of a new valuation report must be made.