On August 17, 2021, the Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health issued Directive #6 COVID-19 Vaccine Policy in Health Care Settings (Directive) regarding the implementation of a mandatory vaccine policy for employees, staff, contractors, volunteers and students in certain health care settings. The Directive has been issued with a view to protecting vulnerable patients and staff…
Category: Uncategorized
Ontario to Implement Mandatory Vaccination Policies for Hospitals, Schools, Post-Secondary Institutions, and More
On August 17, 2021, the Ontario government announced that it is making COVID-19 vaccination policies mandatory for certain high-risk settings, which include hospitals, schools and post-secondary institutions, among others. The government also announced: it is pausing the exit from Step 3 into the Roadmap Exit Step, in light of concerns regarding the transmission of COVID-19…
Ontario Issues Updated Guidance on Isolation Requirements
On August 11, 2021, the Ontario government released COVID-19 Fully Immunized and Previously Positive Individuals: Case, Contact and Outbreak Management Interim Guidance (Guidance). It contains “updated recommendations for case and contact, and outbreak management of fully immunized and previously positive individuals in Ontario,” in light of the vaccination rollout and the emergence of variants of…
Ontario Releases COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidance for Schools
On August 3, 2021, the Ministry of Education (MOE) released its COVID-19: Health, Safety and Operational Guidance for Schools (2021-2022) (Direction), which is its plan for return to school in September. The Direction was approved by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health for the purpose of regulations made under the Reopening Ontario…
Ontario to Lift Most Restrictions Related to COVID-19 When it Exits Step 3
On July 30, 2021, the Ontario government filed a regulation which reveals that when the province exits from Step 3 of its Roadmap to Reopen, most of the existing COVID-19-related restrictions will be lifted. One key exception will be a continuing requirement for indoor masking. The Roadmap to Reopen contemplates a safe exit from Step…
Federal Government Announces Further Extension of and Changes to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy
On July 30, 2021, the federal government proposed to further extend the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) until October 23, 2021 and to hold the maximum subsidy rate at 40% during the period between August 29, 2021 and September 25, 2021. The federal government also confirmed the end of CEWS support for payments made to…
Ontario Consults on Proposed OHSA Regulatory Amendments for Mining Industry
The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (Ministry) has launched a consultation with respect to proposed amendments to regulatory requirements under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) that apply to mines and mining plants. The proposed amendments aim to “increase flexibility, better reflect current technology, and reduce the regulatory burden” currently set out…
Ontario Consults on the “Future of Work” as it enters COVID-19 Recovery Phase
The Ontario government has established a Workforce Recovery Advisory Committee to lead consultations and to provide recommendations on the “future of work” in the province. As stated by the government, the Committee’s recommendations regarding the “future of work” will focus on three pillars: Economic recovery: How to make Ontario the top jurisdiction with a world-class…
Arbitrator Upholds College’s Requirement that Employee be in Receipt of Employment Insurance Benefits to Receive SUB Payments
In Re Niagara College v. Ontario Public Service Employees Union, Arbitrator Schmidt held that revisions to pregnancy and parental leave provisions in the 2017 – 2021 academic collective agreement did not extend entitlement to Supplementary Unemployment Benefits (SUB) where an employee’s entitlement to employment insurance (EI) benefits had been exhausted. In the 2017 negotiations, the…
Federal Ministry of Labour Launches Task Force to Review Employment Equity Act
On July 14, 2021, the federal Minister of Labour announced that it has launched a Task Force with the purpose of “making concrete, independent and evidence-based recommendations to the Minister of Labour on how to modernize” the Employment Equity Act (Act). The Task Force is looking into issues surrounding employment equity and inclusion in federally…