On March 19, 2015, the Ontario government announced that the general minimum wage will increase from $11 to $11.25 per hour, effective October 1, 2015. A list of the new minimum wage rates for students, liquor servers, hunting and fishing guides and homeworkers is available on the Ministry of Labour’s website. Background information on the…
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New Holiday Pay Provisions Now in Effect
As we reported in our January 2015 FTR Now, significant reforms to the general holiday pay provisions of Part III of the Canada Labour Code come into force effective March 16, 2015. Federally regulated employers are reminded that the amendments include the introduction of a new “holiday pay” formula and the elimination of certain qualifying requirements….
Committee To Hold Public Hearings on ORPP Bill
The Standing Committee on Social Policy will hold public hearings in Toronto on Bill 56, the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan Act, 2015 (“ORPP Bill”) commencing March 23, 2015. Hearing dates will continue on March 24, March 30 and March 31, 2015. Interested persons who wish to be considered to make an oral presentation on Bill…
New BPS Compensation Restraint Law to Come Into Force March 16
The Ontario government’s new compensation restraint legislation – the Broader Public Sector Executive Compensation Act, 2014 (or "BPSECA") – will come into force on Monday, March 16, 2015. While the proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor has not yet been published in The Ontario Gazette, it is listed in the government’s online listing of proclamations and…
Ontario Releases Action Plan to Stop Sexual Violence and Harassment
On March 6, 2015, the Ontario government published It’s Never Okay: An Action Plan to Stop Sexual Violence and Harassment, a targeted action plan (“Plan”) to address sexual violence and harassment in Ontario, in part through significant legislative reforms and sector-specific training initiatives. Among other things, the Plan will target sexual violence and harassment in…
Ontario to Consult on Labour and Employment Reform
On February 17, 2015, the Ontario government announced the launch of public consultations to consider reforms to the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (“LRA”) and the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”) in light of the “changing nature of the modern workplace.” In this FTR Now, we highlight key issues that will be under review, and how…
Ontario Publishes Review of AODA and Recommendations
On February 13, 2015, the Ontario government published a report on the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”) by Mayo Moran, Provost and Vice-Chancellor of Trinity College at the University of Toronto. The report constitutes the second legislative review of the AODA, and outlines her recommendations to the government, which include: renewal of…
Ontario to Launch Public Consultations on Labour and Employment Legislation
On February 17, 2015, the Ontario government announced the launch of public consultations on the Labour Relations Act, 1995 and Employment Standards Act, 2000. The consultations will include an examination of the following workplace issues: non-standard working relationships, including temporary jobs, part-time work, and self-employment; the service sector; globalization and trade liberalization; technological change; and…
City Did Not Breach Duty to Accommodate When it Declined Firefighters’ Request for Exception to Mandatory Retirement Policy
In a recent decision, Corrigan v. Corporation of the City of Mississauga [1], the Divisional Court dismissed an application for judicial review of a decision of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (the “Tribunal”), which found that the City of Mississauga did not breach its procedural duty to accommodate when it declined to accommodate suppression…
Court of Appeal Holds that Counsel May Review Draft Expert Witness Reports
The Court of Appeal for Ontario has clarified the law in deciding that it is appropriate for counsel to review and discuss draft reports of expert witnesses. In so doing, the Court rejected the reasoning in an earlier trial court decision. In Moore v. Getahun, the Court of Appeal concluded that the practice of counsel…