FTR Now: Federal Legislation Introduced to Create “PIPEDA 2.0”

As previously reported, on May 25, 2010, the federal government introduced two Bills that if passed, would significantly amend PIPEDA: Bill C-29, the Safeguarding Canadians’ Personal Information Act and Bill C-28, the Fighting Internet and Wireless Spam Act. In our FTR Now of June 9. 2010, we summarize the major changes to PIPEDA outlined in…

Bill Amending Employment Standards Act, 2000 Passes at Second Reading, Sent to Committee

On June 3, 2010, Bill 68, the Open For Business Act, 2010, carried at Second Reading and was Ordered referred to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. As previously reported, Bill 68 is omnibus legislation that would amend Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 to allow the Director of Employment Standards to require claimants…

Ontario Releases Independent Review of AODA

On May 31, 2010, the government released Charles Beer’s independent review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. The government also announced that it is in the process of combining the information and communications, employment and transportation standards into a single, integrated regulation. This initiative is intended to make them “more flexible” for…

Federal Amendments to PIPEDA Introduced

On May 25, 2010, the federal government introduced two Bills that, if passed, would significantly amend PIPEDA: Bill C-29, the Safeguarding Canadians’ Personal Information Act and Bill C-28, the Fighting Internet and Wireless Spam Act. Bill C-29 would: specify the elements of valid consent for the collection, use or disclosure of personal information; permit the…

Department of Finance Proposes Changes to HST Calculation Rules Affecting Investment Funds

On May 19, 2010, the Department of Finance released proposed changes to the Harmonized Sales Tax (“HST”) rules covering the supply of financial services relating to the calculation of the provincial component of the HST under the Excise Tax Act. As outlined in the government Backgrounder, the proposed changes would affect, among others, mutual funds,…

New Legislation to Amend Employment Standards Act, 2000

On May 17, 2010, the Ontario government introduced Bill 68, the Open For Business Act, 2010, omnibus legislation that would amend various acts, including the Employment Standards Act, 2000. If passed, these amendments would in part: allow the Director of Employment Standards to require claimants to provide specific information and let their employer know about…

Private Member’s Pension Bill Passes Second Reading, Referred to Committee

On May 13, 2010, Bill 54, the Retirement Savings Plans for Employees and Self-Employed Persons Act, 2010 was referred to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. Bill 54 is a Private Member’s Public Bill, first introduced on May 5, 2010. As outlined in our FAQ section, historically, very few Private Member Bills progress beyond the…

New Federal Pension Regulation Amendments Proposed

On May, 8, 2010, the Federal government published proposed amendments to the Pension Benefits Standards Regulations, 1985. The proposed amendments would: amend the funding rules to adopt a new standard for establishing minimum funding requirements on a solvency basis using average (rather than current) solvency ratios to determine minimum funding requirements; introduce a solvency margin…