The Financial Services Commission of Ontario (“FSCO”) updated its long-running online “FAQ” for pension plan administrators to set out FSCO’s position on surplus distribution on full or partial plan wind ups in light of recent amendments to the Pension Benefits Act. A detailed discussion of the FAQ and FSCO’s position on this point is available…
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Municipal Elections 2010: Employers’ Obligation to Provide Paid Time Off to Vote
Province-wide municipal elections will be held on October 25, 2010, and voting hours will run from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, all employees who are eligible to vote in the election are entitled to three consecutive hours during voting hours on election day to cast their vote. To be…
House of Commons Resumes Sitting
On September 20, 2010, the House of Commons resumed sitting.
Bill Amending Employment Standards Act, 2000 Ordered for Third Reading
On September 13, 2010, Bill 68, the Open For Business Act, 2010, was reported as amended by the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs and ordered for Third Reading. As previously reported, Bill 68 is omnibus legislation that would amend Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 as follows: to allow the Director of Employment Standards…
Technical Pension Amendments Proclaimed In Force on October 1, 2010
On October 1, 2010, amendments to the Pension Benefits Act and Financial Services Commission of Ontario Act, 1997, set out in Bill 16, the Foundation for Jobs and Growth Act, 2010, will come into force. These Bill 16 amendments permit the Ontario government and the pension regulator to enter into agreements with other designated provincial…
Ontario Legislative Assembly Resumes Sitting
On September 13, 2010, the House resumed sitting.
Proposed Integrated Accessibility Regulation Under the AODA: FTR Now
On Friday, September 10, 2010, Hicks Morley published a detailed overview of the “Integrated Accessibility Regulation Proposed Under the AODA” in an FTR Now, which is available on our website. As previously reported, the proposed Integrated Accessibility Regulation was published by the Ontario government on September 2, 2010.
New General Pension Regulation Amendments Filed
On September 8, 2010, the Ontario government published O. Reg. 342/10 (General) under the Pension Benefits Act, amending Reg. 909 of R.R.O. 1990. The amendments authorize the Ontario government and the pension regulator to enter into reciprocal agreements with designated jurisdictions providing for the orderly regulation of multi-jurisdictional pension plans. O. Reg. 342/10 will come…
Ontario Proposes Integrated Accessibility Regulation Under AODA
On September 2, 2010, the Ontario government published the proposed integrated accessibility regulation (“IAR”) under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”) for public review and commentary. As previously reported, the IAR initiative combines the information and communications, employment and transportation standards into a single, integrated regulation, intended to make them “more flexible”…
Federal Government Releases Consultation Draft of Legislative Tax Proposals
The Department of Finance released draft legislative proposals in July and August of 2010 to implement a variety of tax measures, including those first outlined in its 2010 Budget along with several previously announced tax initiatives, for public consultation. The proposals outline significant changes to the tax rules applicable to employee stock options that will:…