Industry: Education

School Board Update – Bill 242 Carried at Third Reading

· 3 min read

On April 27, 2010, Bill 242 (the legislation associated with the Government’s Early Learning Program, or “ELP”) carried at Third Reading. It is expected to receive Royal Assent shortly, and will come into force on a date to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor. Bill 242 was considered by the Standing Committee on…

WSIB Changes Its Practice on the Payment of Loss of Earnings Benefits

· 3 min read

Effective December 7, 2009, the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (“WSIB”) changed its operational practice of paying loss of earnings (“LOE”) benefits even when a worker is no longer in the workforce and has no loss of earnings. This change in practice followed a series of successful employer challenges argued by Hicks Morley lawyers…

Federal Budget Bill Carries at Second Reading, Sent to Committee

· 1 min read

On April 19, 2010, Bill C-9, the Jobs And Economic Growth Act, carried at Second Reading and was referred to the Finance Committee. Introduced on March 29, 2010, Bill C-9 is omnibus legislation designed to amend various Acts and implement certain key measures outlined in the federal government’s 2010 Budget. In part, the Bill outlines…

School Board Update – Provincial Interest Regulation Now In Effect

· 4 min read

Overview of the PIR The Ministry of Education filed its long-awaited Provincial Interest Regulation (PIR) on February 26, 2010 and the PIR is now in effect. It is intended to strengthen the accountability of school boards for student achievement and well-being. Most notably, the PIR allows the Minister of Education to intervene in the affairs…

School Board Update – Bill 242, The Full Day Early Learning Statute Law Amendment Act: The Legal Framework for the Early Learning Program

· 9 min read

In our January 12, 2010 School Board Client Update, we discussed the Early Learning Program (“ELP”), which is the government’s plan to implement full day early learning for four- and five-year-olds in Ontario. On February 17, 2010, the government introduced Bill 242, the Full-Day Early Learning Statute Law Amendment Act, 2010, which amends provisions of…

School Board Update – Ontario’s 2010 Early Learning Program: Bracing for the Fallout

· 5 min read

When was the last time your Board was involved in the legal “ins and outs” of a hotly contested certification drive before the Ontario Labour Relations Board? Ontario’s newly announced Early Learning Program could well provide you with an opportunity in the coming year. In this School Board Update, we discuss the ramifications and new…

School Boards Exposed To Construction Collective Agreements

· 3 min read

In a recent decision, the Ontario Labour Relations Board (“OLRB”) held that key non-construction employer provisions of the Ontario Labour Relations Act, 1995 (the “Act”) were unconstitutional.  In this FTR Now, we discuss how the decision could have an impact on school boards’ ability to tender construction work. Background The construction industry labour relations regime…