Among other recently announced initiatives, the Ministry of Labour is conducting two province-wide enforcement and prevention inspection blitzes…
Industry: Manufacturing
Preparing for the ORPP
Editor’s Note: Bill 186 passed Third Reading on June 2, 2016, as amended by the Standing Committee on Social Policy. Please read about the amendments in our blog post, ORPP Act Passes Third Reading as Amended by Committee. The Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (ORPP) was first announced in the 2014 Ontario Budget as a major…
Accrual of Service or Seniority Based on “Days Worked” is Not Discriminatory, Tribunal Rules
The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) recently issued a decision of particular interest to employers with groups of employees who, although covered by a collective agreement, accrue service…
Ontario Pension Solvency Funding Framework Under Review
Ontario registered defined benefit (DB) pension plans must be funded on the greater of a going concern or solvency basis…
Ontario Budget Bill 2016 Passes
On April 13, 2016, the Ontario government passed Bill 173, Jobs for Today and Tomorrow Act (Budget Measures), 2016, omnibus legislation giving effect to initiatives contained in the Ontario Budget 2016. See our FTR Now of February 29, 2016, Ontario Budget 2016, for a detailed discussion of those initiatives of interest to employers, human resources professionals and…
Human Rights Tribunal Rules that Miscarriage is a Disability
In a recent decision, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (Tribunal) found that the Applicant, who had suffered a miscarriage, had a disability within the meaning of the Human Rights Code (Code). While this decision has garnered much attention in the media, its potential significance for employers going forward may not result from the particular…
Federal Budget 2016
On March 22, 2016, the federal government tabled its 2016 Budget, Growing the Middle Class (Budget). While certain key legislative initiatives are already underway in respect of reforms to the federal labour regime…
CAPSA Consults on Revised Pension Plan Governance Guideline
On March 11, 2016, the Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities (CAPSA) released draft revisions to CAPSA Guideline No. 4: Pension Plan Governance and the related Self-Assessment Questionnaire and FAQ Document for consultation.
Ontario Minimum Wage to Increase October 1, 2016
On October 1, 2016, the general minimum wage in Ontario will increase from $11.25 to $11.40 an hour. This minimum wage applies to most employees. Minimum wage rates for specified students, liquor servers, hunting and fishing guides and homeworkers will increase on the same date.
Qualified Foreign Pension Fund Exemptions for Certain U.S. Investment Offerings
Canadian pension funds are continually seeking investment opportunities abroad with a view to diversifying their portfolio and maximizing risk-adjusted returns. Offerings of investments in U.S. real estate and infrastructure projects will likely increase as a result of recent U.S. legal reforms which aim to attract foreign investment in these areas. Under the U.S. Foreign Investment in Real…