Federal Government Introduces 2014 Budget Bill

On March 28, 2014, the federal government introduced Bill C-31, the Economic Action Plan 2014 Act, No. 1, omnibus legislation intended to implement a number of initiatives first announced in the 2014 federal Budget, Economic Action Plan 2014. Bill C-31 contains a number of measures we previously reported in our February 13, 2014 FTR Now,…

OHSA Consultation on Implementation of Working at Heights Training

The Ministry of Labour is consulting on the implementation of the Working at Heights Training Program Standard released on December 19, 2013. Specifically, a regulatory proposal outlining amendments to O. Reg. 297/13 (Occupational Health and Safety Awareness and Training) under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (“OHSA”) would, if adopted, require employers subject to O. Reg. 213/91…

The Canadian Bar Association Publishes an Article by Rachel Arbour and Andrea Yau

An article authored by Hicks Morley’s Rachel Arbour and Andrea Yau was published in the March 2014 edition of The Canadian Bar Association‘s National Pensions and Benefits Law Section Newsletter. The article entitled, “No deemed trust applied to plans wound up during CCAA” discusses the Ontario Superior Court of Justice’s decision in Re Grant Forest…

Federal Government Implements Transitional Pension Funding Relief Regulations (Canada Post)

On March 12, 2014, the federal government published final pension funding relief regulations temporarily relieving Canada Post Corporation from the requirement to make special payments to its defined benefit employee pension plan, as ordinarily required under the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985 (“PBSA”). Under the Canada Post Corporation Pension Plan Funding Regulations (“Regulations”), the Corporation will only…

Hicks Morley Recognized by Chambers Global 2014

Hicks Morley is pleased to announce it has been named in the Chambers Global 2014: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business as a leading specialist practice for Employment & Labour and Pensions & Benefits in Canada. In commenting on the firm, sources have stated, Hicks Morley is “A premier management boutique in Toronto.”   Below…

Ontario Adopts “10% Rule” Exemption for U.S. Government Securities

On March 7, 2014, the Ontario government filed regulatory amendments to General Regulation 909 under the Pension Benefits Act. O. Reg. 51/14 (General) exempts investments in securities issued and fully guaranteed by the government of the United States of America (“U.S.”) from the so-called “10% rule” in respect of the quantitative investment limits applicable to…

Ontario Introduces Legislation Tying Minimum Wage to CPI

Further to the Ontario government’s previously reported commitment to tie future minimum wage increases to the province’s Consumer Price Index, Bill 165, the Fair Minimum Wage Act, 2014 was introduced on February 26, 2014. Bill 165 would amend the Employment Standards Act, 2000 and create a new section 23.1, setting out a framework for the…

Ontario Introduces New Immigration Legislation

On February 19, 2014, the Ontario government introduced Bill 161, the Ontario Immigration Act, 2014, proposed legislation that would, if passed, create a new framework for the recruitment, selection and admission of skilled workers in the province, and establish a significant inspection, investigation and enforcement regime. Among other matters, Bill 161 provides for the establishment by…

Pension Asset Transfers Made Easier

Long-awaited amendments to the Ontario Pension Benefits Act (“PBA”) regarding the transfer of assets between pension plans became effective on January 1, 2014. New supporting Regulations under the PBA[1] (the “Asset Transfer Regulations”) also came into force on January 1, 2014. This FTR Now provides a high-level overview of the new asset transfer regime. The…