Ontario has introduced new background check requirements for school boards under Ontario Regulation 298/25. Dolores Barbini and Andrew Movrin explore what boards can do now to ensure compliance.
Industry: School Boards
Final Report Released on PowerSchool Cyberattack
The final report on the PowerSchool cyberattack is out – and the findings reveal insights into the breach and a series of compliance recommendations. Victoria McCorkindale offers a clear look at what happened and what should happen next to prevent future incidents.
Ontario Government Mandates New “Student and Family Support Offices” For All School Boards
Ontario has mandated new “Student and Family Support Offices” across all school boards. In this School Board Update, Dolores Barbini explores the expectations associated with the Offices and how boards can prepare for the transition.
Lessons in Labour Relations for School Board Employers
Recent arbitration rulings and initiatives are reshaping how Ontario school boards interpret key employment and education provisions. In this School Board Update, Brittany Bates, Jordynne Hislop and Vincent Panetta will review the decisions and discuss how they provide guidance for school boards in refining policy frameworks.
Ontario Catholic School Business Officials Association (OCSBOA): Annual Conference 2025
As part of the program, Njeri Damali Sojourner-Campbell will be presenting on attendance management and a recent arbitration decision, providing practical insights for school broads and business officials.
School Boards Take Note: Arbitrator Finds Class Size Maxima Still Apply to Mainstream Classes with Special Needs Students Expecting to Receive Less than Full Credit
In this School Board Update, Hicks Morley’s Michael Hines and Brittany Bates review the recent decision in Avon Maitland District School Board v Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, where Arbitrator Robert Herman concluded that standard class size maxima pursuant to the collective agreement still apply even when mainstream classes include special needs students expecting to receive less than full credit.
School Board Management Conference: The New Rules of School Board HR
From new leave entitlements and Human Rights Tribunal changes to Charter rights and precedent-setting arbitration awards, the Human Resources landscape for Ontario school boards is shifting fast. Our School Board Management conference will equip you with the must-know updates and strategies you need to stay compliant and prepared.
Arbitrator Upholds For-Cause Termination of Tenured University Professor for Sexual Harassment of Graduate Student
In a significant decision for post-secondary institutions, Arbitrator Leslie Reaume has upheld the for-cause termination of a tenured university professor at Brock University for the sexual harassment of a graduate student. The ruling sends a clear message that the power imbalance in supervisory relationships is not an invitation for inappropriate conduct. Sexually charged and personally…
The Ontario Court of Appeal Provides Another Caution to Employers Drafting Employment Contracts: Actual Language is Paramount—Not Intent
In a recent decision of the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Court upheld the lower court’s decision finding that the termination clause in the employment contract was offside of the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) and that as a result, the employee was entitled to common law reasonable notice.
Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA): 2022 Education Labour Relations and Human Resources Symposium
OPSBA’s Education Labour Relations and Human Resources Symposium is held each spring and is designed to provide professional development in the areas of labour relations and human resources to trustees, directors of education, senior human resources officials and labour relations practitioners.