On April 24, 2014, the federal government announced the launch of consultations on a potential federal framework for Target Benefit Plans (“TBP”). TBPs, if introduced through subsequent legislative reforms, would create a new pension design option available to federally regulated private sector and Crown corporation plan sponsors under the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985 (“PBSA”)….
Industry: Social Services
Enforcement Blitzes Announced for Ontario Workplaces
The Ontario Ministry of Labour (“MOL”) has released a schedule for coordinated, proactive enforcement blitzes under both the Employment Standards Act, 2000 and the Occupational Health and Safety Act in 2014-2015. The MOL schedule sets out province-wide, sector-specific “Provincial Blitzes, as well as smaller-scale “Provincial Initiatives” and “Regional Initiatives.”
Alberta Introduces Additional Pension Reforms
On April 16, 2014, the Alberta government introduced Bill 10, Employment Pension (Private Sector) Plans Amendment Act, 2014. Bill 10, if passed, will further amend the new Employment Pension Plans Act (“EPPA”). These proposed reforms are in addition to the amendments set out in Bill 10, Employment Pension Plans Act, which received Royal Assent on December…
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…
Ontario Government Proposes New Public Sector Compensation Restraint Legislation
On Monday, March 24, 2014, the Ontario government introduced Bill 179, the Public Sector and MPP Accountability and Transparency Act, 2014. If passed, Bill 179 would give the government the authority to create comprehensive compensation frameworks for certain employers in the broader public sector (“BPS”), and would implement a number of measures to enhance “accountability…
Ontario Introduces New BPS Accountability, Transparency Legislation (Bill 179)
On March 24, 2014, the Ontario government introduced Bill 179, the Public Sector and MPP Accountability and Transparency Act, 2014, proposed legislation intended to enhance oversight and increase transparency in the broader public sector (“BPS”). Proposed measures in the Bill identified in the government’s press release would, among other matters: authorize the government to control compensation…
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…
Canada Labour Code Amendments (Bill C-45) Come into Force April 1, 2014
On March 12, 2014, the federal government published an order fixing April 1, 2014 as the date on which key amendments to Part III of the Canada Labour Code (“Code”) outlined in Bill C-45, the Jobs and Growth Act, 2012, come into force. In part, the Bill C-45 amendments will implement a statutory complaints framework…
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…