Ontario has passed significant amendments to its freedom of information and privacy legislation, with important implications for public-sector institutions. This article outlines the key changes under Bill 97, what they may mean for public-sector employers and how organizations can begin preparing now.
Industry: Universities
Evan Howard
Evan advises employers and plan administrators on pension and benefits issues with a focus on delivering advice that is legally sound, strategic, practical and business-focused.
Amanda Lawrence-Patel is Hicks Morley’s New Universities Practice Group Leader
We are pleased to announce that Amanda Lawrence-Patel is the new leader of Hicks Morley’s Universities Practice Group. Amanda works closely with universities as employers and service providers, with an emphasis on achieving practical and timely solutions to complex workplace and student matters.
2025 Faculty Bargaining Services (FBS) Annual Conference
How can universities respond to the evolving relationship between higher education and the workplace? Michael Kennedy and Amanda Lawrence-Patel will be speaking at the FBS Annual Conference on a series of labour relations hot topics for the universities sector. Learn more!
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…
Practical Considerations in Safe Sport for Universities
In this one-hour session, we will explore the legal and practical aspects of implementing Safe Sport policies within Canadian universities. Participants will gain insights into the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS), understand when and how it applies to their institutions, and learn how to develop effective complaint mechanisms and disciplinary frameworks that align with legal obligations and promote a culture of safety and inclusion in campus athletics.
2025 Canadian Association of University Business Officers (CAUBO) Annual Conference
In “Navigating Financial Sustainability – Legal Perspectives,” Michael Kennedy will provide a legal perspective on a wide range of levers that are available to university administrators in addressing these challenges.
Arbitrator Dismisses Faculty Grievance over Bill 124 Wage Dispute: No Arbitral Jurisdiction Without Reopener Provision in Collective Agreement
In a recent labour arbitration decision, Arbitrator William Kaplan dismissed a grievance filed against Wilfrid Laurier University (University) by the Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty Association (the Association) on behalf of its Contract Teaching Faculty (CTF) bargaining unit. This decision provides important guidance on the limits of an arbitrator’s jurisdiction in addressing legislative constraints on collective…
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.
Safe Sport Considerations for Colleges and Universities
While Canadian colleges and universities are not required to adopt the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (the UCCMS), they may find themselves bound to the UCCMS by their participation with certain governing sport bodies and may want to develop their own policies to ensure a safe sport environment.