The Ministry of Labour has announced that it will be conducting safety blitzes focused on summer students with targeted inspections of the retail, restaurant, food, beverage, hospitality and recreational services industries. The blitz will continue until the end of August 2019.
Industry: Universities
“Non-Construction” Employer Deeming Provision under LRA Now in Force
On April 3, 2019, Bill 66, Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act, 2019, received Royal Assent. Among other things, the Bill amends the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (LRA) to deem certain public sector entities as “non-construction” employers to whom the construction provisions of the LRA will not apply. Such entities include municipalities, local housing corporations, social services…
Ontario Health and Safety Regulations Amended
On June 10, 2019, the Ontario government filed a number of amendments to regulations made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. O. Reg. 186/19 replaces the “Equivalency” provision of Regulation 851 (Industrial Establishments) with a new provision entitled “Alternative methods and materials.” It now requires employers to provide written notice to the joint health…
Ontario Clarifies DB Funding Reforms under the Pension Benefits Act
On May 21, 2019, the Ontario government filed Regulation 105/19 amending Regulation 909 (General Regulation) under the Pension Benefits Act (PBA). The amendments mainly relate to clarifying elements of the defined benefit (DB) funding rules that took effect on May 1, 2018. Many of the new clarifications have been requested by the pension industry over…
Ontario Budget Bill (Bill 100) Passes
As previously reported, on April 11, 2019, the Ontario government released its 2019 Budget and introduced Bill 100, Protecting What Matters Most Act (Budget Measures), 2019. Bill 100 received Royal Assent on May 29, 2019. Of particular interest to employers and human resource professionals are the amendments made to the following statutes: Public Sector Labour…
Ontario Proposes Significant Changes to Wage Restraint and Collective Bargaining in the Public Sector
Following through on a consultation process that was kicked off on April 4, 2019, the Ontario government has introduced legislation that, if passed, would significantly impact most broader public sector employers.
The End of Health and Welfare Trusts: Proposed Amendments to the Income Tax Act (Canada)
On May 27, 2019, the federal Department of Finance announced proposed amendments to the Income Tax Act (Canada) (ITA), to facilitate the conversion of existing Health and Welfare Trusts (HWTs) into Employee Life and Health Trusts (ELHTs), and to improve the existing ELHT rules. Comments on the proposed ITA amendments are invited by July 31, 2019…
Yours to Discover: 10 Tips for Navigating the Documentary Discovery Process
In this issue of Raising the Bar, we share 10 tips and best practices to guide employers embarking upon their next trip through the document discovery process in a manner that is not only compliant with their legal obligations, but also controlled, strategic and cost-effective.
Hicks Morley Lawyers Named Leading Practitioners in the 2019 Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory
Hicks Morley congratulates each one of our lawyers who has been recognized as a leading practitioner in the 2019 Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory.
Changes to Ontario’s Annuity Purchase and Discharge Rules – Bill 57 Amendments and Draft Supporting Regulations
New draft regulations support and provide additional details respecting the rules governing annuity purchases and related statutory discharges under the Pension Benefits Act. Learn more in this FTR Now.