FTR Now

Arbitrator Finds Mandatory Vaccination Policy to Be Reasonable

Arbitrator Goodfellow recently released his decision in Central West Local Health Integration Network v. Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 96. The issue before Arbitrator Goodfellow was the mandatory vaccination policy of two Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) employers—the Central West Local Health Integration Network and the Mississauga Halton Local Health Integration Network (collectively the…

Federal Post

Federal Government Consultation on Accessibility Standard on Employment

Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC) has published a draft Accessibility Standard on Employment (Standard) as part of its mandate under the Accessible Canada Act (the ACA). Background The ACA came into force on July 11, 2019, and the Accessible Canada Regulations (Regulations) made under the ACA came into force on December 13, 2021. The ACA and…

Federal Post

Federal Pay Equity Commissioner Denies Application by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat to Establish Multiple Plans

On June 22, 2023, the Interim Pay Equity Commissioner (Commissioner) denied a request by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, on behalf of the Treasury Board as employer (TBS), for authorization to establish three pay equity plans for employees in the core public administration (CPA). The establishment of multiple plans is an exception to the…

Human Resources Legislative Update

Municipalities Take Note: Ontario Regulation Expanding Strong Mayor Powers Comes into Effect

The Ontario government has announced it is expanding strong mayor powers to 26 additional municipalities in the province. The province originally granted strong mayoral powers to the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa with the passing of Bill 3, Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022 (Bill 3) on September 8, 2022 and the coming into force…

School Board Update

Bill 98, Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, 2023 receives Royal Assent

As we reported previously, the Ontario Government introduced Bill 98, Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, 2023 (Bill 98) on April 17, 2023. On June 8, 2023, Bill 98 received Royal Assent and is now law. As a result, a number of significant amendments to the Education Act, the Ontario College of Teachers Act, 1996…

Reaching Out

Bill 124 Update and Recent Case Law Developments

Dear Friends, We are back with another edition of Reaching Out. As we go to press, Sean Reginio reminds us that the Ontario Court of Appeal is hearing arguments this week in the government’s appeal of the decision that struck down Bill 124 as unconstitutional. Stay tuned for future updates. It is possible this may…

Human Resources Legislative Update

Employers Take Note: Incoming Changes to Competition Act

Employers are reminded that amendments made to the Competition Act by Bill C-19, Budget Implementation Act, 2022, No. 1 (Bill C-19) will come into force on June 23, 2023. Bill C-19 amends the existing criminal conspiracy provisions of the Competition Act to make it a criminal offence for an employer to conspire, agree or arrange…

Human Resources Legislative Update

Employers Take Note: Employees Entitled to Paid Time Off to Vote in Upcoming Toronto Mayoral By-Election

The Toronto mayoral by-election will be held on Monday, June 26, 2023, and voting hours will run from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Employers should be aware that under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 (Act), all employees who are eligible to vote in the election are entitled to three consecutive hours during voting hours on…

Federal Post

Standing Committee on Official Languages Amends Federal Bill C-13 regarding the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act

The federal government’s Standing Committee on Official Languages (the Committee) has amended Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts (Act). The new Act sets out new rights for employees which will apply…