On April 19, 2021, the federal government tabled its 2021 Budget “A Recovery Plan For Jobs, Growth, And Resilience” (Budget). The Budget sets out a broad range of proposals stemming from the pandemic, such as an extension of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) and an increase to the length of Employment Insurance (EI) sickness…
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FTR Now
In the latest evolution of the federal government’s response to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, on February 19, 2021, the government announced that it would be introducing regulatory and legislative amendments to increase the number of weeks of benefits available for Employment Insurance (EI) regular benefits, as well as the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), the…
FTR Now
On November 30, 2020, the Department of Finance released Supporting Canadians and Fighting COVID-19: Fall Economic Statement 2020 (Fall Economic Statement). In this FTR Now, we focus on two key proposals contained in the Fall Economic Statement that will be of interest to employers and human resources professionals: (i) proposed amendments to the employee stock…
FTR Now
On October 9, 2020, the Supreme Court of Canada released its decision in Matthews v. Ocean Nutrition Canada Ltd. It confirmed that where terminated employees would be entitled to a bonus or other incentive payments during the reasonable notice period, employers must use clear and unambiguous language to remove or limit their common law rights. The Supreme Court also distinguished between the obligation to provide reasonable notice of termination and a breach of the duty to exercise good faith in the manner of dismissal.
FTR Now
The federal government has announced that it intends to extend the current treatment of employees on leave with pay under the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program by a further four weeks, from September 27, 2020 to October 24, 2020 (CEWS claim period 8).
FTR Now
Sponsors of defined benefit (DB) pension plans registered in Ontario have been given significant temporary contribution relief as part of the Ontario government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On September 21, 2020, Ontario Regulation 520/20 (Regulation) was filed. The Regulation amends Regulation 909 made under the Ontario Pension Benefits Act (PBA) to permit temporary contribution deferral for certain eligible DB pension plans, and extend the time over which catch-up contributions following the filing of a new valuation report must be made.
FTR Now
The federal government has announced that it proposes to extend the current treatment of employees on leave with pay under the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program by four weeks, from August 30, 2020 to September 26, 2020 (CEWS claim period 7).
Human Resources Legislative Update
The federal government has announced the launch of an updated online calculator to help employers prepare for the next period of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program. Employers can use the updated CEWS calculator for claim periods 1 through 5, and more periods will be added as they become available.
FTR Now
On July 27, 2020, the federal government passed Bill C-20, An Act respecting further COVID-19 measures (Bill C-20), which amends the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) first enacted in April 2020 with Bill C-14, the COVID-19 Emergency Response Act, No. 2 (Bill C-14). Since April, there have been a number of changes to the CEWS. Bill C-20 implements the modified rules for the CEWS program that apply from June onward.
In this FTR Now we provide a comprehensive summary of the CEWS, including the new details of the CEWS extension to December 19, 2020, and we incorporate content from our previous firm communications dated March 30, 2020, April 2, 2020, April 9, 2020, April 13, 2020, and April 20, 2020.
FTR Now
Participating employers in the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) should be aware of five amendments to the OMERS Primary Pension Plan (Primary Plan) approved by the OMERS Sponsors Corporation Board (SC Board) on June 24, 2020. The changes will be of interest to employers in the municipal and school board sectors with employees who participate in OMERS and include several amendments to address COVID-19-related issues. In addition, two non-COVID-19-related amendments were adopted, including a major change to eligibility for non-full-time employees.
FTR Now
On June 10, 2020, the federal government introduced Bill C-17, An Act respecting additional COVID-19 measures (Bill C-17). Among other changes, if passed in its current form, Bill C-17 would amend the Income Tax Act to revise the eligibility criteria for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS).
FTR Now
The Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities (CAPSA) has announced the adoption of the 2020 Agreement Respecting Multi-Jurisdictional Pension Plans (2020 Agreement), which will become effective on July 1, 2020.
Human Resources Legislative Update
On May 12, 2020, the Ontario government introduced and passed Bill 190, COVID-19 Response and Reforms to Modernize Ontario Act, 2020 (Bill 190). Among other changes, Bill 190 amends the Succession Law Reform Act to permit electronic beneficiary designations, and makes a consequential amendment to the Pension Benefits Act (PBA). The amendments permit electronic beneficiary…
Human Resources Legislative Update
On April 30, 2020, the Ontario government filed Ontario Regulation 187/20 amending Regulation 909 made under the Pension Benefits Act. This amendment allows for significantly reduced financial penalties for late payment of a Pension Benefits Guarantee Fund (PBGF) assessment. Normally, an employer who fails to pay a PBGF assessment by the assessment date must pay…
Human Resources Legislative Update
On April 22, 2020, Prime Minister Trudeau announced the creation of the Canada Emergency Student Benefit and other initiatives for post-secondary students and recent graduates affected by the economic impacts of the COVID -19 pandemic.
FTR Now
On April 1, 2020, the federal government provided important additional information about the previously announced expanded wage subsidy program and the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).
FTR Now
Bill C-13, COVID-19 Emergency Response Act, received Royal Assent on March 25, 2020 after swift passage by Parliament and the Senate. This federal legislation implements the income support and other fiscal measures announced by the federal government on March 18, 2020.
FTR Now
On March 18, 2020, the federal government announced an $82 billion aid package, with $27 billion in direct income support for individuals and businesses affected by COVID-19, and $55 billion to assist with liquidity in the form of tax deferrals.
FTR Now
In this FTR Now, we highlight the new pension rules that are of particular interest to employers and pension plan administrators.
Human Resources Legislative Update
In June 2019, the federal government tabled a Notice of Ways and Means Motion to limit the benefit of the employee stock option deduction for high income individuals employed at large, long-established, mature organizations. Stakeholders were invited to provide input on the characteristics of small, growing companies that should not be subject to the new…
Case In Point
The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal (Tribunal) recently held that the decision to provide reduced benefits to employees over age 65 under an employer-sponsored benefit plan is not discrimination under the British Columbia Human Rights Code (Code) if the reduced benefits are provided as part of a “bona fide group or employee insurance plan” within…
Human Resources Legislative Update
On November 7, 2019, Bill 132, Better for People, Smarter for Business Act, 2019 (Bill 132), passed Second Reading and was referred to the Standing Committee on General Government. Bill 132 is omnibus legislation which, if passed, will amend a number of statutes, including the Ontario Pension Benefits Act (PBA). Proposed amendments to the PBA…
Case In Point
In Meloche v. Meloche, the Ontario Superior Court held that, following a pension division under the Ontario Pension Benefits Act (PBA), payments do not continue to the estate of a non-member spouse who predeceases the member spouse. The parties separated in 2017 after 30 years of marriage. The respondent teacher retired in 2015, and elected…
Human Resources Legislative Update
The Treasury Board Secretariat has announced that it will begin consultations this year on a new benefits pooling model for broader public sector participants. The government consulted with public sector employers and bargaining agents in the spring and summer of this year about how to achieve reasonable public sector compensation growth, and a centralized benefits…