Recently, Arbitrator MacDowell released an interest arbitration award involving SEIU Local 2 and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre that considered the impact of the Ontario government’s 2010 Budget directions on collective bargaining. This award is the first of a number of expected interest arbitration decisions addressing the government’s new fiscal directive. We discuss the decision and…
Industry: Municipalities & Municipal Agencies
Ontario to Introduce Phase II Pension Reforms
On August 24, 2010, the Ontario government announced that further pension reforms to be tabled this fall will address almost 40 recommendations made by the Expert Commission on Pensions. The announcement indicates that this “broad package of pension reforms” will include: modifications to the funding requirements for multi-employer pension plans and jointly sponsored pension plans,…
Federal Government Introduces New Temporary Foreign Worker Regulations
On August 18, 2010, the federal government published new regulations applicable to temporary foreign workers (“TFWs”) under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The Regulations Amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (Temporary Foreign Workers) are designed to protect TFWs and minimize their exploitation by employers and third-party agents by amending the Immigration and Refugee…
Hicks Morley Information and Privacy Post – Summer 2010
Welcome to the Summer 2010 Quarterly Edition of the Hicks Morley Information and Privacy Post! This edition is packed with the most up-to-date case law developments in privacy, freedom of information, confidentiality and the law of production. Of note is the Supreme Court of Canada’s recent pronouncement on access to information under Ontario’s Freedom of…
Consultations on Public Sector Compensation Begin
On July 20, 2010, the Ontario government initiated a consultation process designed to address upcoming compensation negotiations for “bargaining” employees not caught by the Compensation Restraint Act. In this FTR Now, we discuss the potential implications of this process for public sector employers. BACKGROUND In March, as part of its 2010 Budget, the government introduced…
New Regulations Published under Police Services Act
On July 17, 2010, the following regulations made under the Police Services Act were published in the Ontario Gazette: O. Reg. 268/10, dealing, in part, with the duties of police officers, unsatisfactory work performance and a code of conduct; O. Reg. 267/10, which relates to the conduct and duties of police officers respecting investigations…
FSCO Releases Final Records Retention Policy
The Financial Services Commission of Ontario (“FSCO”) issued a records retention policy for pension plan administrators effective July 9, 2010. The policy is intended to provide guidance for “prudent records management and retention practices” relating to Ontario-registered pension plans. The policy was approved and issued following the introduction of a draft policy last year and…
Federal Budget Bill Receives Royal Assent
On Monday, July 12, 2010, Bill C-9, the Jobs And Economic Growth Act, received Royal Assent. As previously reported, Bill C-9 was introduced on March 29, 2010 and is omnibus legislation that amends various Acts to implement certain key measures outlined in the federal government’s 2010 Budget. Amendments to the Pension Benefits Standards Act (“PBSA”)…
Government Institutions Should Take Note of a Recent Supreme Court of Canada Case on Access to Government Information
On June 17th, the Supreme Court of Canada issued a significant judgement on access to government information. In Ontario (Public Safety and Security) v. Criminal Lawyers’ Association, 2010 SCC 23 (CanLII) (the “CLA” case), it held that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the “Charter“) gives the public a limited right of access to…
Occupational Health And Safety Act Regulations Amended
On June 28, 2010, the Ontario government published O. Reg. 259/10 (Designated Substances) under the Occupational Health And Safety Act. In part, the regulation revokes and substitutes Table 1 of O. Reg. 490/09, which sets out exposure limits. The regulation comes into force July 1, 2010.