On December 6, 2018, Bill 57, Restoring Trust, Transparency and Accountability Act, 2018 passed Third Reading and received Royal Assent. On the same date, the government tabled Bill 66, Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act, 2018, omnibus legislation which, if passed, will make significant amendments to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (LRA), the Pension Benefits Act (PBA) and other statutes.
Industry: Universities
Ontario Posts New Sign Requirements under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017
The prescribed signs that employers, proprietors and others will be required to post under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 are now available on an Ontario government website.
Universities and Publicly-Assisted Colleges Take Note: Ontario Government Announces New Requirement for Free Speech Policy
On August 30, 2018, the government of Ontario announced that as of January 1, 2019, all universities and publicly-assisted colleges will be required to have a free speech policy that meets a minimum standard specified by the government…
BPS Executive Compensation – New Framework Takes Immediate Effect
On August 13, 2018, the Ontario government implemented a new Compensation Framework (New Framework) under the Broader Public Sector Executive Compensation Act, 2014 (BPSECA) that came into immediate effect.
Court Holds Judicial Review Not Available in Broader Public Sector Compensation Restraint Challenge
The Divisional Court recently issued an important decision, Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa v. University of Ottawa, with respect to the ability of a union to challenge a university’s determination of compensation payable to its non-unionized employees on the basis that the determination is contrary to the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act,…
Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario Decision on Post Age 65 Benefits Raises Important Issues
The recent decision from the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (Tribunal) in Talos v. Grand Erie District School Board raises important issues about the provision of benefits to employees aged 65 and older. In Talos, the Tribunal found that section 25 (2.1) of the Ontario Human Rights Code (Code), which effectively permits employers to cease providing employees with benefits at age 65, is unconstitutional. More specifically, the Tribunal held that this age-based “carve out” from Code protection violates the equality guarantee under section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter) and cannot be justified under section 1 of the Charter as a reasonable limit.
Reminder: Universities and Colleges to Have Student-Specific Sexual Violence Policies in Place by January 1, 2017
On January 1, 2017, amendments to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Act and the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005 made by Bill 132 (Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act (Supporting Survivors and Challenging Sexual Violence and Harassment), 2015) come into force…
Ministry Releases Code of Practice to Guide Employers in New Workplace Harassment Obligations
On September 8, 2016, changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) will come into force. The amendments require employers to develop policies and programs to prevent harassment, including sexual harassment, in the workplace. The Ministry of Labour has now finalized its “Code of Practice to Address Workplace Harassment under Ontario’s Occupational Health and…
Insights for Universities on New Government Inclusivity Initiatives Targeting Gender Identification Information
In this FTR Now, we discuss the new government initiatives intended to promote inclusivity and ensure equitable treatment of trans and non-binary gendered persons, and how they may impact Ontario Universities.
New Regulations Outline Details of Requirements Under Ontario’s Sexual Violence and Harassment Legislation for Colleges and Universities
The Ontario government has filed two regulations mandating the content of sexual violence policies which colleges and universities must develop and implement pursuant to the Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act (Supporting Survivors and Challenging Sexual Violence and Harassment), 2015 (“Act”).