On October 27, 2015, the Ontario government tabled new legislation to address sexual violence and harassment. If passed, the proposed measures in Bill 132, the Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act (Supporting Survivors and Challenging Sexual Violence and Harassment), 2015 (“Act”), would, among other things, require publicly assisted colleges and universities and private career…
Publication Name: FTR Now
2015 Federal Election Update: ORPP or CPP – Which Will it be?
Editor’s Note: Following publication of this communication, the Ontario government announced that the first wave of ORPP implementation will be delayed by one year to January 1, 2018. Please be sure to read our FTR Now of February 17, 2016 for updated information on this significant development, or contact your regular Hicks Morley lawyer for…
Ontario Invites Submissions on Closing Gender Wage Gap
On October 8, 2015, the Ontario government invited input from individuals and organizations to assist it in developing a strategy to close the wage gap between men and women. In this FTR Now, we review the government’s initiative, its invitation for submissions and how Ontario employers can provide their feedback. THE CONSULTATION PROCESS By way…
ESA Provisions Imposing Shared Liability for Temporary Help Agencies and Their Clients Coming into Force
On November 20, 2015, amendments to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”) which affect Ontario’s temporary help industry and its clients will come into force. The amendments were contained in Bill 18, Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act, 2014, which we previously discussed in our FTR Now of July 21, 2014, Ontario Reintroduces Legislation…
Federal Election 2015: Employers’ Obligation to Provide Paid Time Off to Vote
A federal election has been called for October 19, 2015. Under the Canada Elections Act (“Act“) all employees who are electors – Canadian citizens who are 18 years of age or older – are entitled to three (3) consecutive hours on election day during voting hours to cast their vote. In this FTR Now, we…
An Update on WSIB Rate Framework Reform
In March 2015, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (“WSIB”) released a preliminary Rate Framework (“Proposed Framework”) which, if adopted, would fundamentally change the way the WSIB classifies Schedule 1 employers and sets their premium rates (see our FTR Now of April 17, 2015 “WSIB Rate Framework Reform: Stakeholder Input Invited”). At the same time,…
ORPP: Ontario Government Announces Implementation Details
Editor’s Note: Following publication of this communication, the Ontario government announced that the first wave of ORPP implementation will be delayed by one year to January 1, 2018. Please be sure to read our FTR Now of February 17, 2016 for updated information on this significant development, or contact your regular Hicks Morley lawyer for…
Ontario Government to Amend Workplace Laws
On May 28, 2015, the Ontario government introduced Bill 109, the Employment and Labour Statute Law Amendment Act, 2015, proposed legislation intended to effect a number of changes to workplace laws, including: the labour relations provisions of the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997 ("FPPA"); the Public Sector Labour Relations Transition Act, 1997 ("PSLRTA"); and…
Changes to the Federal Pension Investment Rules
In March 2015, the federal government published final regulations amending investment rules under the Pension Benefits Standards Regulations, 1985 (“Regulations”). These reforms apply to federally registered pension plans and to pension plans registered in provincial jurisdictions that have adopted Schedule III of the Regulations, as amended (the “Federal Investment Rules” or “FIR”). As we previously…
Ontario Begins Consultations on Labour and Employment Reform
On May 14, 2015, the Ontario government formally commenced the "Changing Workplaces" consultations first announced in February. To facilitate this process, the government also published a guide outlining the scope of the consultations, the specific issues on which the government is soliciting feedback and instructions on how to participate. You can view the government’s announcement…