On February 5, 2014, the Ontario government published proposed amendments to Regulation 909 under the Pension Benefits Act that would, if adopted, exempt investments in securities issued and fully guaranteed by the government of the United States of America (“U.S.”) from the so-called “10% rule” in respect of the quantitative investment limits applicable to registered…
Industry: Municipalities & Municipal Agencies
Ontario Minimum Wage Increasing to $11 on June 1, 2014
On January 30, 2014, the Ontario government announced that the general minimum wage will increase from $10.25 to $11 per hour, effective June 1, 2014. This regulatory change is intended to reflect the increase in the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”) since the last minimum wage increase, which occurred in 2010. A list of the new minimum…
Mere compliance with OHSA order not a mitigating sentencing factor, says Ontario Court of Appeal
Flex-N-Gate, an automobile parts manufacturer, was charged under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (“OHSA”) after a worker badly injured her foot while unbundling 5200 bounds of metal sheets. At the time of the accident the injured worker was following company procedure. A Ministry of Labour (“MOL”) inspector investigated the accident and issued two orders…
Supreme Court Weighs in on Summary Judgment
Yesterday, the Supreme Court of Canada rendered two companion decisions in which it clarified the scope and process of summary judgment motions. In the unanimous decision, the Supreme Court provides some much needed guidance to the legal profession on the proper use of summary judgment motions in what the Supreme Court recognizes is a changing…
HRSDC Renamed Department of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
The Department of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (commonly known as “HRSDC”) has been rebranded as the Department of Employment and Social Development Canada (“ESDC”). As previously reported, this change was implemented by the coming into force of Bill C-4, the Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 2.
Federal Government Implements Pension Funding Relief Regulations (Air Canada)
On January 1, 2014, the federal government published regulations extending the temporary funding relief provided to Air Canada under the Air Canada Pension Plan Funding Regulations, 2009, which were originally set to expire on January 30, 2014. The Air Canada Pension Plan Funding Regulations, 2014 temporarily relieve Air Canada from the requirement to make special…
Federal Government Amends Temporary Foreign Worker Regulations
Further to the federal government’s Budget 2013 commitment, regulatory amendments under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act were published on January 1, 2014. The Regulations Amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (“Regulations”) implement a new compliance verification and enforcement regime, including enhanced Citizenship and Immigration Canada (“CIC”) and Employment and Social Development Canada (“ESDC,”…
Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation to Come into Force on July 1, 2014
On December 4, 2013, the Department of Industry published the final version of the Electronic Commerce Protection Regulations (the “Industry Canada Regulations”) under Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (“CASL”) – the last step in the long process of putting a comprehensive regulatory scheme into place. At the same time, the government announced that much of CASL would…
Federal Government Proposes Transitional Pension Funding Relief Regulations (Canada Post)
On December 21, 2013, the federal government published proposed transitional pension funding relief regulations that would temporarily relieve Canada Post Corporation from the requirement to make special payments to its defined benefit employee pension plan, as ordinarily required under the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985 (“PBSA”), for a period of four years. The proposed amendments…
Federal Budget Bill Receives Royal Assent (C-4)
On December 12, 2013, Bill C-4, the Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 2, received Royal Assent. As previously reported, Bill C-4 is omnibus legislation implementing measures from the Economic Action Plan 2013 (the 2013 Budget), as well as certain previously announced tax measures. The Bill should be consulted for coming into force information. For a more detailed…