Certain Regulations Revoked with Coming Into Force of Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2009

On April 16, 2013, the Ontario government filed O. Reg. 135/13, revoking O. Reg. 573/99 and O. Reg. 222/10 made under the Apprenticeship and Certification Act, 1998. On the same day, O. Reg. 136/13 was filed, revoking O. Reg. 223/10 made under the Trades Qualification and Apprenticeship Act. O. Reg. 135/13 and O. Reg. 136/13 came…

PBA Regulation Relating to OTPP Filed

On April 11, 2013, O. Reg. 131/13, amending Regulation 909 (General) made under the Ontario Pension Benefits Act, was filed and came into force on that date. O. Reg. 131/13 amends subsection 47.7.2 (1) of Regulation 909 to add the following paragraph: 4. Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, registered under the Act as number 0345785. As…

Ontario Introduces Security for Critical Facilities Legislation

On April 10, 2013, the Ontario government introduced Bill 51, Security for Courts, Electricity Generating Facilities and Nuclear Facilities Act, 2013. If passed, Bill 51 would: Repeal the Public Works Protection Act; Amend the Police Services Act to establish powers that may be exercised by an authorized person relating to court security and to create…

Saskatchewan Introduces PRPP Legislation

On April 8, 2013, the government of Saskatchewan introduced Bill 92, The Pooled Registered Pension Plans (Saskatchewan) Act. If passed, Bill 92 would authorize pooled registered pension plans (“PRPPs”) to be made available to provincially regulated employees and self-employed persons in Saskatchewan. Subject to the legislation and any supporting regulations, the requirements set out in…

OLRB: Withdrawal of Extracurricular Activities Constitutes an Unlawful Strike

Today, the Ontario Labour Relations Board (“OLRB”) rendered Trillium Lakelands District School Board and Upper Canada District School Board v. Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, a significant decision in which it found the withdrawal of extracurricular activities by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (“ETFO”) constituted an unlawful strike according to the definition set out…

HRTO Orders Reinstatement of Employee Who Was Terminated Almost a Decade Earlier

In a sweeping remedial decision, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario ordered reinstatement of a non-union employee who was terminated from her employment almost a decade earlier, as well as other remedies such as payment of back wages, as adjusted. In so ordering, the Tribunal explicitly stated that where an employer fails in its duty…

New EI Benefit Rate Calculation to Come Into Force April 7, 2013

On April 7, 2013, certain amendments to the Employment Insurance Act (“EI Act”) made by the federal government’s Budget 2012 legislation, Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, will come into force and create a new benefit rate calculation for employment insurance benefits. As of April 7, 2013, the calculation of the benefit rate of most…

Regulatory Amendment Filed Under Education Act (Operation of Schools – General)

On March 26, 2013, the Ontario government filed O. Reg. 121/13, amending Regulation 298, Operation of Schools – General. It adds to the duties of secondary school principals, for the purpose of assisting in course selection, the requirement to inform prescribed pupils of ways to earn a credit that are an alternative to enrolment as…

HRTO Renders Significant Remedies Decision

In the recent decision of Fair v. Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, a non-union employee was reinstated to employment with back pay, despite having been away from the workplace for nearly a decade. The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario explicitly rejected the employer’s argument that it would be unfair to order reinstatement in light of the…