Reaching Out – Fifteenth Edition

Dear Friends, We are back with another edition of Reaching Out. With 2020 behind us and some light at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic tunnel, we thought it appropriate to reconnect with our Social Services clients with a Spring edition of Reaching Out. We chose not to publish Reaching Out last year as we…

Ontario Makes Emergency Order to Permit Redeployment of Health Professionals by LHINs and Ontario Health

On April 9, 2021, the Ontario government announced that it has made two orders under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA). The first order relates to the redeployment of certain health care professionals and other workers to hospitals. The second order relates to the transfer of patients to alternative sites. The government states…

Ontario Places All Regions Into Shutdown

Effective April 3, 2021, all regions in Ontario were placed into the Shutdown Zone of the Rules for Areas in Stage 1. The government announced that it anticipates the shutdown to be in place for at least four weeks. The Shutdown Zone rules were amended on March 26, 2021 (see our recent Human Resources and…

Private On-Site Rapid Testing for COVID-19 Expanded

On March 17, 2021, the Ontario government announced that: it has removed certain regulatory restrictions to make it easier to administer private, on-site testing for asymptomatic employees who wish to self-swab for a rapid antigen test on a voluntary basis (and under the supervision of a trained individual) a guide for organizations and individuals who…

Ontario Commences Review of Working at Heights Training Standards

The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (Ministry) is seeking submissions as part of its review of the Working at Heights training program and provider standards. The intent of the review is to ensure the Working at Heights training standards established by Ontario’s Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) further to the Occupational Health and Safety…

Ontario Launches First Aid Modernization Consultation

The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (Ministry) has launched a “First Aid Modernization” consultation on transferring the responsibility for first aid from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) to the Ministry. Currently, the WSIB administers Regulation 1101, First Aid Requirements, made under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997. Regulation 1101 applies…

Ontario Government Launches Workplace Education and Enforcement Campaigns to Ensure COVID-19 Health and Safety Compliance

On November 19, 2020, the Ontario government announced that it is launching a series of education and enforcement campaigns (“inspection blitzes”) to ensure Ontario businesses are taking the necessary steps for the safety of employees, consumers and the public in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaigns have been developed in consultation with local health…