Practice Area: Human Rights

Becoming a Program Signatory to the SDRCC/OSIC

· 7 min read

Introduction Safe sport has become an important and highly publicized issue, and sport organizations across Canada must determine how to administer their safe sport complaint and discipline management processes. While federally funded sport organizations are required to adopt the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) and become signatories, sport…

The Strengthening Accountability and Student Supports Act, 2024 Receives Royal Assent

· 1 min read

As discussed in our February 28, 2024 FTR Now, on February 26, 2024 the Ontario government introduced Bill 166, Strengthening Accountability and Student Supports Act, 2024 (Bill 166). Bill 166 received Royal Assent on May 16, 2024. Policy Requirements Bill 166 amends the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Act (Act) to require every college…

Ontario Introduces Working for Workers Five Act, 2024

· 5 min read

On May 6, 2024, the Ontario government introduced the Working for Workers Five Act, 2024 (Bill 190). Bill 190 proposes amendments to various employment-related statutes, including the Employment Standards Act, 2000, Occupational Health and Safety Act, and Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997. Some of these proposed amendments were discussed in our FTR Now of…

Ontario Proposes Changes to Sick Leave Under the Employment Standards Act, 2000

· 2 min read

The Ontario government has announced it is proposing changes that would restrict an employer from requiring a medical note to substantiate an unpaid sick leave day under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA). Currently, an employee who has been employed for at least two consecutive weeks is entitled to up to three days of unpaid…

Understanding “Safe Sport” Sanctions and Disciplinary Issues Under the Universal Code of Conduct

· 6 min read

Introduction Disciplinary issues and related sanctions can arise in any organization, but they can be especially challenging to navigate in relation to safe sport. The federal government has committed to addressing harassment, discrimination and abuse in sport by requiring all federally funded sport organizations to adopt the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address…

Divisional Court Confirms Concurrent Jurisdiction Model Applies to Human Rights Disputes in Unionized Workplaces

· 3 min read

The Divisional Court has confirmed that Ontario labour arbitrators share concurrent jurisdiction with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (Tribunal) over human rights disputes that arise in a unionized workplace.   As reported in our FTR Now of October 6, 2022, in Weilgosh v. London District Catholic School Board, the Tribunal determined it shared jurisdiction with…

Key Legal Issues on “Safe Sport” in Canada: Latest Developments on Policy and the Law

· 6 min read

Executive Summary Creating and protecting a respectful sport culture is an important priority for governments and public policy-makers in Canada and, increasingly, it is an important legal issue for employers and organizations in the sector as well. A review of any number of recent news articles makes this point clear. This year, the federal government…