Federal Accessibility Legislation Tabled

On June 20, 2018, the federal government introduced Bill C-81, An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada (Bill), accessibility legislation which will apply to certain federally regulated employers. In its preamble, the Bill states that barriers to accessibility can prevent full and equal participation in society by Canadians with disabilities. If passed and among other things,…

2018 Client Conference Additional Resources

Keynote Speaker on Mental Health in the Workplace Dr. Raj Bhatla, Psychiatrist-in-Chief and Chief of Staff of the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group Resources from Presentation The Royal is one of Canada’s foremost mental health care and academic health science centres with a mandate of getting more people living with mental illness into recovery faster. The Royal…

2018 Client Conference Additional Resources

Keynote Speaker on Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Luke Anderson, Founder, StopGap Foundation Organizations Supporting People with Disabilities The Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work is an organization offering valuable resources to promote and support meaningful and equitable employment of people with disabilities. Their mission: “As innovators and agents of change, we build partnerships, develop skills, share knowledge…

OMHRA Summer ECHO Newsletter Features Two Articles by Jessica Toldo

The Summer 2018 issue of OMHRA’s ECHO newsletter features two articles authored by Hicks Morley lawyer Jessica Toldo. In the article “Landmark Decision Finds FIPPA’s Delay / Block of Public Access to Adjudicative Records of Administrative Tribunals Unconstitutional,” Jessica discusses the Toronto Star v AG Ontario case where a landmark decision prompted by the Toronto Star, the Superior Court of Justice found…

Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario Decision on Post Age 65 Benefits Raises Important Issues

The recent decision from the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (Tribunal) in Talos v. Grand Erie District School Board raises important issues about the provision of benefits to employees aged 65 and older. In Talos, the Tribunal found that section 25 (2.1) of the Ontario Human Rights Code (Code), which effectively permits employers to cease providing employees with benefits at age 65, is unconstitutional. More specifically, the Tribunal held that this age-based “carve out” from Code protection violates the equality guarantee under section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter) and cannot be justified under section 1 of the Charter as a reasonable limit.

Privacy Rules Around Non-Disclosure of Administrative Records Declared Unconstitutional

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice recently held that the Ontario Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) violates section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter), finding that it goes too far to protect the privacy of parties, witnesses and others in matters heard by the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, Ontario Labour Relations Board and other statutory tribunals. Learn more in this FTR Now.