Ontario Bar Association Institute: Pensions an Benefits Law – What to Expect in 2020

It is often said that hindsight is 20/20, but in our profession, we need the tools and information to form a clear view of what is ahead. Let’s make 2020 the year of excellent foresight. Our experienced faculty of pensions and benefits practitioners will look back on recent trends and developments in this area of the law, and share their insights on what to expect in the year ahead.

Federal Government Postpones Changes to Stock Options

In June 2019, the federal government tabled a Notice of Ways and Means Motion to limit the benefit of the employee stock option deduction for high income individuals employed at large, long-established, mature organizations. Stakeholders were invited to provide input on the characteristics of small, growing companies that should not be subject to the new…

FTR Quarterly – Issue 15

In This Issue: Protection in the Face of Employee Fraud, Key Human Resources Decisions in in 2019 and Cases to Monitor in 2020 and more!

B.C. Tribunal Finds that Reduced Benefits for Employees Over Age 65 under Employer’s Benefit Plan is not Discriminatory

The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal (Tribunal) recently held that the decision to provide reduced benefits to employees over age 65 under an employer-sponsored benefit plan is not discrimination under the British Columbia Human Rights Code (Code) if the reduced benefits are provided as part of a “bona fide group or employee insurance plan” within…

Ontario’s Bill 132 Referred to Committee, Includes Proposed Amendments to PBA

On November 7, 2019, Bill 132, Better for People, Smarter for Business Act, 2019 (Bill 132), passed Second Reading and was referred to the Standing Committee on General Government. Bill 132 is omnibus legislation which, if passed, will amend a number of statutes, including the Ontario Pension Benefits Act (PBA). Proposed amendments to the PBA…

Advantage CPD: As the World Turns – Legislative/Case Law Updates in Labour and Employment Law

In a fast paced review, we will examine federal and Ontario legislative changes followed by a review of new risks and liabilities arising out of some recent noteworthy decisions rendered by tribunals, arbitrators and the courts. Before turning to your questions, we will close with a “To Do” list summarizing the learnings.

Ontario Superior Court Affirms that Pension Payments to a Non-Member Spouse Cease Upon Death

In Meloche v. Meloche, the Ontario Superior Court held that, following a pension division under the Ontario Pension Benefits Act (PBA), payments do not continue to the estate of a non-member spouse who predeceases the member spouse. The parties separated in 2017 after 30 years of marriage. The respondent teacher retired in 2015, and elected…