Earlier this year, the Ontario government announced proposed reforms to pension plan funding that will have a significant impact on employers and plan administrators with plans registered in Ontario. These changes are expected to be part of the government’s Fall agenda, and will be of particular interest to employers who provide single employer defined benefit (DB) pension plans or participate in multi-employer pension plans (MEPPs) in Ontario.
Publication Name: FTR Now
Big Changes to Bill 148 after Committee Review
On August 21, 2017, the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs (Committee) adopted significant amendments to Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017 (Bill 148) which will be reported back to the Ontario Legislature when it resumes sitting on September 11, 2017…
Bill 148 and Pay Equity: A Changing Landscape and Increasing Scrutiny of Ontario Employers
As part of the 30th anniversary of the Pay Equity Act (Act), the Pay Equity Office has implemented several new initiatives in 2017 in support of its mandate to administer and enforce the Act. These initiatives, coupled with pending legislative changes under Bill 148, present significant changes and potential risks to employers across the province.
Addressing the Retirement System “Gap”: PRPPs Now Available in Ontario
In 2012, the federal government introduced a new type of tax-preferential workplace pension plan, the Pooled Registered Pension Plan (PRPP). Ontario is one of six Canadian provinces to have incorporated PRPP legislation into its existing provincial retirement framework, through the implementation of legislation last Fall. In this FTR Now, we explain the key features of…
HRTO Decision Clarifies Family Status Accommodation Test and Finds Reasonable Investigation Conducted
In Ananda v. Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, a recent decision of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (Tribunal), the Tribunal confirmed its approach to assessing claims of family status discrimination (in this case, involving eldercare) and described some of the features of a picture-perfect human rights investigation…
New and Longer EI Benefits are Coming
Much anticipated legislative reforms to the Employment Insurance (EI) regime in Canada will extend parental and maternity EI benefits and expand access to critically ill children benefits. Find out what the changes could mean for your organization in this FTR Now…
Bill 148: Public Hearing Dates Announced
On June 22, 2017, the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs (Committee) met to adopt procedural recommendations from its subcommittee with respect to the public hearings for Bill 148. Employers wishing to participate in these hearings should take note of the following information…
Supreme Court of Canada Confirms Termination of Disabled Employee Not a Breach of Human Rights
In Stewart v. Elk Valley Coal Corp., the Supreme Court of Canada has upheld a decision of the Alberta Human Rights Tribunal (Tribunal) which concluded that an employee who had a cocaine addiction was not dismissed because of that addiction; rather, he was dismissed for breaching his employer’s Alcohol, Illegal Drugs & Medical Policy (Policy)…
Ontario Human Rights Commission Releases New Inquiry Report on Post-Secondary Student Mental Health Accommodations
The Ontario Human Rights Commission (Commission) has released an Inquiry Report regarding its inquiry into the systemic barriers facing post-secondary students with mental health disabilities entitled “With Learning in Mind.” Find out more about the Commission’s initiative and its impact on Colleges and Universities in this FTR Now…
Executive Compensation for Ontario BPS Organizations – A Summary of Recent Changes
On June 8 and 9, 2017, the Ontario government made a series of significant changes to the BPSECA Executive Compensation Framework. The changes include amendments to the content required of compensation programs, the timing of the development of those programs, and the process organizations must follow to implement their compensation programs…