Publication Name: FTR Now

Federal Government Tables 2010 Budget

· 2 min read

On March 4, 2010, the federal Minister of Finance, the Honourable Jim Flaherty, tabled the Government of Canada’s 2010 Budget (the “Budget”) in the House of Commons. The Budget represents the second phase of the Government’s “Economic Action Plan”, which was initiated in the 2009 Budget with a view to lifting the Canadian economy out…

CPP Deductions on Disability Payments: New Guidance from the Federal Court of Appeal

· 4 min read

On January 28, 2010, the Federal Court of Appeal rendered its decision in Toronto Transit Commission v. Minister of National Revenue (“TTC”), which will be of interest to employers who provide long term disability (“LTD”) benefits to their employees through self-funded or administrative services only (“ASO”) arrangements.  According to the Court’s decision in TTC, Canada…

New Background Check Policies Squeezing Employers

· 5 min read

Late last year, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (“RCMP”) issued a directive to agencies that facilitate national criminal background checks. The directive outlines significant changes to the process governing the dissemination of criminal record information, and the process by which such agencies may conduct name-based criminal record verifications. In this FTR Now, we discuss these…

Extending Access To Information Obligations To Ontario Hospitals: What Would It Mean?

· 4 min read

In late October of last year, the Ontario Hospital Association asked the provincial government to extend coverage of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (“FIPPA”) to hospitals as a means of promoting transparency and public accountability. This bulletin outlines the basic features of Ontario’s access to information regime and raises questions about…

Municipalities Exposed To Construction Collective Agreements

· 3 min read

In a recent decision, the Ontario Labour Relations Board (“OLRB”) held that key non-construction employer provisions of the Ontario Labour Relations Act, 1995 (the “Act”) were unconstitutional. In this FTR Now, we discuss how the decision could have an impact on the ability of municipalities to tender construction work. BACKGROUND The construction industry labour relations…

Ontario Introduces Draft Pension Reform Legislation

· 31 min read

INTRODUCTION Following on the heels of the Report of the Ontario Expert Commission on Pensions (“OECP”), the Ontario Government released draft pension reform legislation on December 9, 2009. Bill 236, Pension Benefits Amendment Act, 2009 (“Bill 236”) marks the beginning of what the Government is calling a multi-stage pension reform process to modernize Ontario’s pension…

Ontario Releases New Pension Reform Legislation

· 2 min read

Following swiftly on the heels of the Report of the Expert Commission on Pensions, the Ontario Government released draft pension reform legislation on December 9, 2009. The draft legislation marks the beginning of what the Government is calling a multi-stage pension reform process to modernize Ontario’s pension system. The legislation covers an array of issues,…

Alcohol and the Office Party

· 4 min read

With the holiday season approaching, employers are once again planning their holiday festivities. Whether the festivity is large or small, it remains as important as ever that employers take proactive steps to ensure the health and safety of their employees who attend office parties or other celebrations. Over the years, a number of court decisions…