Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development has announced a consultation on the potential introduction of an unpaid leave of absence under the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) of up to 27 weeks for employees experiencing serious or critical illness. This would arise either through the creation of a new leave or…
Publication Name: Human Resources Legislative Update
Ontario Seeking Comments on Proposed Regulations Under the Connecting Care Act, 2019
On March 28, 2024, the Ontario government posted Proposed New Regulations and Amendments to Regulations under the Connecting Care Act, 2019 and other Acts for comment from stakeholders. The proposed regulations would support changes to the Connecting Care Act, 2019 (CCA) as amended by the Convenient Care at Home Act, 2023, which have not yet…
Ontario to Increase Minimum Wage Effective October 1, 2024
On March 28, 2024, the Ontario government announced that the general minimum wage will increase to $17.20 an hour (from $16.55 an hour) effective October 1, 2024. This minimum wage applies to most employees. The minimum wage for the following groups also increases on October 1, 2024:
Ontario Announces Public Hearings on Bill 166
The Standing Committee on Social Policy (Committee) will hold public hearings to consider Bill 166, Strengthening Accountability and Student Supports Act, 2024, on Monday, April 15, 2024 and Tuesday, April 16, 2024. For an overview of the changes proposed by Bill 166, see our FTR Now Ontario Tables Bill Introducing Policy Requirements for Colleges and…
Ontario Budget 2024 Tabled
On March 26, 2024, the Ontario government tabled its 2024 budget, “Building a Better Ontario” (Budget). Among other things, the Budget describes developments in the province’s plan to release a new legislative framework for multi‐employer pension plans that provide target benefits. Bill 180, Building a Better Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2024 was introduced on the…
Employers Should Plan Now for the April 8 Eclipse
On Monday, April 8, 2024, a solar eclipse will be visible in many parts of Eastern Canada. This will be a unique experience, but one that also has the potential to pose a health and safety risk to outdoor workers and any other workers who have work-related reasons to be outdoors at the time of…
Federal Minimum Wage to Increase April 1, 2024
The federal government has announced that, effective April 1, 2024, the federal minimum wage will increase from $16.65 to $17.30 per hour. The increase applies to the federally regulated private sectors, including banks, postal and courier services, telecommunications, and interprovincial air, rail, road and marine transportation. The federal minimum wage is adjusted on an annual…
Reminder: Deadline for Posting Final Federal Pay Equity Plan is Approaching
For those federally regulated employers which became subject to the Pay Equity Act (Act) as of August 31, 2021 (the day the Act came into force), final versions of their pay equity plans and notices of pay increases must be posted no later than September 3, 2024 (the deadline specified by the Pay Equity Unit…
New Federal Online Harms Bill: Possible Implications for Federal Employers
The federal government tabled Bill C-63, the Online Harms Act (Bill C-63) on February 26, 2024. Bill C-63 aims to curb online harms, especially to children, by targeting the spread of harmful content on social media. If passed, key features would include the establishment of the Digital Safety Commission of Canada, the introduction of an…
WSIB Revises Mental Stress Policies to Clarify Role of Witnesses
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) has announced that minor revisions to the Operational Policy Manual documents 15-03-02, Traumatic Mental Stress and 15-03-14, Chronic Mental Stress are in effect as of March 1, 2024. As stated by the WSIB, the revisions are intended “to clarify the role of witness evidence in the adjudication of…