On March 7, 2014, the Ontario government filed regulatory amendments to General Regulation 909 under the Pension Benefits Act. O. Reg. 51/14 (General) exempts investments in securities issued and fully guaranteed by the government of the United States of America (“U.S.”) from the so-called “10% rule” in respect of the quantitative investment limits applicable to…
Publication Name: Human Resources Legislative Update
Ontario Introduces Legislation Tying Minimum Wage to CPI
Further to the Ontario government’s previously reported commitment to tie future minimum wage increases to the province’s Consumer Price Index, Bill 165, the Fair Minimum Wage Act, 2014 was introduced on February 26, 2014. Bill 165 would amend the Employment Standards Act, 2000 and create a new section 23.1, setting out a framework for the…
Ontario Introduces New Immigration Legislation
On February 19, 2014, the Ontario government introduced Bill 161, the Ontario Immigration Act, 2014, proposed legislation that would, if passed, create a new framework for the recruitment, selection and admission of skilled workers in the province, and establish a significant inspection, investigation and enforcement regime. Among other matters, Bill 161 provides for the establishment by…
OHSA regulations amended – Diving Operations, Mines and Mining Plants
On February 14, 2014, the Ontario government filed the following Occupational Health and Safety Act regulations: O. Reg. 32/14 (Diving Operations), extensively amending various sections of O. Reg. 629/94; and O. Reg. 34/14 (Mines and Mining Plants), amending Regulation 854 of R.R.O. 1990 (now in force). O. Reg. 32/14 comes into force March 1, 2014.
Ontario Files ESA Regulatory Amendment Implementing New Minimum Wage Effective June 1, 2014
As previously reported, Ontario’s minimum wage is increasing to $11 effective June 1, 2014. On February 14, 2014, the Ontario government filed O. Reg. 31/14 amending O. Reg. 285/01 made under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (Exemptions, Special Rules and Establishment of Minimum Wage) to implement these changes.
Proposed Amendment to CPP Regulations Defining “Substantially Gainful” Occupation
On February 15, 2014, the federal government published proposed Regulations Amending the Canada Pension Plan Regulations. If adopted, the proposed Regulations would prescribe the meaning of “‘substantially gainful’, in respect of an occupation” in subsections 42(1) and 89(1) of the Canada Pension Plan (“CPP”), one of the factors relevant to determining when a person is…
Federal Budget 2014 Introduced
Today, the federal government tabled its Budget 2014, The Road to Balance: Creating Jobs and Opportunities (Economic Action Plan 2014), a brief summary of which is outlined in a Department of Finance news release. Hicks Morley is in the process of reviewing the Budget. An FTR Now outlining the Budget’s highlights for employers and pension plan…
Ontario Proposes “10% Rule” Exemption for U.S. Government Securities
On February 5, 2014, the Ontario government published proposed amendments to Regulation 909 under the Pension Benefits Act that would, if adopted, exempt investments in securities issued and fully guaranteed by the government of the United States of America (“U.S.”) from the so-called “10% rule” in respect of the quantitative investment limits applicable to registered…
Ontario Minimum Wage Increasing to $11 on June 1, 2014
On January 30, 2014, the Ontario government announced that the general minimum wage will increase from $10.25 to $11 per hour, effective June 1, 2014. This regulatory change is intended to reflect the increase in the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”) since the last minimum wage increase, which occurred in 2010. A list of the new minimum…
HRSDC Renamed Department of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
The Department of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (commonly known as “HRSDC”) has been rebranded as the Department of Employment and Social Development Canada (“ESDC”). As previously reported, this change was implemented by the coming into force of Bill C-4, the Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 2.