The Ontario government has announced it will be introducing regulatory amendments to expand the presumptive cancer coverage for firefighters to include thyroid and pancreatic cancers. This expanded coverage will be retroactive to January 1, 1960 and will be applicable to full-time, volunteer and part-time firefighters, firefighters employed by First Nations band councils, and fire investigators….
Publication Name: Human Resources Legislative Update
WSIB Publishes Draft Communicable Illnesses Policy for Consultation
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) has published a Draft Communicable Illnesses Policy (Draft Policy) for consultation. As stated by the WSIB, the WSIB has adjudicated tens of thousands of COVID-19 claims since the onset of the pandemic. Drawing from its history of adjudicating communicable diseases and the recent COVID-19 claims’ experience, the WSIB…
Ontario Proposes Amendments to Long-Term Care Sector Regulations
Ontario’s Ministry of Long-Term Care has tabled a proposal to amend Regulation 246/22 made under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021. The proposed amendments focus on changes to staffing qualifications, medication management and drug administration and overall resident experience. Regulation 246/22 prescribes residents’ rights, plans of care, nursing and personal support services, nutritional care, medical…
Competition Bureau Seeks Feedback on Incoming Changes to Competition Act
The Competition Bureau Canada is inviting interested parties to provide comments on new guidelines to address wage-fixing and no-poaching agreements (Guidelines). The draft Guidelines describe the Bureau’s approach to enforcing recent amendments to the Competition Act which make wage-fixing and no-poaching agreements illegal and subject to significant criminal penalties in Canada. As we previously noted,…
Amendments to OHSA Regarding Naloxone Kit Requirement Proclaimed into Force – June 1, 2023
The amendments Bill 88, Working for Workers Act, 2022 made to the Occupational Health & Safety Act, which require certain employers to have a naloxone kit in the workplace, have been proclaimed into force effective June 1, 2023. As a result, starting on June 1, 2023, employers who become aware or ought reasonably to be…
Ontario Launching 2023 Budget Consultations
On December 8, 2022, the Ontario government announced that it is launching consultations for the 2023 Budget. The announcement states that the government is “seeking ideas from workers, families, business owners and communities on what they need and what they want to see in the 2023 Budget.” In-person consultations will be held across the province…
Municipalities Take Note: Ontario Introduces Better Municipal Governance Act and Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act Regulations
In this Human Resources Legislative Update, we provide a brief summary of two recent legislative developments–the introduction of Bill 39, Better Municipal Governance Act, 2022, as well as Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022 regulations–that build on the Ontario government’s stated initiative to extend strong mayor powers and deliver on shared provincial-municipal priorities. Bill 39,…
Ontario to Require Filed Pension Funding and Governance Policies
On November 14, 2022, the Ontario government released the 2022 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review – Ontario’s Plan to Build: A Progress Update. Included in the plan is, as previously announced in the 2022 Budget, the government’s commitment to consult with stakeholders on proposed regulations necessary for implementing a permanent target benefit framework in…
Ontario Repeals Bill 28, Keeping Students in Class Act, 2022
On November 14, 2022, the Ontario government tabled and passed Bill 35, Keeping Students in Class Repeal Act, 2022, which repeals Bill 28, Keeping Students in Class Act, 2022 and deems it never to have been in force. Bill 35 states that the collective agreements that were deemed to be in operation under subsection 5(1)…
Employers Take Note: Incoming Changes to Competition Act
Employers should take note of recent amendments made to the Competition Act (Act) by Bill C-19, Budget Implementation Act, 2022, No. 1 which will come into force on June 23, 2023. The amendments make it a criminal offence for an employer to conspire, agree or arrange with an unaffiliated employer to fix, maintain, decrease or…