Publication Type: Article

Ontario Budget 2014 and the Provincial Election – Voting Requirements and More

· 6 min read

Last week saw significant developments at Queen’s Park that will be of interest to all employers in Ontario. On Thursday, May 1, 2014, the Ontario government introduced its 2014 Budget, entitled Building Opportunity, Securing Our Future (the “Budget”). On the same day, the government introduced Bill 194, the Building Opportunity and Securing Our Future Act…

Three New Leaves of Absence Added to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 Effective October 29, 2014

· 6 min read

On April 29, 2014, the Ontario Legislature passed Bill 21, the Employment Standards Amendment Act (Leaves to Help Families), 2014. Royal Assent was given on the same day. Bill 21 will amend the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the “Act“) to add three new job-protected leaves of absence effective October 29, 2014 – family caregiver leave,…

Ontario Proposes Significant Pension Regulation Reforms

· 11 min read

On April 25, 2014, the Ontario government released four proposals (the “Proposals” or the “Proposal”) in respect of proposed amendments to Regulation 909 (the “Regulations”) under the Pension Benefits Act (“PBA”) and is seeking comments from interested stakeholders. The Proposals relate to PBA reforms introduced or announced by the Ontario government over the past four…

Supervisors of Part-Time College Employees Now Excluded from Union Membership

· 4 min read

In a decision with important implications for colleges across the province, Arbitrator Brian Keller has found that college employees who supervise part-time bargaining unit members are excluded from bargaining unit membership by operation of the Colleges Collective Bargaining Act (the “CCBA” or “Act“). In this FTR Now, we discuss this decision and its significance for…

Ontario Government Proposes New Public Sector Compensation Restraint Legislation

· 8 min read

On Monday, March 24, 2014, the Ontario government introduced Bill 179, the Public Sector and MPP Accountability and Transparency Act, 2014. If passed, Bill 179 would give the government the authority to create comprehensive compensation frameworks for certain employers in the broader public sector (“BPS”), and would implement a number of measures to enhance “accountability…

Canada Labour Code Amendments (Bill C-45) to Come into Force April 1, 2014

· 7 min read

Effective April 1, 2014, much-anticipated amendments to the Canada Labour Code (“Code“) first outlined in Bill C-45, the Jobs and Growth Act, 2012, will come into force. The amendments will implement a statutory framework for complaints relating to unpaid wages and other alleged violations of the Code, its regulations or orders made under Part III….

Ontario Moving Closer to Creating Statutory Presumption for PTSD Claims Made by Emergency Response Workers

· 8 min read

Managing mental illness flowing from workers’ compensation claims may become more difficult for emergency management services employers in Ontario. On February 27, 2014, Bill 67, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), 2014, passed Second Reading in the Ontario legislature with all-party support, and was referred to Committee for consideration. If passed,…

Arbitrator’s Remedy Includes Waiver of Sunset Provision

· 3 min read

In Canadian Office & Professional Employees Union, Local 529 v Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board, Arbitrator Jesin provided an interesting alternative to a simple “reinstatement without compensation” order, one that reflected the concerns of both the school board and the union. In this case, an educational assistant (“EA”) was dealing with a kindergarten student…

Finding of Charter violation leads to $2 million award against the B.C. government

· 2 min read

In British Columbia Teachers’ Federation v. British Columbia, the B.C. Supreme Court awarded $2 million in damages against the B.C. Government for its violation of the freedom of association guarantee found in section 2(d) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (“Charter“). The British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (“BCTF”) successfully argued that legislation enacted by…