As discussed in our previous post, the Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015 (Act) creates new procedural requirements for requesting and obtaining criminal record, judicial matters and vulnerable sector backgrounds checks. The Act creates a requirement for a two-stage consent process where: (1) the individual must consent to the type of check being conducted; and…
Publication Type: Blog Post
New ESA Regulations Exempt Crown Employees from Hours of Work/Overtime Provisions of ESA; Reduce Penalties for Notices of Contravention
On October 24, 2018, the Ontario government filed two regulations made under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA). O. Reg. 448/18 amends O. Reg. 285/01 (When Work Deemed to be Performed, Exemptions and Special Rules) to exempt Crown employees from the hours of work/eating periods and overtime provisions of the ESA. Specifically, the exemption applies…
Signs Required to be Posted under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 Now Available on Government Website
Further to our FTR Now of October 18, 2018, Employers Take Note: Provincial Cannabis Legislation and Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 (Including New Poster Requirements) Now in Force, the government of Ontario has now posted information regarding the new rules under the Act as well as the signs required to be posted by employers and others…
Reminder: New Police Record Check Legislation in Force November 1, 2018
As we previously discussed, the Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015 (Act) comes into force on November 1, 2018. Commencing on that date, police services in Ontario will offer three types of records checks: criminal record checks, criminal record and judicial matters checks and vulnerable sector checks. The types of information that are authorized for…
Committee Invites Public Submissions on Proposed Federal Accessibility Legislation – Due October 25, 2018
As we previously discussed, in June 2018 the federal government introduced Bill C-81, An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada, accessibility legislation which will apply to certain federally regulated employers. If passed, Bill C-81 will require certain organizations to identify, remove and prevent barriers in the following areas: employment, the built environment, information and communication…
Reminder: Mandatory Data Breach Notification in Force on November 1, 2018
As we previously reported, as of November 1, 2018, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) will require notification to affected individuals and the federal Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) when a security incident involving personal information results in a “real risk of significant harm.” The supporting regulations published March 27, 2018…
Cannabis-Related Regulatory Proposals Published for Comment by October 7, 2018
On September 27, 2018, the Ontario government tabled Bill 36, the Cannabis Statute Law Amendment Act, 2018. On the same day, it published proposed cannabis-related amendments to two regulations, for comment by October 7, 2018. Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 Proposed Regulation If Bill 36 passes, the government is considering changes to O. Reg. 268/18 made…
Reduction of WSIB Premium Rates for Employers Announced
On September 26, 2018, the Ontario government and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) announced that WSIB premium rates for employers will be reduced by almost 30 percent, starting January 1, 2019. The announcement states the reduction is due to the elimination of the unfunded liability of the WSIB’s Insurance Fund. The unfunded liability…
New Cannabis Legislation Tabled by Ontario Government
On September 27, 2018, the Ontario government tabled Bill 36, the Cannabis Statute Law Amendment Act, 2018. If passed, Bill 36 will enact the Cannabis Licence Act, 2018 and will make amendments to the Cannabis Act, 2017, the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation Act, 2017 and the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017, as well as consequential amendments…
Early Effective Date Announced for New Federal Parental Sharing Benefit
The government has announced that the new federal Parental Sharing Benefit will launch on March 17, 2019. As we previously reported, the 2018 federal Budget (Budget) proposed to establish an additional Parental Sharing Benefit with the goal of encouraging parents to share Employment Insurance (EI) benefits. The intended goal of this reform was to allow…