On December 14, 2017, Bill 177, Stronger, Fairer Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2017, received Royal Assent. Bill 177 is omnibus legislation which amends several statutes, including the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Pension Benefits Act and the Broader Public Sector Executive Compensation Act. Workplace Safety and Insurance…
Publication Type: Blog Post
Ontario Announces Intention to Add Nurses as First Responders for Purpose of WSIB PTSD Presumption
On December 6, 2017, the Ontario Ministry of Labour announced that it intends to add nurses who provide direct patient care to the list of “first responders” who benefit from a presumption of work-relatedness if they develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The change is aimed at expediting front-line nurses’ access to benefits and timely treatment…
The (Funding) Future is Here: Ontario Releases Pension Funding Reform Details
On December 14, 2017, the Ontario government published the long-awaited details to support the proposed reforms to funding rules for Ontario pension plans. The proposed regulations describe the amendments to the Pension Benefits Act Regulations that will, among other things: Alter solvency funding obligations, by reducing the solvency deficiency required to be funded (such that…
Omnibus Healthcare Bill Passed
On December 12, 2017, Bill 160, Strengthening Quality and Accountability for Patients Act, 2017, received Royal Assent. As previously reported, Bill 160 is omnibus legislation which addresses the delivery of healthcare services in Ontario. It enacts the Health Sector Payment Transparency Act, 2017, Medical Radiation and Imaging Technology Act, 2017 and Oversight of Health Facilities…
Provincial Cannabis Act, Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 Receives Royal Assent
On December 12, 2017, Bill 174, Cannabis, Smoke-Free Ontario and Road Safety Statute Law Amendment Act, 2017 received Royal Assent. As we previously reported, Bill 174 is omnibus legislation enacting the Cannabis Act, 2017 and the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation Act, 2017 which will regulate the cultivation, sale, distribution and consumption of cannabis in Ontario. It also…
Ontario Court Confirms that “Location Matters” in Charter Claims
In Thain v. Pattison Outdoor Advertising LP, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice stayed an Ontario resident’s freedom of expression claim under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter), finding that the Court lacked jurisdiction over the subject matter of the litigation and that “[t]he interests of justice overwhelmingly favour Manitoba as the appropriate and…
CRTC Decision Provides Important Guidance on Anti-Spam Legislation
A recent compliance and enforcement decision of the Canada Radio-television and Communications Commission (Decision 2017-368) under Canada’s Anti Spam legislation (Act) provides useful guidance for organizations seeking to rely on the Act’s “business-to-business” exclusion, or implied consent, to send commercial electronic messages (CEMs). It also has significant implications for any organization making representations to the…
Deadline for Submissions on Exemptions under ESA Extended
As we previously reported, the Ontario government is seeking input on the following occupations currently exempted under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA): Architects Domestic Workers, Homemakers and Residential Care Workers IT Professionals Managerial and Supervisory Employees Pharmacists Residential Building Superintendents, Janitors and Caretakers The exclusion of domestic workers under the Labour Relations Act, 1995…
WSIB Rate Framework Policy Consultation Extended (Again)
As we previously reported, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board launched a public consultation on draft policies for the new Rate Framework, which is scheduled to be implemented on January 1, 2020. In October 2017, the deadline for submissions for the Rate Framework Policy Consultation was extended to December 5, 2017. The deadline for submissions…
Bill 148 Receives Royal Assent
On November 27, 2017, Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017, received Royal Assent. Many provisions of Bill 148 come into force on January 1, 2018, including the amendments to the Labour Relations Act, 1995. There are several exceptions to the general January 1, 2018 coming into force date for the Employment Standards Act,…