In the latest evolution of the federal government’s response to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, on February 19, 2021, the government announced that it would be introducing regulatory and legislative amendments to increase the number of weeks of benefits available for Employment Insurance (EI) regular benefits, as well as the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), the…
Tag: COVID-19
Ontario Again Updates its Screening Tool for Workers
On February 26, 2021, the Ontario government made minor revisions to its “COVID-19 Screening Tool for Businesses and Organizations (Screening Workers).” The screening questions now ask if the person using the tool is experiencing “one or more” of the listed symptoms (previously, it was “any one” of the listed symptoms). More significantly, the screening questions…
Ontario Publishes Further Update to its Screening Tool for Workers
On February 10, 2021, the Ontario government updated its “COVID-19 Screening Tool for Businesses and Organizations (Screening Workers)” (Tool). The update clarifies that the Tool applies to all regions in Ontario (Rules for Areas in Stages 1, 2 and 3) and that employers must ensure that workers are screened before they go to work or…
Ontario’s Regional Approach to Pandemic Management: Amendments to the Yellow, Orange, Red and Grey Zones
The Ontario government is continuing its recently announced return to a regional approach to pandemic management and to a modified provincial COVID-19: Response Framework. The first phase, discussed in greater detail in our February 10, 2021 FTR Now, involved the creation of a new Shutdown Zone as part of the Rules for Areas in Stage…
Ontario Ends Declared Emergency and Resumes Regional Approach to Pandemic Management
On February 8, 2021, the Ontario government announced that the declared emergency under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act would be terminated at the end of day, February 9, 2021. It also announced that it would be gradually resuming its regional approach to managing the pandemic that was previously in effect. While most regions of the province will remain in a shutdown, three public health regions have been moved to lesser restrictions.
Ontario Announces Additional Schools to Return to In-Person Learning
On February 3, 2021, the Ontario Minister of Education announced the dates for return to in-person learning for the remaining schools that have not yet opened for in-person learning. On Monday February 8, elementary and secondary schools located in the following public health units will return to in-person learning: Brant County Health Unit Chatham-Kent Public…
Federal Government Announces Temporary Waiver of EI Waiting Period
On January 29, 2021, the federal government announced that it will be amending the Employment Insurance (EI) regulations to temporarily waive the one-week waiting period for EI claimants who establish a new claim between January 31, 2021 and September 25, 2021. This change is in response to the ongoing restrictions on businesses arising out of…
Ontario Publishes Updated Tool for Screening Workers
The Ontario government has updated its COVID-19 tool for screening workers before they go to work each day. The “COVID-19 Screening Tool for Businesses and Organizations (Screening Workers),” issued by the Chief Medical Officer of Health, contains several changes of note to employers. These include: a reference to the regulatory screening requirement under O. Reg….
Redeployment Ability of Health Service Providers (Including Hospitals) Expanded
On January 18, 2021, the Ontario government amended Ontario Regulation 74/20, Work Redeployment For Certain Health Service Providers (Regulation), made under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020. The amendments – which came into effect January 18, 2021 – are intended to help alleviate the increasing staffing and capacity issues faced by…
Ontario Declares Emergency, Issues Stay-at-Home Order
On January 12, 2021, the Ontario government declared a second emergency under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA) in light of the surging COVID-19 cases in Ontario. The emergency declaration took effect immediately. At the same time, the government announced that it would be issuing a range of other orders to enhance the…