On December 15, 2011, Bill C-13, Keeping Canada’s Economy and Jobs Growing Act received Royal Assent. Bill C-13 is omnibus legislation designed to implement a number of measures proposed in its 2011 Budget, as outlined in our FTR Now of March 24, 2011, “Federal Budget 2011.”
Tag: Federal
Supreme Court of Canada Upholds Finding of Wage Discrimination
In a federal sector pay equity complaint that stretched on for nearly 30 years, the Supreme Court of Canada has upheld a finding of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal of gender-based wage discrimination. The result is an order to compensate employees for lost wages over a 20 year period. This FTR Now discusses the Supreme…
Bill C-13 at First Reading in the Senate
On November 22, 2011, First Reading of Bill C-13, Keeping Canada’s Economy and Jobs Growing Act, commenced in the Senate. As previously reported, the Bill was introduced on October 4, 2011.
Pooled Registered Pension Plan Framework Introduced
On November 17, 2011, the federal government introduced the much anticipated Bill C-25, An Act relating to pooled registered pension plans and making related amendments to other Acts, also known as the Pooled Registered Pension Plans Act (the “PRPP Act”). The proposed legislation follows high-profile consultations with the provinces and the industry, which resulted in…
2012 EI Premium Rate Parameters Set, Work-Share Program Enhancement Extended
On November 8, 2011, the federal government announced a reduction in the maximum potential increase in Employment Insurance (“EI”) premium rates for 2012 from 10 cents, to 5 cents. Under these new parameters, the 2012 premium rate will not exceed $1.83 per $100 of insurable earnings. In addition, the government announced a temporary extension of…
Standing Committee Reports on the Federal Budget Bill (C-13)
On November 4, 2011, the Standing Committee on Finance presented its Report to the House on the federal government’s omnibus Budget implementation Bill C-13, Keeping Canada’s Economy and Jobs Growing Act. As previously reported, the Bill was introduced on October 4, 2011.
New Legislative Tax Proposals for Benefits, Tuition Awards and Shareholders
On October 31, 2011, the federal government proposed a number of legislative reforms to sections in the Income Tax Act (“ITA”), that if adopted, would in part amend the rules dealing with the valuation and deeming of benefits in respect of employment, benefits conferred on shareholders and rules respecting prohibited investments made by multi-employer pension…
Regulatory amendment proposed for CPP Post-Retirement Benefit elections
The federal government has proposed a regulatory amendment to the Canada Pension Plan Regulations which prescribes the manner of employee elections (or revocations) regarding the new Post-Retirement Benefit (PRB), which will be available under the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) effective January 1, 2012. The PRB extends participation in the CPP to those employees (and self-employed…
Proposed PIPEDA amendments re-introduced as Bill C-12
On September 29, 2011, the federal government introduced Bill C-12, Safeguarding Canadians’ Personal Information Act, which, if passed, will amend the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA“). Bill C-12 reintroduces Bill C-29 (previously reported here), which expired on the Order Paper when Parliament was proclaimed dissolved in March, 2011. Among other things,…
2012 Basic Rate Set By Superintendent of Financial Institutions
On September 7, 2011, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions set the basic rate for the Office year beginning on April 1, 2012 at $18.00, pursuant to section 25 of the Pension Benefits Standards Regulations, 1985. This rate applies to the fees paid by federally regulated pension plans with a year-end between October…