Ontario Government Introduces Budget 2014

On May 1, 2014, the Ontario government tabled its Budget 2014: Building Opportunity, Securing Our Future. An FTR Now providing an analysis of proposals of interest to employers and plan administrators will be available shortly on our website.

PBA Amendment Relating to Retroactivity of Certain Regulations Now in Force

Schedule 11 of the Prosperous and Fair Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2013 has been proclaimed into force effective June 21, 2013. Among other things, Schedule 11 amends the Pension Benefits Act to add a provision allowing for the retroactive effect of regulations relating to the funding of a defined benefit pension plan by allowing a…

Ontario Budget Bill Referred to Committee

On June 5, 2013, Bill 65, Prosperous and Fair Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2013, carried on recorded division at Second Reading and was ordered referred to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. As previously reported, Bill 65 is legislation which, if passed, will give effect to certain initiatives contained in the Ontario Budget…

Ontario Tables Its 2013 Budget

On Thursday May 2, 2013, the Ontario government introduced its 2013 Budget, entitled A Prosperous and Fair Ontario (the “Budget”). The government also introduced Bill 65, the Prosperous and Fair Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2013 (“Bill 65”), omnibus legislation designed to implement some of the proposals contained in the Budget. The Budget announced that the…

Ontario Government Introduces Budget 2013

On May 2, 2013, the Ontario government tabled its Budget 2013, “A Prosperous and Fair Ontario” as well as Bill 65, Prosperous and Fair Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2013, legislation which, if passed, would implement certain initiatives contained in the Budget.   Among other things, the measures contained in the Budget of interest to employers…

Putting Students First Act to be Introduced August 27, Legislature Recalled

The Ontario government announced that the Legislature has been recalled for August 27, 2012 to permit the introduction of the government’s Putting Students First Act Bill. As previously reported, the government first released a draft of the Putting Students First Act on August 16, 2012, legislation that would, if passed, impose a two-year freeze on…

Ontario To Introduce Wage Freeze Legislation for Teachers

On August 16, 2012, the Ontario government announced its intention to introduce the Putting Students First Act, legislation that would, if passed, impose a two-year freeze on teacher salaries and prohibit labour disruption, among other matters. Specifically, the Bill would require school boards and local bargaining units of teachers and support staff to accept local…

Temporary solvency relief extended for specified Ontario MEPPs

The Ontario government filed regulatory amendments extending temporary solvency relief another five years for specified Ontario multi-employer pension plans (“SOMEPPs”).  O. Reg. 203/12 amends sections 6.01(2), 6.0.3(2) and 6.04(1)(b) of General Regulation 909 to extend the solvency funding relief to valuations dated on or before August 31, 2017, and is now in force. We anticipate…