On December 17, 2021, the Ontario government announced it is taking further public heath measures in light of the rapidly spreading Omicron variant. The new measures significantly expand upon the December 15 announcement reducing capacity limits to 50% in certain settings with a usual capacity of 1000 or more. Effective December 19, 2021, the following…
Topic: Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Ontario Reduces Certain Capacity Limits in Light of Omicron Variant
On December 15, 2021, the Ontario government announced that in light of the Omicron variant, it is reducing capacity limits to 50% for the following indoor venues with a usual capacity of 1000 persons or more: facilities used for sports and recreational fitness activities entertainment facilities such as concert venues, theatres and cinemas racing venues…
Federal Government Tables New COVID-19 Leaves Under the Canada Labour Code
On November 24, 2021, the federal government tabled Bill C-2, An Act to provide further support in response to COVID-19. Among other things, if passed, Bill C-2 would reintroduce COVID-19 leaves of absence (repealed on November 20, 2021), as amended, under the Canada Labour Code (Code). Under Bill C-2, the new COVID-19 leaves would provide:…
Federal COVID-19 Leaves Now Repealed
Effective November 20, 2021, the leaves relating to COVID-19 under the Canada Labour Code have been repealed. The first leave was up to four weeks to be taken in prescribed circumstances related to COVID-19. The second leave was up to 42 weeks where the employee was unable to work because they must care for a…
Arbitrator Upholds Mandatory Vaccination Policy
On November 9, 2021, Arbitrator Von Veh upheld the mandatory vaccination policy (Policy) implemented by a security company, finding the company acted reasonably in implementing the Policy and that it did not breach the collective agreement. The award provides some helpful guidance for employers that have implemented similar policies. In United Food And Commercial Workers…
Ontario Court Denies Injunctive Relief Pending Action Challenging Employer’s Vaccination Policy
On October 29, 2021, Justice Dunphy of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice declined to extend emergency injunctive relief to a group of University Health Network (UHN) employees, seeking reprieve from UHN’s Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy (Policy) which required employees to either become fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 22, 2021, or be terminated from…
Federal Government Phasing Out COVID-19 Support Measures
On October 21, 2021, the federal government announced that two key pandemic programs, the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) and the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), would not be extended past October 23, 2021. It has proposed extending the Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP)—with narrowed criteria—to May 7, 2022. It also plans to introduce two new programs—The Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program and the Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program—that would provide rent and wage subsidies, as well as lockdown support for a targeted set of businesses and organizations, until May 7, 2022, with the possibility of extension until July 2, 2022. The details of the two programs are set out in the Backgrounder, “Targeting COVID-19 Support Measures.”
Updated Guidance on ROE Codes to be Used for Non-Compliance with Workplace Vaccination Policies
On October 15, 2021, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) updated its website page EI information for employers – COVID-19 with respect to Block 16 – Reasons for issuing this ROE (record of employment). Block 16 is used to indicate the reason for the employee’s leave or separation from employment, or why the ROE is…
Ontario Introduces Enhanced COVID-19 Vaccine Certificate and Verify Ontario App
On October 15, 2021, the Ontario government announced that the enhanced COVID-19 vaccine certificate with the official QR (Quick Response) code, as well as the verification app, Verify Ontario, are available for download. These tools are intended to make the process of providing proof of vaccination in order to access certain public settings more secure…
Ontario Eases Capacity Limits in Select Settings
On October 8, 2021, the Ontario government announced that would be “cautiously” lifting capacity limits in select settings where proof of full vaccination is required, effective October 9, 2021. O. Reg. 698/21, amending O. Reg. 364/20, the Rules for Areas at Step 3 and at the Roadmap Exit Step, gives effect to these changes. For…