On March 17, 2021, the Ontario government announced that: it has removed certain regulatory restrictions to make it easier to administer private, on-site testing for asymptomatic employees who wish to self-swab for a rapid antigen test on a voluntary basis (and under the supervision of a trained individual) a guide for organizations and individuals who…
Topic: Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Further Amendments to Ontario’s Screening Tool for Workers
On March 9, 2020, the Ontario government again updated its “COVID-19 Screening Tool for Businesses and Organizations (Screening Workers)” (Tool). Among other things, the Tool has been clarified to state that workers must be “actively screened” (as opposed to “screened”). In addition, if the worker answers “yes” to the question “Is anyone you live with…
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…
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…
Lockdown Extended in Northern Ontario; On-Line Learning for Elementary Students in Southern Ontario Extended to January 25, 2021
On January 7, 2021, the Ontario government announced that it is extending the current provincial lockdown an additional 14 days for the 7 public health unit regions in Northern Ontario. This will align the length of their lockdown with the length of the lockdown for the regions in Southern Ontario. The government also announced that…
Ontario Expands Testing for COVID-19 – What Employers Need to Know
On November 20, 2020, the Ontario government filed two regulations that allow point-of-care testing for COVID-19 to take place outside of laboratories and permit an expanded list of healthcare professionals to perform COVID-19 testing. The regulations came into effect on November 20.
Ontario Government Launches Workplace Education and Enforcement Campaigns to Ensure COVID-19 Health and Safety Compliance
On November 19, 2020, the Ontario government announced that it is launching a series of education and enforcement campaigns (“inspection blitzes”) to ensure Ontario businesses are taking the necessary steps for the safety of employees, consumers and the public in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaigns have been developed in consultation with local health…
NFP: Emerging Legal Issues and Considerations in the Workplace
On November 25, 2020, Stephen Goodwin and Evon Gayle will be discussing emerging legal issues across Canada since the start of COVID-19 as businesses return to the workplace. This is the final session of a three-part fall series hosted by NFP on key topics in the group benefits sector. Agenda: Topics: Emerging Canadian Legal Issues…
Ontario Tables Bill to Protect Persons from COVID-19-Related Liability
On October 20, 2020, Ontario introduced Bill 218, Supporting Ontario’s Recovery and Municipal Elections Act, 2020. If passed, it would enact The Supporting Ontario’s Recovery Act, 2020 (Act) which provides protection for persons from liability for actions related to COVID-19. It would also remove the framework in the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 providing for ranked ballot elections for municipal council officers. As of today’s date, the Bill is at Second Reading in the Ontario legislature.