With key public health indicators beginning to show signs of improvement and expected to continue, Ontario announced that commencing January 31, 2022, in the absence of concerning trends, it would begin to take steps to...more
1/21/2022
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
Ontario ,
Public Gatherings ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Relief Measures ,
Seating ,
Vaccine Passports ,
Workplace Safety
Due to high infection rates from the Omicron variant and an increase in hospitalizations, on January 7, 2022, British Columbia’s Provincial Health Officer (PHO) announced an order (not yet available) requiring employers to...more
In response to the recent rapid increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations caused by the highly transmissible nature of the Omicron variant, and as the province continues to accelerate its booster dose rollout, Ontario announced...more
1/5/2022
/ Business Closures ,
Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Ontario ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Remote Working ,
Social Distancing ,
Telecommuting
Since September 22, 2021, patrons of restaurants and other specified businesses and organizations in Ontario have been required to provide proof of full vaccination status and identification at the entry point of applicable...more
10/21/2021
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Ontario ,
Public Health Emergency ,
QR Codes ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Vaccinations ,
Vaccine Passports ,
Workplace Safety
In July, Ontario entered Step Three of its Roadmap to Reopen, and on September 22, 2021, began to require full vaccination (two doses plus 14 days) with proof of vaccination and ID to access restaurants and certain public...more
9/29/2021
/ Canada ,
Capacity ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Entertainment Venues ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Labor Laws ,
Ontario ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Resorts & Restaurants ,
Vaccinations ,
Vaccine Passports ,
Workplace Safety
On September 14, 2021, Ontario’s Ministry of Health released Version 1.0 of Medical Exemptions to COVID-19 Vaccination (Guidelines). The purpose of the Guidelines is to assist physicians/specialists and nurse practitioners...more
9/24/2021
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Mandates ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Labor Laws ,
Popular ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On September 14, 2021, Ontario released Regulation 645/21 and a guidance document, which provide support to businesses and organizations in the implementation of their vaccination requirements, which will commence on...more
In response to the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic driven by the Delta variant, Ontario announced that commencing September 22, 2021, people will be required to be fully vaccinated (i.e., two doses plus 14 days) and...more
9/10/2021
/ Arenas and Stadiums ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Entertainment Industry ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Resorts & Restaurants ,
Vaccinations ,
Vaccine Passports ,
Workplace Safety
On August 20, 2021, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health (TMOH) issued a statement effectively mandating that local employers institute a workplace vaccination policy (WVP) to protect their employees and the public from...more
On August 17, 2021, Ontario announced that COVID-19 vaccination policies would be mandatory in high-risk settings, and the province’s exit from the Roadmap to Reopen would be put on hold. Therefore, until further notice,...more
8/20/2021
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
Essential Workers ,
Health and Safety ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Labor Laws ,
Ontario ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On August 19, 2021, the City of Toronto announced that: -
All members of the Toronto Public Service will be required to disclose and provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination status by September 13, 2021...more
In EllisDon Construction Ltd. v. Labourers’ International Union of North America, Local 183, 2021 CanLII 50159, an Arbitrator in Ontario decided that when the intrusiveness of an employer’s compulsory Rapid COVID-19 Antigen...more
7/14/2021
/ Arbitration ,
Canada ,
Collective Agreements ,
Construction Workers ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Screening Procedures ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
On April 16, 2021, Ontario announced a two-week extension of its third declaration of emergency and its second Stay-at-Home order, and that in response to the rapid increase of COVID-19 case rates and pressure on the health...more
In response to the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, concerns over hospital intensive care unit capacity, and the increasing risk to the public caused by COVID-19 variants, on April 7, 2021, Ontario announced the declaration...more
4/9/2021
/ Business Closures ,
Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Government Lockdown ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Non-Essential Businesses ,
Ontario ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Shelter-In-Place
With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rising in Ontario at a concerning pace due to the rapid transmission of new variants, on April 1, 2021, the province filed Ontario Regulation 240/21 under the Reopening Ontario (A...more
On January 12, 2021, the Office of the Premier of Ontario announced that in response to modelling data showing the province is in a COVID-19 crisis and its hospitals’ Intensive Care Units will be overwhelmed in a few weeks, a...more
On November 20, 2020, Ontario announced that in order to stop the spread of COVID-19, Toronto and Peel (including the cities of Mississauga and Brampton) will move to the maximum Lockdown level restrictions in the Keeping...more
In response to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in Ontario, the province has imposed health screening obligations on employers. On September 25, 2020, the province’s government filed Regulation 530/20, which was made...more
10/1/2020
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Labor Laws ,
Labor Regulations ,
Ministry of Health ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Risk Management ,
Screening Procedures
On March 25, 2020, the Government of Canada announced that the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) would be available to support workers and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic....more