On December 21, 2020, the Ontario government announced province-wide shutdown measures, similar to those recently enacted by the governments of Alberta, Quebéc, and Manitoba. The government cited the “alarming rate” at which...more
On December 17, 2020, the government of the Province of Ontario enacted Regulation 764/20, which will permit unions and employers in the hospitality, tourism, and trade show industries to negotiate for greater flexibility in...more
The Ontario government recently enacted Ontario Regulation 228/20, which created an “infectious disease emergency leave” for employees who are off work due to COVID-19. As a result of a very recent regulation, Ontario...more
Canada is experiencing an increased number of daily COVID-19 infections in what appears to be a “second wave.” In response to higher positivity rates and increased hospitalisations, some provinces have passed strict public...more
A Federal Court of Appeal decision, Bank of Montreal v. Li, is a cautionary tale for federally regulated employers about the limits of settlement agreements in resolving unjust dismissal complaints.
Background -...more
On June 12, 2020, Québec’s then minister of justice, Sonia LeBel, tabled in the National Assembly Bill 64, An Act to modernize legislative provisions as regards the protection of personal information.
Bill 64’s purpose is...more
11/6/2020
/ Canada ,
Data Collection ,
Data Management ,
De-Identification ,
Enforcement Authority ,
Ontario ,
Personal Information ,
Privacy Laws ,
Private Sector ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Authority
On October 9, 2020, the Government of Ontario announced additional restrictions on and closures of public gatherings, specific businesses, and indoor food and drink service, in an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19. These...more
The Ontario government recently amended Ontario Regulation 364/20, Rules for Areas in Stage 3, to include mandatory COVID-19 symptom screening in almost all Ontario workplaces.
In short, these amendments require Ontario...more
Employers operating in Ontario, Canada should be aware that Ontario’s minimum wage rate is set to increase on October 1, 2020. This increase affects not only the general minimum wage rate, but also the alternative minimum...more
According to Statistics Canada, two in five employers in Canada have reduced hours or laid off one or more employees since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis. One of the risks associated with those difficult decisions is a...more
On April 1, 2020, Canada’s Minister of Finance announced the federal government’s plans for a comprehensive wage subsidy program that would cover up to 75 percent of an employee’s regular wages for up to 3 months. As...more
On April 1, 2020, Canada’s Minister of Finance outlined the federal government’s plans for a comprehensive wage subsidy plan that, in total, would put as much as $71 Billion (CAD) back into the pockets of participating...more
British Columbia’s COVID-19 Leave and New Permanent Illness and Injury Leave -
On March 24, 2020, the British Columbia government made two changes to the BC Employment Standards Act to provide workers with unpaid,...more
Canadians are headed to the polls for a general election on October 21, 2019. As is the case with provincial elections, employers have certain obligations to permit employees who are qualified electors (Canadian citizens over...more
On December 6, 2018, the government of Ontario unveiled Bill 66, Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act, 2018. The bill is designed to reduce the regulatory and financial burden of operating a business in a number of areas,...more
In a previous article, we noted the need for the new Ontario government to provide some clarity as to if and when the Pay Transparency Act, 2018 was going to be implemented. The government has now indicated that it will delay...more
Bill 47, the Making Ontario Open for Business Act, 2018, passed its third reading on November 21, 2018, and will now become law in Ontario. Bill 47 repeals several provisions introduced by the previous liberal government...more
Workplace laws in Canada are in a state of flux following several announcements made by provincial and federal governments in recent weeks. For example, the federal government announced its intention to introduce proactive...more
11/8/2018
/ Canada ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Equal Pay ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Labour Code ,
Paid Leave ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Employees ,
Public Employers ,
Vacation Leave ,
Wage and Hour ,
Work Schedules
Canada’s federal government has announced plans to move forward with pay equity legislation that will require federally regulated employers to proactively identify and remedy pay inequities in their workplaces. This plan will...more
With the new Ontario government’s move to repeal a number of key Bill 148 reforms underway, the next question on the minds of many employers is what will happen to the Pay Transparency Act, 2018.
The Pay Transparency Act,...more
The laws governing Ontario workplaces have been subject to seismic changes throughout the past year.
First, Bill 148, passed by the then-Liberal government ahead of a provincial election, provided significant increases to...more
As we reported here and here, in 2017, Ontario’s Liberal government enacted Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017, which entailed the biggest changes to employment and labour laws in Ontario in a generation. On...more
Ontario’s provincial general election is scheduled for June 7, 2018. With this in mind, Ontario employers may want to be mindful of their obligations with respect to employee voting rights on Election Day. This means not only...more
As we reported in March of 2018, the Ontario government recently introduced legislation designed to create pay transparency by prohibiting employers from asking job applicants about pay history, requiring employers to report...more
The province of Alberta, Canada, enacted significant revisions to its Employment Standards Code effective January 1, 2018, overhauling its foundational employment laws for the first time in almost 30 years. Canadian...more