Recently, sweltering summer heat settled over parts of Canada, especially in Ontario. There is good reason to believe that this will happen again this summer, and will impact both workers who are outside in the sun and those...more
This bulletin summarizes key elements of recent employment-related bills passed in the Ontario legislature that will impact Ontario employers....more
On October 28, 2024, Ontario’s Bill 190, Working for Workers Five Act, 2024 (Bill 190), received Royal Assent. Among other things, Bill 190 amends the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), Occupational Health and Safety...more
On March 1, 2022, Ontario moved to the Roadmap Exit Step, as amended. We provided a summary of the restrictions that were eliminated on that date and those that would continue to exist....more
Ontario first released its plan to follow a cautious and phased approach to lifting COVID-19 public health and workplace safety measures on January 20, 2022. On February 14, 2022, however, Ontario announced that with key...more
With key public health indicators beginning to show signs of improvement and expected to continue, Ontario announced on January 20, 2022, that commencing January 31, 2022, it would begin to take steps to cautiously and...more
On January 27, 2022 Ontario filed Regulation 25/22, amending Ontario Regulation 364/20, Rules for Areas at Step 3 (the “Step 3 Regulation”). On January 31, 2022, all public health units in Ontario will again move to Step 3...more
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
On October 25, 2021, the Government of Ontario began the process of easing its pandemic restrictions in accordance with its plan, announced on October 22, 2021, to carefully and gradually eliminate all such restrictions....more
On November 10, 2021, Ontario announced that, out of an abundance of caution, it is pausing the lifting of capacity limits in the following higher-risk settings where proof of vaccination is required...more
On July 30, 21, Ontario filed O. Reg. 541/21 (Regulation), which adds a new “Roadmap Exit Step” to the Rules for Areas at Step 3 of its Roadmap to Reopen (Roadmap). ...more
On June 24, 2021, Ontario announced that with improvements in key indicators relating to public health and health care, and the provincewide vaccination rate surpassing targets, it will be moving to Step Two of its Roadmap to...more
Now that the first anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic is here and there is hope that there will not be a second based on vaccinations, here is an HR Check List that employers should consider as our economy will be...more
In Christian Labour Association of Canada v. Caressant Care Nursing & Retirement Homes (D. Randall), a union filed a group grievance on behalf of a number of its members working at an Ontario retirement home to challenge the...more
On November 3, 2020, Ontario announced a new COVID-19 Response Framework, Keeping Ontario Safe and Open (New Framework) that will be approved by Cabinet on November 6, 2020. Public health units will be transitioned to the...more
On October 2, 2020, the government of Ontario filed Ontario Regulation 546/20 (Regulation) made under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020. The Regulation came into force on October 3, 2020....more
On April 27, 2020, Ontario released a Framework for Reopening Our Province. This Framework contemplates the gradual reopening of the province in three stages, with each stage lasting for approximately two-to-four weeks to...more
On June 16, 2020, Ontario released a Guide to help employers satisfy their responsibilities under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances to protect workers...more
Just in time for summer, Ontario's outdoor dine-in services at restaurants, bars, food trucks, wineries, breweries and distilleries are becoming available in Ontario's Stage 2 regions. Currently, restaurants and bars in...more
On April 30, 2020, in anticipation of the gradual reopening of its economy, Ontario announced that it had released safety guidelines to enable employers to protect workers, customers, and the general public. The guidelines...more