On November 30, 2023, Bill 48 – 2023: Labour Statutes Amendment Act, 2023 (Bill 48), received Royal Assent from the Government of British Columbia (BC). Bill 48 is a statute pertaining to minimum employment standards for...more
In 2023, Canada saw significant statutory and case law developments in labour and employment law. This Insight provides an overview of notable 2023 developments, with links to more detailed articles and commentary....more
What is It? The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) was established in 2008 to document the history and legacy of residential schools, which were operated between the late 1800s and the late 1990s by the...more
12/14/2023
/ Canada ,
Churches ,
First Nations ,
Holidays ,
Labor Code ,
Labor Reform ,
Minor Children ,
Reconciliation ,
Religious Institutions ,
State and Local Government ,
Tribal Ordinances ,
Wage and Hour
Canada’s Regulation SOR/2023-78 (Regulation), which comes into force on December 15, 2023, will require employers to provide free menstrual products for employees’ use in each toilet room in federally regulated workplaces....more
On May 30, 2023, Manitoba’s Bill 235, The Employment Standards Code Amendment Act, received Royal Assent and came into force. Bill 235 amended The Employment Standards Code by expanding the length of unpaid leave on the...more
On March 29, 2023, the province published Regulation 61/23 amending Regulation 213/91: Construction Projects under the Occupational Health & Safety Act (Regulation). The amendments will come into force on July 1, 2023....more
This month, the federal government made two announcements that are relevant to federally regulated, private-sector employers regarding the minimum age for employment and the minimum wage. Canada provides this list of...more
On March 20, 2023, Ontario introduced Bill 79, Working for Workers Act, 2023 for First Reading. Bill 79 contains amendments to the province’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA),...more
In 2022, Canada saw significant statutory and case law developments in labour and employment law, some of which related to COVID-19. This Insight provides an overview of key 2022 developments, with links to more detailed...more
1/5/2023
/ Arbitration ,
Arbitration Awards ,
Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Employment Standards Act ,
Gender Discrimination ,
Hiring & Firing ,
International Labor Laws ,
Labor Reform ,
Non-Compete Agreements
On November 25, 2022, Canada announced that, commencing on December 18, 2022, Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits will be extended permanently from 15 weeks to 26 weeks. Accordingly, qualified individuals who...more
Last December, Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code (Bill C-3), received Royal Assent. Once in force, Bill C-3 will repeal the Canada Labour Code’s (CLC) current entitlement for employees in...more
The purpose of Canada’s proposed Bill S-211, Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act and to amend the Customs Tariff (Bill S-211) is, in part, to enact the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child...more
Earlier this year, pursuant to Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code (Act) and Bill C-19, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 7, 2022 and other...more
In the spring, Bill 88, Working for Workers Act, 2022, received Royal Assent and became law. Among other things, Bill 88 amended Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) to require certain employers to ensure, within a...more
On May 31, 2022, Alberta’s Bill 17, Labour Statutes Amendment Act, 2022, received Royal Assent, and the following amendments to Reservist Leave and Bereavement Leave in the province’s Employment Standards Code came into...more
The 2022 Ontario general election will take place on June 2, 2022. Voters will elect members of the provincial government to serve in the Legislative Assembly.
Under Ontario’s Election Act, every employee who is...more
On April 11, 2022, Bill 88, Working for Workers Act, 2022 received Royal Assent and became law. As previously discussed, in addition to enacting the new Digital Platform Workers’ Rights Act, 2022 (DPWRA), Bill 88 amends the...more
Bill 10, the Labour Relations Code Amendment Act, 2022, introduced on April 6, 2022, would make significant amendments to British Columbia’s Labour Relations Code (LRC).
Two Possible Paths to Union Certification -
If...more
On April 5, 2022, Ontario announced that, in an effort to help workers with rising costs and inflation, it will be raising its general minimum wage by 8% from $15 per hour to $15.50 per hour, commencing October 1, 2022. The...more
On the heels of the passage of the Working for Workers Act, 2021, Ontario introduced Bill 88, Working for Workers Act, 2022 (Bill 88) on February 28, 2022, and carried it at First Reading....more
3/3/2022
/ Canada ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Standards Act ,
Hiring & Firing ,
International Labor Laws ,
Labor Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Ontario ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Wage and Hour
Ontario’s Bill 27, Working for Workers Act, 2021 (Act), became law on December 2, 2021. Among other things, the Act amends the Employment Standards Act, 2000 to prohibit employers and prospective employers from entering into...more
On December 17, 2021, Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code (Bill C-3), received Royal Assent. Bill C-3’s intention is to provide support, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, to workers in...more
1/12/2022
/ Bereavement Leave ,
Canada ,
Criminal Code ,
Federal Employees ,
Harassment ,
Healthcare Workers ,
International Labor Laws ,
Labor Reform ,
Labour Code ,
Leave of Absence ,
Medical Leave ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Regulatory Agenda
In 2021, Canada saw significant statutory and case law developments in labour and employment law, some of which related to COVID-19. This Insight provides an overview of key 2021 developments, with links to more detailed...more
12/17/2021
/ Canada ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Employment Litigation ,
Hiring & Firing ,
International Labor Laws ,
Labor Reform ,
New Legislation ,
Unpaid Wages ,
Vaccinations ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Harassment Guidance ,
Workplace Violence ,
Wrongful Termination
Provincial minimum wage rates were increased to their current rates on October 1, 2021. Just one month later, on November 2, 2021, Ontario announced that because the cost of living has increased considerably due to the...more
11/11/2021
/ Canada ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Standards Act ,
International Labor Laws ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
Minimum Wage ,
New Regulations ,
Ontario ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Wage and Hour