In R v Greater Sudbury (City) 2023 SCC 28, the Supreme Court of Canada stated that the City of Sudbury, which had contracted with a third-party constructor for a construction project, had duties as an "employer" to ensure worker health and safety in the workplace, by the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (the "OHSA").
As we reported last May, British Colombia adopted the Pay Transparency Act, which addresses systemic discrimination in the workplace and aims to reduce pay gaps affecting women, people of colour, people with disabilities, and non-binary people.
According to the Act, employers can no longer ask job applicants about what they were paid in previous positions.
From 1 November 2023, all employers in British Columbia must include pay ranges in job postings, prepare reports identifying systemic pay discrimination, and disclose pay information to employees and applicants upon request.
The Pay Transparency Regulation (BC Reg 225/2023) was released on 23 October 2023 and is now in force. It provides details on the mandatory contents of the remuneration transparency reports.
The Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board ("WSIB") amended its injury reporting policy to align it with the legislative requirements of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 ("WSIA").
The updated policy applies to all decisions for all accidents occurring on or after 29 September 2023.
The Canadian government announced the launch of the new Recognised Employer Pilot (REP) programme in September 2023 to ease administrative burdens for Canadian companies to hire foreign workers for specific roles.
It will provide employers with simpler and more predictable access to labour and more flexibility for the labour market.
On 13 March 2023, the Ontario Government announced a proposal to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) and related regulations that would entitle remote employees to termination notices in case of a mass termination.