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The Ontario Government has announced a further extension to the definition of the “COVID-19 period,” extending the maximum periods of COVID-related temporary layoffs from January 2, 2021 to July 3, 2021, before they are deemed to be terminations under the Employment Standards Act, 2000. Their goal is to preserve jobs longer, and avoid costly termination and […]

Saskatchewan has become the first jurisdiction in Canada to implement a paid leave to allow an employee to take time off work to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Saskatchewan’s The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020 have been amended to add a new Special Vaccination Leave (s. 6-22.1).  Under this provision, workers: are entitled to three consecutive […]

A recent decision of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (MDS Inc. v. Factory Mutual Insurance Company (FM Global)) suggests that closures due to COVID-19 could trigger coverage under some business interruption policies. As discussed in a previous Communique, there is little Canadian law that speaks to whether closures due to a pandemic or a […]

The Charities Directorate has announced that Canadian registered charities will have until December 31, 2020 to file their annual Registered Charities Information Return (the T3010).  The announcement applies to any registered charity required to file their return between March 18, 2020 and December 31, 2020.   At the same time, the Charities Directorate announced that it […]

Introduction A Saskatchewan-based restaurant has launched a proposed national class action challenging insurers’ refusal to pay business interruption claims in relation to losses suffered due to COVID-19.[1] The action names Aviva Canada Inc., Co-Operators General Insurance Company, Desjardins Financial Security Life Assurance Company, Economic Insurance, Intact Financial Corporation, Lloyd’s Canada Inc., Lloyd’s Underwriters, Northbridge General […]

In anticipation of reopening the provincial economy, the Ontario government has released workplace safety guidelines for employers with COVID-19 precautions, including sector-specific health and safety guidance.  The guidelines provide direction to the manufacturing, food manufacturing and processing, restaurant and food service and the agricultural sectors.  They are in addition to the more than 60 guidelines […]

To help slow the spread of COVID-19 in condominium and apartment buildings, since August 7, 2020, the City of Toronto’s By-Law 664-2020 (the “Mask By-law”) has made wearing a face covering or mask mandatory in all common areas of multi-unit residential buildings.  However, this by-law is essentially unenforceable.  As a result, a new motion passed […]

Chief Medical Officer of Health updates Directive #2 to ramp up health services On May 26, 2020, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health released an updated Directive #2 for health care providers which allows for a gradual restart of previously deferred health care services. The updated Directive #2 revokes the previous version issued on March […]

COVID-19 and Pension and Retirement Savings Plans: Key Legal Issues to Consider. The economic crisis caused by COVID-19 presents a number of challenges for employers that sponsor and administer registered pension plans and other retirement savings plans. Join us as we discuss those challenges and your legal obligations as plan administrator and sponsor. Topics addressed […]

On April 1, 2020, the Federal Government provided further detail on eligibility criteria for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), a recently announced program designed to provide temporary income support of $2,000 per month to employees who have lost income due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The portal for accessing the CERB is expected to launch […]