Proposed amendments to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act and workers’ compensation-related provisions in employment legislation in the 42nd Parliament of the Ontario Legislative Assembly. Click on the title to see the full content of each bill, status and links to debate.
Bills introduced in 2nd session (Oct. 4, 2021 – May 3, 2022 ). All legislation not passed in this session is terminated.
Bill 88, Working for Workers Act, 2022. Introduced February 28, 2022 by Hon. Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. Addresses selected Digital Platform Workers (gig workers) rights; amends Employment standards Act (IT consultants, electronic monitoring) and Occupational Health and Safety (naloxone in the workplace). Hearings, debate at Standing Committee on Social Policy Mar. 9-10, Apr. 4; reported as amended; passed 3rd reading Apr, 7.
Bill 68, Speaking Out About Workplace Violence and Harassment Act, 2021. Introduced December 6, 2021 by France Gélinas (NDP MPP – Nickel Belt). Amends the Occupational Health and Safety Act to protect workers against reprisals for reporting or speaking out on violence or harassment.
Bill 43, Build Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2021. Introduced November 4, 2021 by Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance. Schedule 9 amends determination of the minimum wage under the Employment Standards Act. Hearings, debate at Standing Committee on Finance & Economic Affairs, Nov. 26,28, Dec. 3.6.; reported as amended; passed 3rd reading Dec. 9
Bill 28, Preventing Worker Misclassification Act, 2021. Introduced October 26, 2021 by Peggy Sattler (NDP MPP – London West).
Topic: gig and contract employees (amends Employment Standards Act).
Bill 27, Working for Workers Act, 2021
Introduced Oct. 25, 2021 by Hon. Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. Schedule 6 amends Workplace Safety & Insurance Act (WSIA) to allow distribution of “surplus” funds; Schedule 2 (Employment Standards Act) addresses temp help agencies (though regulations under WSIA s83(4) still not in effect). Hearings, debate at Standing Committee on Social Policy Nov. 15-18, 23; reported as amended; passed 3rd reading Nov. 30.
Bill 16, WSIB Coverage for Workers in Residential Care Facilities and Group Homes Act, 2021
Introduced Oct. 7 by John Fraser (LIB MPP – Ottawa South). Amendment to WSIA would make an employer operating one of these facilities a Schedule I employer for purposes of the Act.
Bills introduced in 1st session (July 11, 2018 – Sep. 12, 2021). All legislation not passed in this session is terminated.
Bill 284, COVID-19 Putting Workers First Act, 2021
Introduced by Minister of Labour Monte McNaughton Apr. 29. Debated, passed with Royal Assent Apr. 29. Topic: Amends Employment Standards Act to provide 3 paid days for COVID-related leave for sickness, vaccinations under certain circumstances; eligible employers may apply to WSIB for reimbursements (with exceptions, until Jan 22, 2022).
Bill 267, Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act (Access to Mental Health Support for Essential Workers), 2021
Introduced Mar. 23 by Monique Taylor (NDP MPP – Hamilton Mountain). Topic: Occupational disease. Amendment seeks to guarantee workers designated as essential or working in a workplace designated as essential have access to presumptive coverage for WSIB mental health benefits for chronic or traumatic mental stress injuries. Motion for second reading lost on division Apr. 12
Bill 238, Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act, 2021
Introduced Dec. 8, 2020 by Hon. Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. Topic: Premiums, Ministerial Powers. COVID-related measure to “help protect businesses from unexpected increases in their WSIB premiums while maintaining an increase to the earnings cap for worker benefits…” Third reading passed Apr. 13 ; royal assent Apr. 14
Bill 194, WSIB Coverage for Workers in Residential Care Facilities and Group Homes Act, 2020
Introduced July 6, 2020 by John Fraser (Lib MPP – Ottawa South). Topic: Coverage. “This is about WSIB coverage for workers in residential care facilities or group homes and would make everyone who operates one of those a schedule 1 employer. There’s a basic inequity where people are doing the same work with different coverage. It’s the third time I’ve introduced the bill.”
Bill 191, Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act (Presumption Respecting COVID-19), 2020
Introduced May 19, 2020 by Wayne Gates (NDP MPP – Niagara Falls). Topic: Occupational Disease. “If a worker for an essential business [in an order made under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act] receives a positive test for the disease known as COVID-19, the disease is presumed to be an occupational disease that occurred due to the nature of the worker’s work unless the contrary is shown. The presumption applies to a positive test received on or after January 25, 2020.”
Bill 119, Respecting Injured Workers Act (Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment), 2019
Introduced May 27, 2019 by Wayne Gates (NDP MPP – Niagara Falls). Question period discussion June 1, 2021. Topic: Deeming. “Currently, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board may decide that a worker is able to earn amounts that they are not actually earning, on the basis of suitable and available work they do not actually have. The amendments would prevent that from happening, unless the worker refuses employment in bad faith.”