Ontario Bill 148 is Now Law

By Landon P. Young and Amanda D. Boyce - Stringer LLP

December 22, 2017

Bill 148, the Ontario, Canada Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, received Royal Assent on November 27, 2017. This means that the Bill has passed and is now law. 

Different provisions of the Bill will come into force on different dates: some became effective immediately, some will come into force on or before January 1, 2018, and others will not come into force until 2019. The provisions described in this update will come into force on January 1, 2018 unless otherwise stated. 

Bill 148 has taken some twists and turns on its way to becoming law.  The Bill has undergone some notable amendments since its Second Reading on October 18, 2017.

These changes are sweeping and cover a broad range of areas.  Although some changes will likely be of little consequence and will only involve some extra paperwork, others will significantly expand employee entitlements and can be expected to add to employers’ labour costs. 
To help employers get a head start on compliance, we are offering a half-day seminar entitled “The Essential Bill 148 Preparedness Workshop”. This seminar will take place on Friday, January 12, 2018.  For more information see the Seminars & Events page of our website.

Bill 148 amends both the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the “ESA”), the Ontario Labour Relations Act, 1995 (the “LRA”) and the Occupational Health and Safety Act (the “OHSA”).

For a full detailed update please click here.