Stay informed of the latest workplace law developments locally, nationally, and globally. From the timely quick read In A Flash to the In-Depth Analysis of various Advisors, Mathews Dinsdale’s team keeps you up-to-date.
Our readers will be aware that, in 2016, the Supreme Court of Canada (the “SCC”) set time limits for how long prosecutions in Canada should take. That was in R. v. Jordan. Generally speaking, in occupational health and safety prosecutions, a trial must finish within 18 months of the charges being laid. If that doesn’t … Continued
Read moreAfter extensive consultations with stakeholders, the Federal Government has introduced legislation in Parliament proposing a number of significant reforms to the Canada Labour Code, RSC, 1985, c. L-2 (the “Code”). These reforms include expanding the legislative tools available to encourage the settlement of collective agreements and prevent work stoppages that could harm the national interest. … Continued
Read moreOn October 1, 2026, the minimum wage in Ontario will be increasing from $17.60 to $17.95 per hour, representing an approximately 2% increase. This follows a previous increase from $17.20 to $17.60 per hour, effective October 1, 2025. Ontario’s new minimum wage will remain the second-highest provincial rate in the country, following British Columbia’s increase … Continued
Read moreIntroduction In a decision released August 25, 2026, the Ontario Labour Relations Board (the “OLRB”) provided important guidance on the interaction between central and local bargaining under Ontario’s School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2014 (the “SBCBA”), particularly during first collective agreement negotiations. In Ottawa Catholic School Board (OLRB Case No. 3382-25-U and 0082-26-M), Vice-Chair Brian … Continued
Read moreBackground The Tax Court of Canada (“TCC”) has recently found that an office assistant working at a chiropractic clinic for nearly two years was an independent contractor, not an employee. In Varga v. The King, 2026 TCC 138 (“Varga”), on appeal from the CPP/EI Rulings Division, the TCC was asked to determine whether the Intervenor/Worker … Continued
Read moreIntroduction Following upon its landmark decision regarding termination provisions in employment agreements last week, the Ontario Court of Appeal released another important decision for employers who provide deferred equity compensation to their employees. In Wigdor v. Facebook Canada Ltd., 2026 ONCA 572, the Court of Appeal held that language in Restricted Stock Unit (“RSU”) agreements … Continued
Read moreTermination provisions in employment contracts are constantly under attack by terminated employees seeking severance packages beyond those contemplated by their written agreements. One such challenge which has been hotly debated, arising from the analytical framework established in Dufault v. The Corporation of the Township of Ignace, 2024 ONSC 1029 (“Dufault”), is whether the use of the … Continued
Read moreSECOND ISSUE • SUMMER 2026 Welcome Back to The Pulse The 3.5% general wage increase we identified as the emerging norm in our last issue has not just held — it has hardened, and it has spread. INTEREST ARBITRATION: THE PATTERN EXTENDS Across 36 long-term care and retirement home awards this quarter, not one board … Continued
Read moreWhereas the WSIB’s SIEF policy has long provided employers with cost relief in claims where a worker’s prior disability caused or contributed to the compensable accident, or if the period resulting from an accident becomes prolonged or enhanced due to a worker’s pre-existing condition, the revisions establish an effective closure date of June 16, 2026: … Continued
Read moreOur complimentary webinars address the practical and legal issues for Canadian employers.
View our Webinars
