Nova Scotia first responders with post-traumatic stress disorder will have an easier time accessing workers’ compensation benefits beginning Oct. 26. The province has eliminated a requirement that those in emergency response occupations must prove that a PTSD diagnosis is work-related. The updated Workers’ Compensation Act regulations, first unveiled last year, will clarify who is eligible […]
Earlier this month, Ontario premier Doug Ford announced in the provincial legislature that he would be axing Bill 148, an assortment of changes to the Employment Standards Act that the former Liberals put in place this year. Highlights of the bill included a raise to the minimum wage; a mandate of equal pay for equal work; personal emergency […]
Universal pharmacare is an idea that has been kicking around for decades in Canada. Yet despite numerous studies calling for a universal single-payer pharmacare program to ensure all Canadians have access to prescription drugs, the country’s drug system remains a patchwork of public and private plans. This spring, the House of Commons’ standing committee on […]
New regulations in New Brunswick providing paid leave for victims of domestic, intimate partner or sexual violence took effect on Sept. 1. The new regulations allow up to 10 days of leave to be used intermittently or continuously, and up to 16 weeks to be used in one continuous period, of which the first five days will […]
The federal government’s plan to increasingly regulate pharmaceutical costs could mean Canadians with rare diseases may lose access to new innovative drug treatments, according to a new study by the Fraser Institute. In 2019, the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board is planning to use new rules for establishing drug prices with the goal of lowering costs. “Drugs for […]
On Oct. 17, 2018, it will be legal to purchase and consume recreational cannabis in Canada. In a recent survey of Mercer’s employer clients and Canadian employees, we found 78 per cent of respondents believe the legalization of recreational cannabis is a concern for human resources leaders. In addition, nearly half (45 per cent) of respondents believe it’s a concern for […]
Even as regulators move to expand decumulation options for Canadians in defined contribution pension plans, the degree to which employers will actually adopt the solutions available, including variable benefits, remains an open question. Various factors fuel the conundrum, but exposure to liability and litigation risk loom as perhaps the most daunting obstacles. Proponents of safe […]
The Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities’ latest consultation is seeking feedback on amendments to its guideline No. 8 for defined contribution pension plans, focusing on considerations around decumulation, such as communicating variable benefits, assumptions used in retirement projections and fee disclosure. When it comes to withdrawals from a variable benefits plan, according to the amended guideline, plan administrators […]
With a bill before parliament aiming to amend the Canada Labour Code as it pertains to harassment and violence in federally regulated workplaces, the government is inviting Canadians to weigh in on its proposed regulatory framework. The proposal provides an outline of key elements of a workplace harassment and violence prevention policy, including: timeframes; confidentiality; how to […]
The federal government has announced the appointment of the remaining members of its advisory council on the implementation of national pharmacare. Besides former Ontario health minister Dr. Eric Hoskins, who’s the chair of the advisory council, the members are: Mia Homsy, director general of the Institut du Québec, who will serve as vice-chair of the […]