Wednesday, August 2, 2017 Proposed Changes to Ontario’s Employment & Labour Laws And how they may impact the construction industry News In May 2017, the Ontario government revealed Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017. The proposals in Bill 148 include broad ranging amendments to Ontario’s Employment Standards Act and Labour Relations Act. Most of the proposals do not greatly affect the construction industry. Often, your collective agreement already secures these terms and conditions, or even greater benefits. However, some of the proposed changes may affect you. Several of these proposals are summarized below. Minimum Wage Increases The Ontario government is proposing to increase the general minimum wage to $11.60 per hour on October 1, 2017 $14.00 per hour on January 1, 2018 $15.00 per hour on January 1, 2019 Employment Standards Act Change Paid Vacation The bill would ensure employees are entitled to three weeks of paid vacation after five years of service with the same employer. This provision does not apply to construction workers who are already receiving 7.7 percent vacation pay. Paid Personal Emergency Leave Personal emergency leave (PEL) currently applies only in workplaces with 50 or more employees. Bill 148 would ensure all workers are entitled to 10 PEL days per year, including two paid PEL days. Physician Notes for Absences Employers would be prohibited from requesting a sick note from an employee who takes personal emergency leave. Enhancing Enforcement The province plans to hire up to 175 more employment standards officers and launch a program to educate employees and small- and medium-sized businesses about their rights and obligations under the Employment Standards Act. Labour Relations Act Changes Union certification Bill 148 would allow unions to access employee lists and certain contact information, provided the union can prove it has achieved the support of 20 percent of employees involved. The labour board would be able to conduct votes outside the workplace, including electronically and by telephone. Return-to-Work Rights and Procedures Employees currently have the right, under certain conditions, to return to work within six months of the start of a lawful strike. The proposed bill would remove the six-month limit and would normally require an employer to reinstate an employee at the end of a legal strike or lockout. Fines Maximum fines under the act would be increased to $5,000 for individuals and $100,000 for organizations (from the current $2,000 for individuals and $25,000 for organizations). CLAC’s View CLAC is generally supportive of much in the proposed legislation. We continue to offer feedback to the Ministry of Labour in the interests of our members. For a full report on the proposed changes to Ontario’s employment and labour laws, view the release from the Ontario Ministry of Labour at ontario.ca/mol. Read CLAC's full response here. https://clac.ca/Your-voice/Article/ArtMID/4829/ArticleID/285/CLAC-Stands-up-for-Workers-on-Bill-148 Previous Next You might be interested in Strathcona Mechanical Workers Approve New Agreement with Wage and Scheduling Improvements 3 Jun 2026 Ready To Deliver 3 Jun 2026 The Miracle of Many Hands 2 Jun 2026 Velocity Mechanical Workers Secure New Contract with Wage and Benefit Improvements 1 Jun 2026