Daycare safe-arrival rules and tow-truck industry changes were among several new laws and regulations that took effect in Ontario on New Year’s Day. All child-care operators must now develop a policy outlining how they will closely monitor the arrival of children. The changes are intended to prevent the rare, but horrendous deaths of young children inadvertently left in hot cars. Several changes to the tow-truck industry are also now in force, including new customer rights. Those will include the right to provide consent to tow a car, where it will be towed, access to the vehicle after the fact, and rights related to invoices and payments.
changes are taking effect to the Canada Pension Plan that will see middle income earners pay more in pension contributions to reap the rewards in retirement. The change is part of a broader pension revamp that began in 2019. New for 2024 is a second earnings ceiling that affects those making more than 68-thousand-five-hundred dollars per year. Those higher-income workers now make additional contributions on their earnings up to a 73-thousand-two-hundred-dollar ceiling.
Dental-care plan rollout
Ottawa is rolling out what it calls its largest federal dental program in phases, as it aims to reduce financial barriers to access dental care such as cleaning, exams and root canals. The country’s eldest low-income residents who are uninsured can start accessing the new Canadian Dental Care Plan’s benefits as early as May 2024. The government said eligible residents should await a letter that will provide instructions on how to apply by phone.
Carbon price rural rebate boost
Ottawa is doubling the rural top-up rate for the pollution price rebate from 10 to 20 per cent, beginning in April 2024. The government said the move recognizes that rural residents face higher energy costs, increased energy needs and limited access to clean transportation.
Stricter bail law
The federal bail-reform bill, formerly C-48, makes bail tougher to access for serious repeat violent offenders, placing the onus on the accused to prove why they should be released. The legislative amendments to the Criminal Code, which take effect Jan. 4, 2024, will make bail tougher to access for people accused of certain firearms and weapons offences as well as more cases involving alleged intimate partner violence.
Accessibility plan for employers
By the time summer rolls around, federally regulated employers should have an accessibility plan ready, created in consultation with people with disabilities. Employers with 10 to 99 employees must publish their plan by June 1, 2024, complying with the Accessible Canada Act and Accessible Canada Regulations, according to Canadian business law firm McMillan LP. Employers with at least 100 employees are required to prepare and publish an annual progress report about how they have implemented their accessibility plan by June 1, 2024. These larger employers were required to submit and post their plans by June 1, 2023.
Pay equity reforms
Federally regulated employers with 10 or more employees must publish their pay equity plan by Sept. 3, 2024, based on the Pay Equity Act and Pay Equity Regulations, according to McMillan LLP. Employers with 100 or more employees and unionized employers must create a pay equity committee to help management develop the plan comparing “predominately male” to “predominately female” job classes. Employers who have identified pay equity gaps must raise the compensation for jobs that should get equal pay for work of equal value.
(Written by: Kyle Robinson)