On July 8, 2020, the Province introduced Bill 197, the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act. This omnibus bill includes 20 schedules which amends multiple Acts. The Government has positioned the bill as addressing three critical needs Ontario faces: restarting jobs and development...
With the Province passing an appended regulation to the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act on Friday. It is now providing the formal authorization for Registered Nurses to sign medical certificates of death. This is pertinent information for a suite of municipal st...
As municipalities across Canada continue to suffer from declining revenues and without the ability to run any deficits, the municipal sector nationally is facing a financial crisis. On April 17 th , 2020 FCM released its report titled “ Protecting Vital Municipal Services ” an...
Last week, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance partnered to develop a resource that seeks to assist municipalities in providing financial relief to citizens and local businesses in response to the COVID-19 crisis. ...
The Ontario government has extended construction hours for essential construction projects, such as projects related to the health care sector amid COVID-19, to 24 hours a day. With this, the government has passed O. Reg 131/20, which limits Section 451.1 of the Municipal...
Effective today, the Line Fences Act will be administered by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). Taking authority of the Act from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH), OMAFRA is tasked with supporting agriculture and rural affair...
Amid COVID-19, Ontario Premier Ford today announced he will extend Ontario’s state of emergency for another two weeks after the current order expires tomorrow. The current emergency order prohibits organized public events and social gatherings of more than five people. Org...
Amid COVID-19, the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) is continuing with its 2020 plan review process. Based on the latest review, there are two plan changes currently being considered: Remove the current eligibility rules so that non full time emp...
O. Reg 70/20 (under the Municipal Act) and O. Reg 71/20 (under the City of Toronto Act) will temporarily suspend municipal noise by-laws to allow the grocery deliveries 24 hours a day and ensure Ontario’s supply chain is intact. The government also passed Bill 187 which a...
Amid the COVID19 outbreak, the Ontario Legislature met today in an emergency sitting and passed Bill 187, the Municipal Emergency Act, which amends the Municipal Act and City of Toronto Act to allow municipalities to meet electronically in times of emergency. Passed unan...