Canada: Health & Safety

Summer is peak season for many Ontario employers. Tourism operators, restaurants, retail stores, camps, agricultural businesses, and recreation facilities all rely heavily on temporary and seasonal workers to meet demand. While these roles may be short‑term, the legal obligations toward these employees are anything but casual. Ontario’s employment and human rights laws apply to temporary, seasonal, part‑time, as well as full‑time staff.

When does a workplace harassment investigation meet the legal standard of being "appropriate in the circumstances"? A recent Ontario Labour Relations Board decision provides crucial guidance for employers on investigation scope, interviewer selection, and procedural fairness requirements under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Jeff Davis, Chief Legal and Corporate Affairs Officer at Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, discusses his unconventional leadership approach centered on vulnerability and psychological safety. From his 2019 award acceptance speech addressing mental health challenges in the legal profession to building an 80-person global team, Davis shares how embracing uncertainty and authentic self-expression has shaped both his 22-year career trajectory and his philosophy on managing complex risks in today's rapidly changin

This comprehensive workplace law conference covers critical employment issues facing organizations today, from protecting against departing employees and managing remote work arrangements to navigating health and safety enforcement with new criminal penalties. Legal experts examine legislative updates on transparency and layoffs, accommodation challenges involving addiction, enforceable termination clauses, and emerging trends in bonus entitlements, bad faith damages, and collective bargaining.

The Ontario Labour Relations Board’s recent decisions in Vanessa Braganza v. Randstad Canada serve as a sharp reminder for employers to properly handle workplace complaints and investigations, as well as the significant legal and financial consequences that can result from mishandling them.

Dans l'affaire Syndicat canadien de la fonction publique, section locale 4041 c. Air Transat, 2026 CanLII 44306 (CA SA) (la « Décision »), le tribunal d'arbitrage présidé par Me Nathalie Massicotte...

Quebec employers now face explicit legal obligations to address psychosocial risks in the workplace under reformed occupational health and safety legislation. These risks—ranging from workload and autonomy issues to workplace violence—must be integrated into prevention mechanisms with the same rigor applied to physical hazards, requiring documented approaches adapted to operational realities.

In January 2024, Classic FM ranked Mozart’s Symphony No. 41, Florence Price’s Symphony No. 1, and Beethoven’s Ninth as the top three in the greatest symphonies of all time.

Manitoba Employers should prepare to comply with recent amendments to the Workplace Safety and Health Regulation, requiring employers to provide menstrual products at no cost to employees in Manitoba workplaces.