Submissions and Legislative Updates

Pedal down on privatization plans: The province has unveiled the next steps in their plans to ramp up the role of for-profit and private clinics in Ontario’s healthcare system. Starting in the spring, the province will begin expanding the number of licensed diagnostic and surgery centres offering things such as MRI and CT scans, endoscopies and orthopedic surgeries. The legislation the changes come under — Bill 60 — was tabled by the Ford government as a way to, hopefully, cut waiting times.

Bail or jail: Ontario's solicitor general has announced a new system to track people on bail. An investment of $24 million is being is being delivered through the Bail Compliance and Warrant Apprehension Grant program. The province says it will help police services establish dedicated bail compliance and/or warrant apprehension teams to monitor high-risk individuals, as well as support new technology for a provincewide bail compliance monitoring system.

Booze news for you: Ontarians will soon have 8,500 new places to buy their favourite drinks. On Thursday, Doug Ford finally made good on his promise to expand the sale of alcohol. Starting in 2026, Ontarians will be able to buy beer, wine, cider and seltzers at convenience stores, big box outlets and some gas stations.

On the auditor’s naughty list: The Ontario auditor general’s office published its annual report on Wednesday … and it wasn’t good news for the government.

The OBA provides comments on the proposal to return lands to the Greenbelt, which includes feedback on the proposal to remove the regulatory authority for adding/removing lands, improving the consultation process, and concerns with the limitations on remedies provisions in the Bill.

Do you give a hoot … or two?: Opposition MPPs are calling for more public engagement concerning the government’s plan to return land to the Greenbelt after Premier Doug Ford said in the Legislature that the public “don’t give two hoots” about the issue.

Banning what’s already banned: The Ontario government unveiled plans this week to ban unpaid trial shifts for restaurant and hospitality workers. But it’s already illegal for employers to do that under the Employment Standards Act. So, what gives? Well, Labour Minister David Piccini says unpaid trial shifts are currently happening as part of the interview process in some restaurants, so this legislation is designed to specifically prohibit the practice.

Feds Creep Out Premier Ford: Premier Doug Ford didn't mince words speaking with reporters about the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund: “We call it jurisdictional creep”. The premier said the province can get a “better bang for the buck” (anyone remember buck-a-beer? We digress...). if it works with the federal government directly. The province also has its own Building Faster Fund that seeks to address the affordable housing issue.

Goodbye HST: Ontario has officially announced plans to remove the provincial portion of HST for new rental housing, in an effort to address the ongoing housing supply crisis. Ontario’s share of the HST represents 8%, but, given the federal government’s similar policy announced in September, the entire 13% HST will not apply to new purpose-built rental housing.

Don’t Look Up: The 2023 World Justice Project Rule of Law Index was released this week, which measures how countries adhere to the rule of law. While Canada ranked 12th overall, it fell to 58th out of 142 countries when it comes to accessing civil justice without reasonable delay. This is well behind peer countries such as the United States (28th), UK (24th) and Australia (19th).