Ontario potentially has another new COVID-19 related law on the horizon, this time related to worker’s compensation. On May 19, Bill 191, Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act (Presumption Respecting COVID-19), 2020 passed first reading in the Ontario Legislature.
COVID-19 a Presumptive Occupational Disease for Essential Workers
If the Bill is passed, it will amend the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 to add a presumption that COVID-19 is an occupational disease for workers working for essential businesses as deemed by an Order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. Continue Reading COVID-19 and Proposed Amendments to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997
The provinces are opening back up and various guidance has been issued to employers regarding how to do so safely, but the virus still exists and it’s still contagious. Governments who have been encouraging people to stay home are now contemplating how to get people to go out when really conditions regarding the virus have not drastically changed. This juxtaposition will have an impact on workplaces. 
Many provinces across Canada have started the process of re-opening businesses. In Ontario, a select few seasonal businesses have been allowed to open this week with restrictions. These include seasonal businesses and some essential construction. Check out the 