Things to know Subject to one exception in Québec (discussed below), there is currently no legislative requirement for employers to establish or participate in any type of employer sponsored retirement plan for the benefit of their employees (i.e., it is a voluntary system). However, where employers establish retirement plans for their employees, the employer must […]

Things to know Canada’s retirement income system consists of a mix of public pensions and private pension and retirement savings plans. UNIVERSAL GOVERNMENT PENSION BENEFITS  The Old Age Security program (OAS) provides a basic level of retirement income (up to $631 per month in 2018) to Canadian residents, along with additional support for low-income seniors […]

Things to know Ontario is the “high water mark” for accessibility laws in Canada.  The Province’s AODA – the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Acthas detailed standards that must be followed by governments, businesses, non-profits and public sector organizations in five areas:  Customer Service Standards:How to provide accessible customer service, including communicating with customers with […]

Things to know Employment agreements can be either verbal or in writing and for an indefinite term or fixed term.  Employees must be provided with at least their minimum statutory entitlements in respect of terms and conditions of employment as set out in applicable provincial employment standards legislation.  Written employment agreements are recommended at least […]

Things to know Human rights legislation prohibits discrimination and harassment based on prohibited grounds. • Prohibited grounds of discrimination vary province to province, but typically include age, disability, sex, creed, colour, place of origin, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, ancestry, marital status, family status, and citizenship.  Some provinces also include protections based on gender identity or […]

Things to know Canada is governed by a federal system, and policies relating to selling to government vary among the federal, provincial/territorial and municipal governments. Common across all jurisdictions are general principles established by case law governing competitive procurements. A party that solicits bids is subject to a duty of fairness and good faith in […]

Things to know Provincial and federal legislation regulates the collection of debts from consumers (even if an  organization is collecting debts from its own consumers).  The legislation primarily covers licensing obligations and “prohibited practices”: Licensing: If a person is carrying on business as a collection agent or agency, that person must generally be licensed or […]

Things to know In Canada, various methods of payments are recognized (cash, debit cards, credit cards, gift cards, Apple Pay, PayPal, mobile payments, etc.). Debit card payments are processed through Interac. Credit card payments, as is the case in most other western countries, are processed through the credit card networks (e.g., Visa, Mastercard and Amex).  […]

Things to know With limited exceptions, gift cards cannot have an expiration date, and consumers cannot be charged  usage, dormancy or other fees. Key exceptions to the prohibition on expiration dates include gift cards issued for promotional  purposes (e.g., the consumer did not pay for the gift card), or issued for a specific good or […]

Things to know Contests are primarily governed by the federal Competition Actand Criminal Code. The misleading advertising provisions in provincial consumer protection legislation also apply to contest advertising. Contests must have a set of written rules, disclosing at least the minimum disclosure requirements set out in the Competition Act. The Criminal Codeprohibits awarding prizes solely […]