As you know, the Ontario government has introduced Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act. Left unchanged, this bill will harm workers, especially young and unskilled workers, increase costs for businesses, and make Ontario less competitive.

The Ontario government is rushing this bill through the legislature with unprecedented speed. Let your voice be heard. Contact your Member of the Provincial Parliament (MPP) and tell them to stop the rush—good jobs are at stake.

Among the changes included in Bill 148 are:

• A minimum wage increase to $14 per hour on Jan. 1, 2018, and to $15 per hour on Jan. 1, 2019 (a 32% increase in 18 months).
• A new proposal to implement “Equal Pay for Equal Work” for Temporary Help Agency employees to be paid the same as permanent workers with comparable work/conditions/experience/skills.
• New conditions for part-time/casual/seasonal workers to be paid the same as full time workers.
• Establish card-based union certification for the temporary help agency industry, the building services sector, home care, and the community services industry.
• Increase overtime and public holiday pay.
• Increase minimum vacation entitlement for workers from two to three weeks per year (for employment period >5 years).
• Allow any employee to take two paid days off with no minimum service, earnings, or doctor’s note required. Thus, a temporary worker could work one hour and receive two days pay with no explanation and no note, and repeat this across multiple agencies each year.
• Double the Ministry of Labour’s current complement of workplace inspectors by adding 150 new inspectors. 
  

Bill 148 will lead to:

Fewer Jobs. Fewer entry-level opportunities for young and unskilled workers looking to build their experience. Fewer roles for seniors and retired workers who need to earn occasional money to supplement their retirement income.

Less Opportunity. There will be fewer jobs in Ontario as Bill 148 will make it significantly more expensive to operate a business. Ontario will be less attractive as an investment opportunity.

More costs. A huge spike in labour challenges from permanent workers who will expect wage parity with temporary workers (often clients pay more for temporary help because a skilled worker on contract can demand higher wages). Significantly higher costs of public holidays for all employers that engage students, part-time employees, casual workers, and temporary help.

Less Productivity. More red tape, more inspections, and more potential abuse of the emergency-leave provisions and scheduling changes resulting in less work opportunity, frustrated employers, higher business costs, and reduced productivity in Ontario.

Through our active participation in our industry association, Association of Canadian Search, Employment & Staffing Services (ACSESS), Express has been working with The Ontario Chamber of Commerce in the Keep Ontario Working Coalition to provide a detailed review of and recommendations regarding the provisions of Bill 148.

View the provisions and recommendations of Bill 148 submitted by ACSESS. 

Stop the rush to hurt good jobs & opportunity. Let your voice be heard - contact your MPP today.