Bill 238, Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act, 2021
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This Explanatory Note was written as a
reader’s aid to Bill 238 and does not form part of the law.
Bill 238 has been enacted as Chapter 3 of the Statutes of Ontario, 2021.
Amendments are made to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.
New section 88.1 sets out a special rule for the calculation of certain premiums payable by employers for the 2021 calendar year. The Lieutenant Governor in Council is given regulation-making powers with respect to the calculation and the period during which the special rule applies.
New section 167 provides that the Minister may direct the Board to provide the Minister with information that the Minister considers necessary for the proper administration of the Act. The Board is required to provide the information on or before the date specified by the Minister and in the form specified by the Minister. The Minister may delegate the Minister’s powers under section 167 to the Deputy Minister.
Bill 238 2021
An Act to amend the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997
Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:
1 The Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 is amended by adding the following section:
Exception, 2021 calendar year
88.1 (1) Despite subsection 88 (3), for the period beginning on January 1, 2021 and ending on December 31, 2021 or such later date as may be prescribed, the premium payable by an employer for each of the employer’s workers applies only with respect to a maximum amount of average earnings of,
(a) $97,308; or
(b) if another amount is prescribed for the purposes of this section, that amount.
Regulations
(2) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations,
(a) prescribing a date for the purposes of subsection (1);
(b) prescribing an amount for the purposes of clause (1) (b).
Same
(3) A regulation made under clause 2 (a) shall not prescribe a date that is later than December 31, 2022.
2 The Act is amended by adding the following section:
Information
167 (1) The Minister may direct the Board to provide the Minister with information that the Minister considers necessary for the proper administration of this Act.
Same
(2) If the Minister directs the Board to provide information under subsection (1), the Board shall provide the information on or before the date specified by the Minister and in the form specified by the Minister.
Same, delegation to Deputy Minister
(3) The Minister may delegate the Minister’s powers under this section to the Deputy Minister.
Commencement
3 This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.
Short title
4 The short title of this Act is the Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act, 2021.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Amendments are made to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.
New section 88.1 sets out a special rule for the calculation of certain premiums payable by employers for the 2021 calendar year. The Lieutenant Governor in Council is given regulation-making powers with respect to the calculation and the period during which the special rule applies.
New section 167 provides that the Minister may direct the Board to provide the Minister with information that the Minister considers necessary for the proper administration of the Act. The Board is required to provide the information on or before the date specified by the Minister and in the form specified by the Minister. The Minister may delegate the Minister’s powers under section 167 to the Deputy Minister.
Bill 238 2020
An Act to amend the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997
Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:
1 The Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 is amended by adding the following section:
Exception, 2021 calendar year
88.1 (1) Despite subsection 88 (3), for the period beginning on January 1, 2021 and ending on December 31, 2021 or such later date as may be prescribed, the premium payable by an employer for each of the employer’s workers applies only with respect to a maximum amount of average earnings of,
(a) $97,308; or
(b) if another amount is prescribed for the purposes of this section, that amount.
Regulations
(2) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations,
(a) prescribing a date for the purposes of subsection (1);
(b) prescribing an amount for the purposes of clause (1) (b).
Same
(3) A regulation made under clause 2 (a) shall not prescribe a date that is later than December 31, 2022.
2 The Act is amended by adding the following section:
Information
167 (1) The Minister may direct the Board to provide the Minister with information that the Minister considers necessary for the proper administration of this Act.
Same
(2) If the Minister directs the Board to provide information under subsection (1), the Board shall provide the information on or before the date specified by the Minister and in the form specified by the Minister.
Same, delegation to Deputy Minister
(3) The Minister may delegate the Minister’s powers under this section to the Deputy Minister.
Commencement
3 This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.
Short title
4 The short title of this Act is the Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act, 2020.
| Date | Bill stage | Event | Outcome | Committee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 14, 2021 | Royal Assent | Royal Assent received | - | - |
| April 13, 2021 | Third Reading | Vote | Carried on division | - |
| April 12, 2021 | Third Reading | Deferred vote | - | - |
| April 12, 2021 | Third Reading | Debated | - | - |
| March 24, 2021 | Third Reading | Debated | - | - |
| March 23, 2021 | Third Reading | Debated | - | - |
| March 22, 2021 | Second Reading | Ordered for Third Reading | - | - |
| March 22, 2021 | Second Reading | Reported without amendment | - | - |
| March 16, 2021 | Second Reading | Consideration of a Bill | - | Standing Committee on General Government |
| March 9, 2021 | Second Reading | Consideration of a Bill | - | Standing Committee on General Government |
| February 25, 2021 | Second Reading | Ordered referred to Standing Committee | - | Standing Committee on General Government |
| February 25, 2021 | Second Reading | Vote | Carried on division | - |
| February 24, 2021 | Second Reading | Deferred vote | - | - |
| February 24, 2021 | Second Reading | Debated | - | - |
| February 23, 2021 | Second Reading | Debated | - | - |
| February 18, 2021 | Second Reading | Debated | - | - |
| February 18, 2021 | Second Reading | Debated | - | - |
| February 16, 2021 | Second Reading | Debated | - | - |
| February 16, 2021 | Second Reading | Debated | - | - |
| December 8, 2020 | First Reading | Vote | Carried | - |
Debates and Progress
First Reading
Committee
Second Reading
Principal Debaters:
Hon. Monte McNaughton, Ms. Jane McKenna, Mr. Wayne Gates, Mr. Robert Bailey
Questions and Comments:
Ms. Jessica Bell, Ms. Andrea Khanjin, Ms. Suze Morrison, Mr. Mike Harris, Ms. Judith Monteith-Farrell, Mr. Gurratan Singh, Ms. Sara Singh, Mr. David Piccini, Ms. Donna Skelly, Ms. Catherine Fife, Ms. Rima Berns-McGown
February 16, 2021 (Continued)
Principal Debaters:
Ms. Peggy Sattler, Mr. Mike Schreiner, Mr. Dave Smith, Mr. Percy Hatfield, Mr. David Piccini, Mr. Michael Coteau, Ms. Rima Berns-McGown, Mr. Jeremy Roberts, Ms. Bhutila Karpoche
Questions and Comments:
Mr. Terence Kernaghan, Ms. Donna Skelly, Mrs. Lisa Gretzky, Ms. Jane McKenna, Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong, Ms. Andrea Khanjin, Mr. Michael Mantha, Mr. Wayne Gates, Mr. Peter Tabuns, Ms. Sara Singh, Mr. John Vanthof, Mr. Lorne Coe, Ms. Goldie Ghamari
February 18, 2021 (Continued)
February 18, 2021 (Continued)
Principal Debaters:
Ms. Andrea Khanjin, Mr. Jamie West, Mr. Parm Gill
Questions and Comments:
Ms. Jane McKenna, Ms. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens, Mr. Jeremy Roberts, Ms. Peggy Sattler, Hon. John Yakabuski, Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong, Mr. Chris Glover, Mr. David Piccini, Mr. Michael Mantha
Principal Debaters:
Mr. Jeff Burch, Mr. Mike Harris, Mrs. Lisa Gretzky, Ms. Marit Stiles, Mr. Taras Natyshak, Mr. Will Bouma, Mr. Lorne Coe
Questions and Comments:
Ms. Jane McKenna, Mr. Wayne Gates, Ms. Andrea Khanjin, Mr. Tom Rakocevic, Ms. Goldie Ghamari, Mr. Daryl Kramp, Mr. Jim McDonell, Mr. Robert Bailey
Vote deferred.
Carried on recorded division. Referred to the Standing Committee on General Government.
Committee
Standing Committee on General Government
Reported to the House without amendment. Ordered for third reading.
Third Reading
Principal Debaters:
Hon. Monte McNaughton, Mr. Wayne Gates
Questions and Comments:
Rima Berns-McGown, Ms. Andrea Khanjin, Ms. Marit Stiles, Mr. Rick Nicholls, Mr. Amarjot Sandhu
Principal Debaters:
Mr. Stephen Crawford, M. Guy Bourgouin, Ms. Peggy Sattler
Questions and Comments:
Ms. Christine Hogarth, Mr. Terence Kernaghan, Mr. Lorne Coe, Mr. Michael Mantha, Mr. Rudy Cuzzetto, Ms. Suze Morrison, Mr. Deepak Anand, Mr. Gurratan Singh, Mr. Logan Kanapathi
Principal Debaters:
Mr. Terence Kernaghan, Mr. Robert Bailey, Ms. Catherine Fife, Mr. Mike Harris
Questions and Comments:
Mr. Taras Natyshak, M. Guy Bourgouin, Mr. Sam Oosterhoff, Ms. Doly Begum, Hon. Paul Calandra, Mr. Toby Barrett, Hon. Bill Walker, Ms. Suze Morrison, Mr. Will Bouma, Mr. Norman Miller, Mr. Gurratan Singh
April 12, 2021 (continued)
Vote deferred.
Carried on recorded division.
Royal Assent
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
Acts affected - Bill 238
Most Ontario public acts are available electronically; to view copies of the Acts to be amended by this bill visit e-laws
Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997
Legislative Assembly of Ontario