Start of 2019 brings $1.45 billion in WSIB rate cuts and more pro-growth reforms

The Voice of Canada News:

Ontario’s Government for the People is welcoming 2019 with reforms to make our province more competitive and signal that Ontario is open for business. Changes related to Ontario’s labour market that came into effect on January 1, 2019 include:

• Employers will save $1.45 billion in premiums paid to the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB). This immediate injection into our economy translates into an average WSIB premium rate cut of nearly 30% for businesses across Ontario.
• Keeping the minimum wage at $14 on January 1, 2019. This saves thousands of jobs across Ontario as the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario estimated the $15 minimum wage would have eliminated 50,000 jobs. Annual minimum wage increases, tied to inflation, will resume next year in 2020.
• Delaying the coming into force date of the Pay Transparency Act, 2018 to properly consult with stakeholders.
• Preserving the flexibility of workers and job creators to decide workplace schedules without unnecessary regulation from Queen’s Park.

Ontario’s government supports workers and job creators by eliminating regulatory burdens and cutting red tape.

“Our government is working harder, smarter and more efficiently to make life better for the people of Ontario,” said Laurie Scott, Minister of Labour. “Our reforms put money back into the economy, so job creators can invest in new equipment and create good jobs.”

In 2018, Minister of Labour Laurie Scott directed five (5) separate legislative reforms:

• Putting York University students back into the classroom.
• Repealing job-killing red tape through reforms in the Making Ontario Open for Business Act, 2018.
• Reforming firefighter labour relations and delaying the Pay Transparency Act, 2018 through reforms introduced with the Fall Economic Statement.
• Ensuring a level playing field for all construction workers building public infrastructure through the Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act, 2018.
• Introducing the Labour Relations Amendment Act (Protecting Ontario’s Power Supply), 2018 to keep the lights on across Ontario over the holiday.

In 2019, Ontario’s Minister of Labour Laurie Scott will continue working to give Ontario one of the most dynamic labour markets in North America.

“In the new year we will continue our efforts to make it easier to start or grow a business and invest in Ontario, building an economy that benefits all in this province,” Scott said. “I am proud to lead a Ministry responsible for dynamic labour markets and safe workplaces.”