Following a series of announcements over the last few weeks, Labour Minister and local MPP Monte McNaughton has introducing his updated “Working for Workers Act” at Queen’s Park.
The latest addition would see changes to strengthen protections for vulnerable and migrant workers by establishing the highest maximum fines in Canada for businesses and people who are convicted of withholding a foreign national’s passport or work permit.
The government is also proposing amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) which, if passed, would increase the maximum fine for corporations convicted of an offence under the OHSA from $1.5 million to $2 million. This would give Ontario the highest maximum corporate fine under workplace health and safety legislation in Canada.
Other previously announced pieces of the legislation include new rules covering construction site washrooms and mass terminations for remote workers.