News & Events

Mark Zigler and George Dzuro will be speaking at the IF’s 56th Annual Employee Benefits Conference, September 10-13, 2023. The Conference will take place at the Palais des congrès de Montréal in Montréal, Québec. Mark will take part in a panel discussion on Legal/Legislative Developments — Central Canada and George will participate in a panel

Both the federal and Ontario 2023 budgets include measures intended to draw and maintain workers in the skilled trades. Both budgets tie the need for more workers in the skilled trades to plans to increase the building of new homes in the coming years. Canada’s 2023 Budget aims to assist tradespeople in purchasing equipment through

Canada’s 2023 Budget proposes to increase RESP withdrawal limits and to make various changes that will make it easier for individuals to establish and maintain Registered Education Savings Plan (“RESP”) and Registered Disability Savings Plan (“RDSP”) for family members. Budget 2023 also proposes approximately $13 billion over the next five years to implement the national

On March 14, 2023, the Ontario Ministry of Finance released its long-anticipated consultation paper on the regulatory framework intended to govern target benefit plans, “A Permanent Framework for Target Benefits.”  The proposal can be accessed online at https://www.ontariocanada.com/registry/view.do?postingId=44107&language=en. BACKGROUND In 2007, the Ontario government introduced temporary funding measures, permitting multi-employer pension plans that satisfied prescribed

The Ontario government is conducting a consultation regarding a portable benefits program for part-time, temporary and contract workers. This program would attach health and dental benefits to workers rather than to employers. No potential aspects of plan design or administration have yet been shared. The Ontario Health Insurance Plan (“OHIP”) covers services such as visits

In a recent decision in Mason v. The Queen, the Honourable Justice Dominique Lafleur of the Tax Court of Canada held that motor vehicle expenses that a construction foreman incurred driving to and from his home and his employer’s worksites were deductible under section 8(1)(h.1) of the Income Tax Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. 1 (5th

On June 1, 2022, Revenu Quebec announced a new incentive program to encourage holders of unclaimed financial assets to remit these assets to Revenu Quebec. The Unclaimed Property Act imposes obligations on holders of unclaimed property – which includes benefits under a registered pension plan – to report and remit unclaimed financial assets to Revenu

On April 7, 2022, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tabled the federal government’s (the “Government“) 2022 budget  (the “2022 Budget“), entitled “A Plan to Grow Our Economy and Make Life More Affordable”. Of particular interest to unions and pension and benefit plan administrators are announcements concerning public dental and pharmacare programs, the loosening of borrowing rules

On February 11, 2022, the Government of Ontario filed Ontario Regulation 66/22 (the “Regulation”), which amends the General regulations under the Pension Benefits Act to exempt defined contribution pension plans from certain regulatory requirements.  The Regulation specifically exempts such pension plans from 1) the requirement to file an auditor’s report with FSRA where the assets

On February 4, 2022, the Department of Finance released draft legislation that will, subject to certain conditions, permit administrators of defined contribution (“DC”) pension plans to correct past contribution errors.  The proposed amendments can be accessed at https://fin.canada.ca/drleg-apl/2022/ita-lir-0222-1-eng.html. The current Income Tax Act (the “ITA”) rules governing DC pension plans do not allow for “catch-up”