On April 20, 2026, the Ontario Government introduced Bill 105: Protecting Ontario’s Workers and Economic Resilience Act, 2026. This proposal includes changes to the ESA, OHSA, and the WSIA to strengthen worker protection and enhance economic stability.
If passed, the Act will introduce the following amendments:
Employment Standards Act
- Employers would be prohibited from requiring employees to pay for uniforms or other prescribed items, or for their repair, except in specific situations.
- The Director can assign certain complaints for inspection and can also refuse to assign certain complaints for inspection or investigation.
Occupational Health and Safety Act
- The Chief Prevention Officer would be permitted to collect workers’ personal information regarding exposure to a physical, chemical or biological agent.
Workplace Safety and Insurance Act
- This Act would increase a worker’s loss of earnings benefits (LOE) from 85% to 90% of the difference between their pre-injury and post-injury net average earnings.
- A worker may continue receiving LOE benefits past the age of 65, if the WSIB deems that they are likely to continue working after the age of 65.
- The WSIB would be allowed to review payments to a worker for LOE benefits beyond the 72-month mark.
For more information about this bill, click here.
HRPAR will continue to provide updates on the status of Bill 105. We will also host a legislative updates webinar when more information becomes available.
If you have any questions, please reach out to a member of the HRPAR team today!