On March 29, 2011, the Ontario government introduced Bill 173, the Better Tomorrow for Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2011 (PDF), omnibus legislation amending a variety of statutes to implement certain initiatives outlined in the 2011 Ontario Budget tabled on that date.

Highlights in Bill 173 of interest to employers include:

• amendments to the Pension Benefits Act, including technical amendments;
• amendments to the Broader Public Sector Accountabillity Act, 2010, requiring broader public sector organizations to issue directives regarding perquisites;
• significant Education Act amendments relating to school board agreements with qualified third-party providers with respect to before- and after-school extended day programs, among other matters; and
• amendments to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act relating to disclosure of records containing information prepared by, or provided to, a hospital committee for the purpose of assessing or evaluating the quality of healthcare and directly related programs and services provided by the hospital.

We are reviewing Bill 173 and the Budget. An FTR Now discussing key highlights in further detail will be posted shortly on our website.