Toronto:
- Increase in the city’s land transfer tax for high-value residential properties starting from January 1, 2024.
- Temporary price hike at a “reasonable” level for water and waste collection services, beginning January 1.
Ontario:
- Starting from January 1, 2024, temporary work agencies will need to have an operating license under the amended Employment Standards Act. The law also prohibits clients from using these services if the company is not licensed.
- Drivers have the option to reduce car insurance costs by choosing not to participate in direct property damage compensation insurance starting January 1, 2024 (also known as one-way insurance). However, this cost-saving comes with a significant warning that those opting out of this insurance will not be covered for damages such as repairs or replacement of their vehicles.
- Amendments to towing industry regulations, including fee structures, take effect from January 1, with the second phase introducing new fee structures on July 1.
Significant changes in provincial inspection policies for construction cranes start on January 1. Updated standards will require crane owners to undergo stricter inspections and logging, including structural and operational checks, under the supervision of a professional engineer. These changes follow several crane accidents and serious crane issues in Toronto over the past few years, most notably a series of crane collapses in 2020.
Canada:
- New administrative policies from the Canada Revenue Agency to determine the province or territory of remote workers for salary purposes from January 1, 2024.
- Amendments to the Canada Labour Code exempting certain employee groups in specific sectors from specific hours of work requirements, effective January 4 and June 4, 2024.
- Gradual notification of termination of individual employment contracts for federally regulated employees starting February 1, 2024, with notices given between 2 to 8 weeks.
- Federal regulations effective from January 1, 2024, requiring operators of digital platforms to collect and report information on revenue earned from service providers offering transportation, accommodation, and personal services to tax authorities.
- The Child Labor and Forced Labor in Supply Chains Act comes into effect in 2024, requiring companies to disclose board-approved reports on efforts to prevent child labor in the supply chain, accompanied by penalties for non-compliance.
