Ontario Has Six New Laws That May Affect You

At least one of the new laws may effect you

1. Minimum Wage Increase 

January 1st has passed and that means that the minimum wage in Ontario has officially gone up, previously $14.25 has now made the jump to $15/hour.

2. Digital Driver’s Licence & Health Cards

The Ontario Government will be launching digital ID’s sometime this year meaning you won’t NEED to carry around a physical copy of your driver’s licence or health card. Those identifications, if you choose, will be held on your mobile device in a form of a digital wallet. Physical forms of identifications will of course still be accepted.

3. QR Codes Needed To Prove Vaccination Status 

Anywhere you need to prove vaccination, they will be checking QR codes that you can download directly to your phone. If you are someone that doesn’t have the QR code on your phone yet and prefer a physical paper copy, resources such as libraries can assist with printing QR codes that will be accepted at the required businesses.

4. Staycations Within The Province Can Be Claimed On Your Taxes

For the next calendar year, if you decide that a vacation here in Ontario is what you need, be sure to keep the receipts as you will be eligible for the staycation tax credit. You can claim personally up to $1k, and families $2k, for a maximum of $200/$400 tax credit.

5. A Plan For a Better Work Life Balance 

A few months ago the Government announced the “Working for Workers Act” which means each year from January 1st to March 1st an employer must have a piece of written documentation or policy in place which allows workers to disconnect from their work.

It’s tough to say what this will look like but some suggestions have been turning off work notifications when out of office, and specific times regarding responding to work related emails etc.

6. Ontario’s Non Compete Rules Are No Longer

Non Compete Clauses will no longer be a part of any contracts in Ontario. This is when employers don’t allow employees to explore their options for opportunities with higher pay at different jobs/positions.