Greanya Legal Services
105 Consumers Drive, Whitby, ON, Canada

How to deal with utilities is often a major concern for residential landlords and tenants. Check out my new blog post on utilities and residential tenancies to learn more. https://www.durhamparalegal.ca//46990031-lets-talk-utiliti

I just made a new blog post on limitations periods and their importance to your case. Check it out here: https://www.durhamparalegal.ca//46937774-are-you-out-of-ti

Check out my new blog post in relation to COVID-19 and payment of rent. https://www.durhamparalegal.ca//48035477-rent-payment-and-

The Ontario Government has raised court fees for Small Claims Court. Fees were raised a couple of years ago, and the current fee increases are substantial, for instance the fee to set a trial date is increased to $290.00 from $145.00. These fee increases are effective April 1, 2019. Will the fee increases make you less likely to bring a case to Small Claims Court?

How to deal with utilities is often a major concern for residential landlords and tenants. Check out my new blog post on utilities and residential tenancies to learn more. https://www.durhamparalegal.ca//46990031-lets-talk-utiliti

I just made a new blog post on limitations periods and their importance to your case. Check it out here: https://www.durhamparalegal.ca//46937774-are-you-out-of-ti

This is a very interesting article about the importance of community legal clinics and the impact of proposed cuts on them. I can personally attest that they make a huge difference in the lives of vulnerable people. https://www.huffingtonpost.ca//legal-aid-cuts-clinics-disa

A new bill is before the Ontario Legislature to prohibit discrimination on the basis of genetic characteristics. With the increasing availability of information related to genetics,the prospect that this information (which is useful for medical treatment) may be used against someone is a significant privacy concern. This article provides more information.

The Ontario Government has raised court fees for Small Claims Court. Fees were raised a couple of years ago, and the current fee increases are substantial, for instance the fee to set a trial date is increased to $290.00 from $145.00. These fee increases are effective April 1, 2019. Will the fee increases make you less likely to bring a case to Small Claims Court?

Choosing to buy a home is a huge decision to make, one with legal consequences for you and your family. It is important to make an informed decision. Read my new article to find out why a home inspection is a crucial step for anyone thinking of buying a home. https://www.durhamparalegal.ca//46365730-purchasing-a-home

An interesting article from the National Post on the recent changes made to rent control provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act. Past changes have had a clear impact on rent prices, but have these changes led to the construction of new rental units?

Employment standards in Ontario could be facing further alteration this year, as the provincial government attempts to reduce the bureaucratic burden on employers. Bill 66, Restoring Ontarios Competitiveness Act, 2018, was introduced in the legislature Dec. 6, seeking to make changes to a variety of acts in an effort to cut business costs, harmonize regulatory requirements and end duplication, according to the provinces economic development minister, Todd Smith.

In most provinces, family status is a protected ground under human rights legislation. A recent decision, Peternel v Custom Granite & Marble Ltd., is a good reminder about family status obligations and the factors considered by adjudicators when determining whether an employer has breached its duty to accommodate an employee.

Adjudicators which include members or the more senior positions of vice-chair carry out dispute resolution through mediation or hearings. The human rights tribunal is an independent body that deals with applications related to discrimination and harassment under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Amid predictions of rising rents in some of Canada's already-red-hot markets, a new report shows there could be bad things to come even for those who don't plan on moving. For those who've somehow managed to secure an affordable, stable place to live, a report predicts "renovictions" will rise in 2019.

A new study suggests women are more likely than men to experience workplace harassment, and that it's more common in health-related fields.

Recent numbers from Statistics Canada suggest that women working full-time earned 74.2 cents for every dollar made by a man. Pay equity has been baked into the Canadian Human Rights Act for decades, but progress has been slow.

Quantum What? A guide to getting paid in business transactions...

The legislation which ends rent control for all newly-built or newly-converted rental units going forward while maintaining rent control for current tenants.

But it may come as a surprise to employers and employees alike to learn that, in some cases, liability for workplace discrimination extends beyond employers and employees and to potentially almost everyone employees must deal with.

As of Nov. 1, employers in Ontario face new decisions when it comes to requesting police record checks for potential employees.

A new Ontario Court of Appeal case provides both guidance and caution to employers in regulated industries when disclosing facts or making complaints to a regulator against former or departing employees.

The legislation requires all publicly advertised job postings to include a salary rate or range, bars employers from asking about past compensation and prohibits reprisal against employees who do discuss or disclose compensation. It also creates a system that requires large employers to track and report compensation gaps based on gender and other diversity characteristics, and share the information with the province.

The Ontario government passed sweeping labour reform legislation Wednesday, effectively rolling back many changes brought in by the previous Liberal regime.

The SmokeFree Ontario Act restricts cannabis smoking to wherever tobacco smoking is allowed, and this can be further limited by municipalities or property owners. Landlords can also add terms to new lease agreements prohibiting cannabis use in rental units. However, landlords generally cannot change the terms of existing leases.

The current wait time for a hearing at the board is eight weeks, far longer than the target of between 25 and 30 days.

Under Ontario's labour law, independent contractors don't have the same protections as employees. They set their own hours and use their own tools, but are not entitled to overtime or vacation pay. In contrast, employees are told when and how to do their work, but are entitled to the minimum wage and overtime pay.

The law is scheduled to come into force on Jan. 1. It would make it illegal for prospective employers to ask job interview candidates about their current or previous earnings and would force companies to state a salary range in all publicly advertised job postings. The law would also require firms with more than 100 employees to disclose to the province data about salaries, gender and ethnicity, starting in 2021.

The government will also reduce the number of personal leave days currently provided to workers to eight from ten. Under the Tory government's new labour legislation, workers will be entitled to three days off for personal illness, two day off for bereavement leave and three for family responsibilities.

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has recently released a decision in which it rejected an employees claim that her employer breached its legal obligations with respect to her maternity leave. The decision raises important issues surrounding employment standards, human rights, and the common law. All in all, it is a good illustration of how being prepared and reasonable may be the best defence for any employer.

As part of the Making Ontario Open for Business Act, or Bill 47, the Progressive Conservatives plan to bring back the medical note requirement for employees. The legislation would replace the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, or Bill 148, passed by the previous Liberal government. The law now grants employees up to 10 personal emergency leave days a year, two of them paid. Employers also cant ask employees to provide a medical note.

The Real Estate Council of Ontario, the body that governs agents, says although it doesn't deal with tenant and landlord issues directly, it does encourage tenants to share the results of a Landlord and Tenant Board hearing when an agent is involved.

Businesses are worried about potential backlash from reducing benefits, which happened to some when the act took effect earlier this year. Many recall the high-profile example of Tim Hortons, which was the target of protests after some Ontario franchisees eliminated paid breaks, fully covered health and dental plans and other perks for their workers to help offset the minimum-wage hike.

A decision from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice suggests that even broadly worded releases wont cover subsequent lawsuits against employers for improper conduct such as intimidation and sexual harassment.

Ontarios Ministry of the Attorney General (AG) seized the buildings, claiming they were crack houses and therefore instruments of crime. In total, four marijuana plants were the only drugs found.

In its updated policy guidance ahead of next week's legalization of recreational weed, the commission says employers can expect workers to be sober at work, particularly in safety-sensitive jobs.

Ontario court creates new protection for complainants of workplace sexual harassment Making a complaint of workplace sexual harassment can be daunting. If the actual harassment itself is not bad enough, employees often fear job-based retaliation for speaking out, or that making matters public might undermine their professional reputation.

Under the 2006 Smoke-Free Ontario Act, smoking is not allowed in indoor common areas of an apartment building or a condominium. That includes elevators, hallways, parking garages, party rooms, lobbies and exercise rooms. In addition, landlords have the right to impose on their tenants a prohibition against smoking marijuana or tobacco, and there is a separate section of Ontarios new standard form lease which permits the imposition of a smoking ban.

Employers who want to avoid unwanted accusations of violations and health and safety issues will have to become familiar with these new laws and revise their drug and alcohol policies to now include marijuana.