Reference to the CFA’s Advocacy Update from August 4, 2022

Ontario’s Labour Minister Monte McNaughton is interested in making yearly updates to the province’s labour laws to keep up with how technological changes affect workers. The Progressive Conservative government is also planning to soon share new ways it hopes to improve conditions for employees, McNaughton told QP Briefing this week.

“I think it makes sense on an annual basis to be coming forward with modern labour laws to protect workers to provide more opportunities for them,” he said in an interview on Tuesday.

The COVID-19 pandemic made it clear to McNaughton that past governments didn’t keep up with how technology advancements affected workplaces, “and that needs to be done more on a regular basis,” he said.

McNaughton’s pair of identically-named Working for Workers acts were two of the PC government’s signature bills in the final year of Premier Doug Ford’s first mandate. Their passage requires employers of more than 25 people to write right-to-disconnect and electronic-monitoring policies, and created the Digital Platform Workers’ Rights Act, giving workers for companies like Uber or Lyft in the gig economy rights that more closely resemble those of traditional employees. While critics have pointed out imperfections with these PC-passed laws, each is the first of its kind in Ontario.

“I think there’s more opportunity to do more around all of those things, quite frankly,” McNaughton said. “I’ve always said this is just the start. There’s going to be more to come.”

Since assuming the role of labour minister three-and-a-half years ago, McNaughton has made a point of revitalizing the relationship between the PCs and private-sector labour leaders and unions. He said maintaining this rapport and improving conditions for employees will be at the centre of his attention as the PCs take on governing with a strengthened majority.

“Certainly I’m continuing to visit and meet with workers and labour leaders across the province to really listen for ideas on how we can provide more opportunities for our workers for bigger paycheques, and also more ways to strengthen health and safety in workplaces,” McNaughton said. “That’s my top priority.”

“There is going to be more to come on this soon,” he added, noting he couldn’t say when exactly the government would next introduce new labour law changes, or otherwise move to improve conditions for workers.

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