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ORHMA In the Media
New Labour Report Proposes Big Changes for Ontario's Part-Time Workers 
Humber News

Minimum Wage Impact 
TV Cogeco 

Digital technology has given rise to new business models like Uber and Airbnb
Canada's Occupational Health & Safety Magazine

'Eventually, many will run out': How an LCBO strike could impact restaurants and bars
CBC News 

Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn Charters Landmark Labour Reforms 
Inside Halton 

Cheers, criticism greet Ontario plan to raise minimum wage to $15 
Globe & Mail 

City report probes rules and potential programs regarding online renting services like Airbnb 
London Free Press

Youth Training Available Through Partnership 
Erie Media 

Windsor Bars Face Hefty Price Hike for TV Sports 
CBC News

Top 5 Questions at AODA Road Shows 
Canadian Lodging News

New OHRC Report Says Sexualized Dress Codes "Not on the Menu" 
Employment Law Today  

GBC Honours Bachelor of Commerce (Culinary Management) Degree 
George Brown College 

Proposed Toronto Patio Tax Hike Could Lead to Higher Menu Prices 
iHeartRADIO

Airbnb Charm Offensive in Toronto
CBCRadio 

Durham diners eating up calorie info required by new law 
Durham Region.com 

Calorie Counting 'just 1 tool' 
Chronicle Journal

Speaker's Corner: Facing Climate Change 
Law Times news

Stop It! program in development to halt sexual violence
Canadian Restaurant News 

ORHMA: Hydro rebate won’t ease costs
Canadian Restaurant News

The Fight for Diaper Changing Tables in Men's Washrooms 
Macleans

Leamington restaurant struggles to cope with hefty hydro bills 
Windsor Star 

ORHMA Culinary Challenge
Canadian Lodging News
Destination & Tourism Fees -
Zoomer Radio
Food Trucks need more room to grow -
Toronto Star

Ontario servers welcome bill to ban restaurant ‘tip theft’ -
Hamilton Spectator

Workers welcome bill to bring restaurant ‘tip theft’ out of the shadows -
The Toronto Star

The dirty diaper dilemma - The Globe and Mail

AESP Conference - Using Trade Associations As A Conduit - Fierceenergy.com

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ORHMA Speaks at Standing Committee Hearing on Bill 148: Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act

The Ontario Government proposed legislation (Bill 148 Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act) to increase minimum wage to $15 and make other changes to the Employment Standards Act (ESA) & Labour Relations Act (LRA). The proposed changes will have detrimental impacts to Ontario’s hospitality industry, including operators of small businesses. On Friday July 21, Tony Elenis, President & CEO of ORHMA represented Ontario’s hospitality industry at the Standing Committee on Finance & Economic Affairs hearings. Included in the submission from ORHMA to the Standing Committee are the impacts of a $15 minimum wage in Ontario, recommendations to offset the costs that may arise with a higher minimum wage as well as Ontario’s hospitality performance in comparison to other jurisdictions. To read ORHMA’s submission, click here.

Tariff Rate Changes with SOCAN
The Copyright Board of Canada has recently certified new tariff rates for certain SOCAN tariffs. Some of these new rates are based on inflationary adjustments, which were approved for the first time in many years. As a result, you may realize an overall license fee increase of approximately 7%.   SOCAN’s tariffs take into consideration the value that music adds to a business. To review the new rates certified by the Copyright Board of Canada, please see the list of affected tariffs. 


WSIB Traumatic or Chronic Mental Stress
In response to the Government of Ontario’s proposed amendments to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (WSIA) on Traumatic or Chronic Mental Stress (accidents on or after January 1, 2018) the WSIB has developed a proposed service delivery model. ORHMA has been highly concerned of the WSIB’s proposed stress policy on a number of items including distinguishing work-related chronic stress from non-work-related chronic stress.  ORHMA has written to the Board commenting on the potential policies for traumatic and chronic mental stress in Ontario’s hospitality industry and prepared recommendations within a consultation document.  You can access the letter to the Board here and the consultation paper here.
2017 Best Bar None Awards sets new record of applicants competing for top honours for responsible service of alcohol 
On Tuesday June 27 and Thursday June 29, accredited establishments in Ottawa’s Byward Market and Toronto’s downtown core were recognized at the 2017 Best Bar None Awards Ceremony for their safe and responsible service of alcohol.  The establishments were selected by a judging panel comprising Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD Canada), the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), and Best Bar None (BBN) Ontario, an industry-led international accreditation and awards program that rewards excellence amongst responsible liquor sales licensees. Read press releases for Best Bar None Ottawa and Best Bar None Toronto to view winners. 

Toronto Accommodations Sharing Economy Report
The Toronto Accommodations Sharing Economy report was released on June 12, 2017. ORHMA & GTHA (Greater Toronto Hotel Association) were successful in accomplishing positive outcomes. The report, stemming out of Municipal Licensing and Standards, outlines the following key highlights. Read more>>

Design For Sidewalk Cafes, Marketing Displays, Patio Fees & Consultations 
When the City of Toronto report went to Licensing and Standards Committee in April of this year MLS staff were directed to undertake additional consultations. Two meetings are scheduled for June.  This notice has been sent out by mail to all permit holders. The information that will be presented at these meetings will be the same as what was in the April 2017 city staff report. The City is reviewing permit fees, as well as the design for sidewalk cafés and marketing displays. This includes looking at the space required for walking and movement for persons with disabilities, and how this will impact existing café and marketing permit holders. Information presented at these consultations will build upon the recent "Framework for Harmonization" report that was considered by Committee.  Public input invited on guidelines, rules and fees for sidewalk cafés and displays in Toronto.  Read more >>

Government suspends anti-spam changes after receiving blowback from businesses and NGOs
New provisions of Canada’s anti-spam legislation (CASL) that were set to come into effect on July 1st have been suspended due to complaints from businesses and non-governmental organizations. The provisions would allow lawsuits to be filed against individuals and organizations for violations of the legislation, a change that concerned businesses and non-profits due to the fact that over a three-year transition period that began in 2014, those organizations were permitted to rely on a recipient’s implied consent to receive electronic messages, while ostensibly giving them time to obtain express consent. Read more. 

Government's proposed amendment to WSIA re Chronic Mental Stress
In response to the Government of Ontario’s proposed amendments to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (WSIA) to include coverage for work-related chronic mental stress, the WSIB has developed a proposed service delivery model and is seeking feedback on the supporting draft policy. To assist stakeholders to understand the WSIB’s proposed approach to implementing this proposed legislative change,a background document  has been developed.  

Ontario Releases Food & Organic Waste Discussion Paper
The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change is developing a Food and Organic Waste framework to reduce the volume of food and organic wastes ending up in the disposal stream. The province’s Climate Change Action Plan and the Strategy for a Waste-Free Ontario: Building the Circular Economy commits the ministry to develop an action plan.  Read more >>

City of Toronto Sharing Economy Report- Release Date

The anticipated report that will offer recommendations for a regulatory framework on the accommodations sharing economy will be released on June 12th and will be presented for discussion to the Executive Committee at the June 19th  meeting. ORHMA and GTHA have been advocating on behalf of the hotel industry calling for a fair playing field. It is expected that the Toronto report will set the stage for other Ontario municipalities to move forward with similar regulatory rules. ORHMA has also been in communication with the City of London as a participant in upcoming consultations.

Fighting the Beverage Alcohol Excise Tax Increases
ORHMA has joined an industry-wide coalition calling for a Repeal to the hidden escalating tax proposed in the 2017 federal budget. Alcoholic Beverages are made up of several layers of tariffs, levies and taxes as an easy grab for governments. Read more. 

Complete Your AODA Report on Compliance
This year all sectors – private, non-profit and public – must submit accessibility compliance reports by December 31, 2017.Learn more about requirements and who has to report at ontario.ca/accessibility.

Understanding WSIB’s Premium Rate Table
We previously reported that the Restaurant and Catering employers will see an 8.1% reduction (2016 rate of 1.72 will drop to 1.58 in 2017 ) while the Accommodation employers  rate will drop by 13.2% (2016 rate of 3.10 will drop to 2.69 in 2017 ). The following WSIB explanations offer a good understanding of how Premium Rates are calculated. Ontario’s hospitality sectors’ historic and projection rates follow. For additional information that includes all sector classifications click here. For more on WSIB, click here.

TRANSPORTATION
 
CLEANING & SANITATION
 
CLEANING & SANITATION
 
EQUIPMENT - BEVERAGE DISPENSING
 
POS SALES & SERVICES
 

 
CONSTRUCTION GENERAL CONTRACTOR
 
BEVERAGES
 
INTERNET SERVICES
 
CHEMICAL MANUFACTURER
 
EVENT PLANNING
 
PEST CONTROL
 
LINEN
 
TECHNOLOGY
 
EXHAUST SYSTEM CLEANING
 
INFORMATION SERVICES
 
STAFFING
 
ALCOHOL INVENTORY MANAGEMENT
 
FACILITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES
 
EDUCATION & TRAINING
 
CLEANING & HOOD CLEANING
 
Furniture
 
LINEN,FOOD SERVICE EQUIPMENT & SUPP
 
UTILITIES
 
EDUCATION & TRAINING
 
EQUIPMENT
 
INSURANCE
 
PRINTING
 
ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTOR
 
RECYCLING COOKING OIL
 
EQUIPMENT - KITCHEN
 
WATER HEATER SPECIALIST
 
EDUCATION & TRAINING
 
WATER HEATER SPECIALIST
 
EDUCATION & TRAINING
 
HVAC
 
MERCHANT SERVICES
 
UTILITIES
 
TABLETOP & KITCHENWARE
 
EDUCATION & TRAINING
 
Brewery And Event Venue
 
FOOD DISTRIBUTOR
 
HUMAN RESOURCES
 
WINE & SPIRITS
 
WINE
 
EQUIPMENT - BEVERAGE DISPENSING
 
HEATING SERVICES
 
CONSULTANTS
 
WINE IMPORTER
 
INFORMATION SERVICES
 
GIFT CARDS
 
FOOD SERVICE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES
 
MATTRESSES
 
TOURISM
 
BEVERAGES
 
WATER HEATER SPECIALIST
 
TURNKEY LED LIGHTING SOLUTIONS
 
ENTERTAINMENT
 
POINT OF SALE SYSTEMS
 
EDUCATION & TRAINING
 
ENERGY EFFICIENCY,HVAC
 
FOOD WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTOR
 
BEVERAGES
 
EDUCATION & TRAINING
 
AUDIO VISUAL
 
PHOTOGRAPHY,PRINTING,WEB & GRAPHIC
 
EQUIPMENT - LAUNDRY
 
TOURISM
 
LINEN & LAUNDRY
 
KITCHEN SERVICES
 
MUSIC LICENSING
 
TABLEWARE,EQUIPMENT & SMALLWARE
 
UTILITIES
 
LEGAL COUNSEL
 
COMMERCIAL WALLCOVERINGS
 
EDUCATION & TRAINING
 
REGISTERED MASSAGE THERAPY
 
FOOD
 
MENU LABELING
 
CLEANING & SANITATION
 
GREASE INTERCEPTOR SYSTEMS
 
EDUCATION & TRAINING
 
WATER HEATER SPECIALIST
 
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