• Accommodation Sharing Economy (Airbnb) 
• ORHMA & OTEC: Sexual Harassment Prevention & Training Program 
• AODA’s Accessible Employment Standard- Compliance Checklist 

• Changes to Ontario's Accessible Customer Service Standard
• Planning Accessible Events
• Ontario Human Rights Commission - Information of Dress Codes 
• A Guide To Menu Labelling Requirements in Ontario 

Ontario Labour Legislation Introduced – Legislates New Minimum Wage
Bill 148, Fair Workplaces & Better Jobs Act- Ministry of Labour
On the last day of the legislature sitting Ontario’s Labour Minister Kevin Flynn  introduced Bill 148, Fair Workplaces and Better Jobs Act. The bill legislates the increase to the minimum wage and other government responses to the Changing Workplaces Review introduced earlier last week. 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 >>

ACTION REQUIRED: Banquet House Portion - Bill 12, Protecting Employees' Tips Act
The Ontario government passed Bill 12, An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act, 2000 With Respect to Tips and Other Gratuities (“Bill 12”) which came into force on June 10, 2016. It prohibits employers from withholding, making deductions from, or collecting tips or other gratuities from employees unless authorized under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”).  The guidance given is that “Employers need to be explicit about the purpose of these funds and who should receive them, for example tips for servers or facilities charges.” Therefore wording such as “tips”, “gratuities” and “service” would not apply to define the “House” portion as these words lead the convenor of the catering event to believe the gratuities are issued to servers.  ORHMA is reaching out to our membership asking for the explicit wording you are using to define the “House” portion of a catering event on function contracts and invoices. Those that reply will receive a complete list of the various wording practices utilized by Ontario’s catering operations. All replies will be kept confidential. Please email info@orhma.com or call 905 361-0268.  

Provincial Budget 2017
Like it or not majority governments can speed up and legislate budgets without obstacles from opposition parties. The Liberal government, with their majority, are aiming to amend provincial legislation on 30 items presented in April’s budget. Yasir Naqvi, the government’s house leader, moved a motion this past week that could pass Bill 127 prior to the house's scheduled recessing on June 1. It is certain due to the political system in place that it will pass. Democracy ….is it perfect? To read ORHMA's overview of the 2017 Provincial Budget,  click here.
HYDRO Rates – Is it Fair?
The Liberal Government is tabling the legislation (budget 2017) that the hydro rates will be reduced by 25 per cent to ensure greater fairness. Fairness? Numbers announced even included in media show by 2027, the average bill will be in the $200 a month range. -the increase will be around 2% until 2021, but after that your bill will start to skyrocket. Is this fair? Mortgaging current plan so future generations (your kids and grandkids) can pay for it. Is this fair? Most businesses are not even included by the reduction. Is this fair? How would a government elected  (another word for hired)  into managing the interests for all Ontarians create such a disaster with the Global Adjustment and for so long deny there is a problem till faced with political death. Is this fair?  

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 12^th and will be presented for discussion to the Executive Committee at the June 19^th  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.

Municipal Taxes Across Canada
On May 27, the Ontario government, through Budget 2017, authorized options for municipalities to add a hotel room tax. There are still details to be drafted surrounding this legislation but the ability for municipalities to add a room tax is open.  This is not the first municipal hotel tax legislation as it is a common practice in many North America jurisdictions. After all, the idea for a hotel tax stemmed from similar practices in other cities. Read more to view a  provincial comparison chart of the various tax measures currently in place across Canada. Read more. 

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. 

ORHMA Advocating To Protect Licensees – LCBO Potential Strike 
OPSEU announced its LCBO workers will not strike ahead of the May long weekend. LCBO workers collective agreement with the LCBO expired on March 31. The next bargaining dates are scheduled for the end of May and early June.   OPSEU president Smokey Thomas said his “members are fighting to save the LCBO” from the “creeping privatization” that allowed beer sales in grocery stores. OPSEU also announced it has filed with the Ministry of Labour to represent contract faculty at Ontario’s colleges. Thomas called it one of the largest organizing drives in Canadian history with thousands of cards signed. Thomas said unionizing contract workers is important because “we've reached the point where 70 per cent of those teaching are underpaid contract faculty with no job security.” Regardless of what you read in the papers, ORHMA is working directly with LCBO corporate to ensure plans are in place for Ontario licensees in the event of a strike. We will keep you updated as this issue moves forward. This round of bargaining LCBO is using this website:https://lcbonegotiations.com/ to provide information about negotiations and other bargaining related news. 

Preventing Sexual Violence and Harassment in the Hospitality Industry
In 2016, Ontario Restaurant Hotel Motel Association (ORHMA), in partnership with Ontario Training Education Corporation (OTEC) and Tourism HR Canada (THRC), announced an advanced training and awareness program to prevent sexual violence and harassment in the hospitality industry entitled "It's Your Shift." »»Read more

ORHMA Responds  Re: Bell & Rogers Sports Programming Changes

As you know Bell and Rogers have both sent notices to restaurants and bars that they will have to pay for sports programming packages separately from other channels they

may be paying for. The sports packaging is based on a valid liquor licence and seat

capacity. To read more click here.

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.

On Line Survey From the AGCO
Starting in late fall 2017, applicants will be able to apply for a Liquor Sales Licence, Ferment on Premise Licence, Liquor Delivery Service Licence, Licence to Represent a Manufacturer, Authorization to Sell Beer and Wine in a Grocery Store, and an Authorization to Sell Beer and Cider in a Grocery Store online, through the iAGCO portal that will be available on the AGCO’s Web site www.agco.on.ca. We invite you to participate in a short survey. Our goal is to provide you with an opportunity to offer feedback on your willingness to use the online system as well as on licencing renewal periods. If you are interested in participating, please click here.

WHMIS Legislation Has Now Been Amended to Include the GHS Standard 
WHMIS is changing to adopt new international standards for classifying hazardous chemicals and providing information on labels and safety data sheets. These new international standards are part of the Globally Harmonized System for the Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) and are being phased in across Canada between February 2015 and December 2018. The GHS standards have been endorsed by the United Nations. They are also being implemented in many other countries including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan and members of the European Union. Please click here to download a free copy of ORHMA’s Understanding WHMIS.  For more information on the requirements and changes from the Ministry of Labour, please click here. 

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.

Bill 132, the Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act (Supporting Survivors and Challenging Sexual Violence and Harassment), will come into effect on September 8, 2016. The act aims to make workplaces, campuses and communities safer and more responsive to the needs of survivors and to complaints about sexual violence and harassment. Read more.