Bill 2 explained in plain English
Urgent Priorities Act, 2018
Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. Representative vote breakdowns appear when the Assembly publishes an Ayes and Nays page for the bill.
Our plain-language take, written for civic education.
Source: By PoliticalData.ca
The Urgent Priorities Act, 2018 addresses executive compensation at Hydro One, terminates the White Pines Wind Project, and resolves a labour dispute at York University by ending a strike and establishing a dispute resolution process.
This Act, also known as the Urgent Priorities Act, 2018, has three main parts that deal with Hydro One Limited's executive compensation, the termination of the White Pines Wind Project, and a labour dispute at York University. It places limits on how much Hydro One executives can be paid and requires salary disclosures. It also terminates contracts and permits related to the White Pines Wind Project, making the company responsible for decommissioning and site clean-up, and potentially liable for Crown costs. For York University, it ends a long strike and lock-out and establishes a process for resolving the labour dispute with the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 3903, to get students back to class. The Act also provides immunity from lawsuits for actions taken under it and amends existing laws related to these matters.
- Enacts the Hydro One Accountability Act, 2018, which sets limits on compensation for Hydro One executives and requires public disclosure of executive salaries.
- Amends the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998, to prevent Hydro One's executive compensation costs from being included in rate approvals.
- Enacts the White Pines Wind Project Termination Act, 2018, which retroactively terminates contracts and permits related to the project, requires the company to decommission the site, and makes it liable for Crown costs.
- Provides immunity from lawsuits for actions taken under the Act, related to Hydro One, the White Pines Wind Project, or the York University labour dispute.
- Enacts the Back to Class Act (York University), 2018, which ends a strike and lock-out at York University and establishes a process for resolving the labour dispute with CUPE Local 3903.
- Provides for the commencement of various parts of the Act on the day it receives Royal Assent or by proclamation.
- Provides for the repeal of certain parts of the Act on a future date to be proclaimed.
- Hydro One Limited executives, directors, and employees
- wpd White Pines Wind Incorporated
- The Crown in right of Ontario
- The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO)
- York University
- Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 3903
- York University students
- Ontario Energy Board
- The Lieutenant Governor in Council
- Hydro One Limited must establish a new compensation framework for executives and directors within six months of the Act coming into force.
- Hydro One Limited must publicly post the total annual compensation paid to certain executives each year by March 31.
- wpd White Pines Wind Incorporated must decommission the White Pines Wind Project according to regulations.
- wpd White Pines Wind Incorporated must maintain the lands where the White Pines Wind Project is located in a clean and safe condition.
- wpd White Pines Wind Incorporated is liable to the Crown for costs or liabilities incurred due to failure to meet decommissioning or site maintenance obligations.
- wpd White Pines Wind Incorporated must submit a full accounting of amounts related to the project within one year of the Act coming into force to be eligible for compensation.
- The Crown shall pay compensation to wpd White Pines Wind Incorporated based on a specified formula.
- York University must use all reasonable efforts to operate its undertakings and terminate any lock-out.
- CUPE Local 3903 must terminate any strike.
- Employees must terminate any strike and resume their duties.
- A mediator-arbitrator must be appointed to resolve the labour dispute at York University.
- The mediator-arbitrator's award is final and binding.
- Parties to the York University labour dispute must pay half of the mediator-arbitrator's fees and expenses.
- No cause of action arises against the Crown, Hydro One, or related parties for actions taken or not taken under the Act.
- No proceedings may be brought against the Crown, Hydro One, or related parties for actions taken or not taken under the Act.
- The Minister may request information from Hydro One Limited and other entities regarding compensation and employment agreements.
- The Act received Royal Assent on July 25, 2018.
- The Urgent Priorities Act, 2018, came into force on the day it received Royal Assent (July 25, 2018).
- Some provisions of the Hydro One Accountability Act, 2018, come into force on the day the Urgent Priorities Act, 2018, receives Royal Assent; others come into force on a day named by proclamation.
- The Hydro One Accountability Act, 2018, ceases to have effect on January 1, 2023.
- The White Pines Wind Project Termination Act, 2018, is deemed to have revoked certain approvals and terminated certain contracts on July 10, 2018.
- The White Pines Wind Project Termination Act, 2018, comes into force on the day the Urgent Priorities Act, 2018, receives Royal Assent.
- wpd White Pines Wind Incorporated must submit a full accounting for compensation by the first anniversary of the White Pines Wind Project Termination Act, 2018, coming into force.
- The Back to Class Act (York University), 2018, comes into force on the day the Urgent Priorities Act, 2018, receives Royal Assent.
- The employer and bargaining agent must terminate a strike or lock-out as soon as the Back to Class Act (York University), 2018, receives Royal Assent.
- A mediator-arbitrator for the York University dispute must be appointed on or before the fifth day after the Back to Class Act (York University), 2018, receives Royal Assent.
- The mediator-arbitrator must begin the dispute resolution proceeding within 30 days after being appointed and make all awards within 90 days after being appointed, unless extended.
- The Back to Class Act (York University), 2018, is repealed on a day to be named by proclamation.
- The Hydro One Accountability Act, 2018, aims to restrict executive compensation, which may affect compensation costs for Hydro One Limited and its subsidiaries.
- The Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998, amendment prevents executive compensation costs from being included in Hydro One's approved rates.
- The White Pines Wind Project Termination Act, 2018, outlines a compensation process for wpd White Pines Wind Incorporated, to be paid out of money appropriated by the Legislature.
- wpd White Pines Wind Incorporated is liable to the Crown for any costs or liabilities the Crown may incur related to the project's termination and site condition.
- The Back to Class Act (York University), 2018, requires each party to pay one-half of the fees and expenses of the mediator-arbitrator.
- Contravention of sections related to the termination of strikes and lock-outs under the Back to Class Act (York University), 2018, can result in fines: up to $2,000 for individuals and up to $25,000 for other entities, with each day of contravention being a separate offence.
- Failure to comply with information requests from the Minister under the Hydro One Accountability Act, 2018, is required.
- Failure to comply with directives from the Management Board of Cabinet under the Hydro One Accountability Act, 2018, is required.
- The precise definition of 'executives' for the purposes of compensation disclosure and restrictions under the Hydro One Accountability Act, 2018, may be further defined by regulations.
- The specific details of the compensation framework for Hydro One executives and directors are to be established within six months and approved by the Management Board of Cabinet.
- The White Pines Wind Project Termination Act, 2018, allows for 'prescribed' entities, permits, contracts, and amounts to be terminated or included in compensation calculations, which will be defined by regulations.
- The exact amount of compensation payable to wpd White Pines Wind Incorporated is subject to a formula and potential limitations or rules set by regulations.
- The repeal of the Hydro One Accountability Act, 2018, and the Back to Class Act (York University), 2018, will occur on a day to be named by proclamation.
- The Act does not specify the exact amounts of any potential fines for contravening the directives or information requests related to Hydro One.
Prevents the Ontario Energy Board from including executive compensation costs of Hydro One Limited and its subsidiaries when approving or setting rates.
Source: Section 10
Establishes rules for Hydro One Limited's executive and director compensation, requiring a new compensation framework, limiting compensation, and mandating salary disclosures. It also provides immunity from litigation related to these measures.
Source: Schedule 1
Terminates contracts and revokes permits related to the White Pines Wind Project, requires the company to decommission the site, maintain the land in a clean and safe condition, and makes it liable for Crown costs. It also provides compensation to the company and extinguishes certain causes of action.
Source: Schedule 2
Requires the termination of a strike and lock-out at York University, establishes a process for resolving the labour dispute through a mediator-arbitrator, and sets terms for new collective agreements, with a provision for the Act's repeal.
Source: Schedule 3
The Back to Class Act, 2018, states that if there is a conflict between it and the Labour Relations Act, 1995, the Back to Class Act prevails. It also provides that after a new collective agreement is in place, the Labour Relations Act, 1995 governs the right to strike or lock out. Strikes or lock-outs that contravene the Back to Class Act are deemed unlawful under the Labour Relations Act, 1995.
Source: Section 2(3), Section 6, Section 8
Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.
Official textProcess Snapshot
Vote Summary
This bill does not have a published recorded division in the current official sources, so representative-by-representative vote counts are not shown.
No published representative vote breakdown
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Official sources
Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.
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