Bill 28 explained in plain English
Registered Human Resources Professionals Act, 2012
Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 40th 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 Registered Human Resources Professionals Act, 2011, establishes a new regulatory framework for human resources professionals in Ontario, continuing and renaming the existing association, and setting standards for practice, conduct, and professional designations.
This bill, the Registered Human Resources Professionals Act, 2011, establishes a new framework for regulating human resources professionals in Ontario. It continues the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario as a corporation, outlining its objects, governance, and membership requirements. The Act also sets out rules for professional conduct, complaint and discipline processes, practice inspections, and procedures for handling member incapacity. It prohibits the unauthorized use of specific professional designations and initials. The Act repeals the previous Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario Act, 1990, and makes related amendments to other legislation.
- Continues the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario under a new name, Human Resources Professionals Association.
- Defines the objects of the Association, including promoting and protecting the public interest by governing and regulating the practice of its members and firms.
- Establishes the governance structure of the Association, including the Board of Directors and various committees (complaints, discipline, review, capacity, appeal).
- Sets out membership requirements and procedures for admission, and prohibits the use of specified professional designations and initials by unauthorized individuals or entities.
- Establishes procedures for handling complaints against members and firms, including investigations, disciplinary processes, and appeals.
- Authorizes practice inspections of members and firms.
- Provides procedures for determining member incapacity and for taking action to address it.
- Regulates the registration and practice of firms.
- Prohibits individuals and corporations from using specific human resources professional designations and initials unless authorized.
- Establishes offences and penalties for contravening the prohibitions on the use of designations.
- Provides for custodianship orders to protect client interests in cases of member incapacity, death, or abandonment of practice.
- Repeals the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario Act, 1990.
- Amends the Fair Access to Regulated Professions Act, 2006, and the Ontario Labour Mobility Act, 2009.
- Human resources professionals who are members of the Association.
- Firms practicing in the field of human resources.
- Individuals and entities using or wishing to use human resources professional designations.
- Clients of human resources professionals.
- The public in Ontario.
- The Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario (which is continued as the Human Resources Professionals Association).
- Members have the right to practice in the field of human resources, subject to restrictions imposed by the Act.
- Members must adhere to standards of qualification, practice, professional ethics, knowledge, skill, and proficiency.
- Members must comply with the Act and by-laws.
- Members must return their membership certificates if their membership is suspended or revoked.
- Firms have the right to practice in the field of human resources, subject to restrictions.
- Firms must comply with the Act and by-laws.
- Individuals and corporations are prohibited from using specific designations and initials unless authorized.
- Members experiencing bankruptcy or insolvency must notify the Registrar.
- Members must comply with orders from the capacity committee, including undergoing medical or psychological examinations.
- Investigators and inspectors have powers to enter business premises, question individuals, and require the production of documents.
- No person shall obstruct an investigator or inspector.
- Members must preserve secrecy regarding information obtained in their duties, with specified exceptions.
- The Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.
- A person convicted of contravening section 26 (prohibitions on designations) may be liable to a fine of not more than $25,000.
- Directors or officers of a corporation found guilty of contravening section 26 may be liable to a fine of not more than $25,000.
- The court may order the convicted person to pay the Association's prosecution and investigation costs.
- A person obstructing an investigator or inspector may be liable to a fine of not more than $25,000.
- Directors or officers of a corporation found guilty of obstructing an investigator or inspector may be liable to a fine of not more than $25,000.
- A person who contravenes the duty of confidentiality may be liable to a fine of not more than $25,000.
- Directors or officers of a corporation found guilty of contravening the duty of confidentiality may be liable to a fine of not more than $25,000.
- The discipline committee may order a member or firm to pay a fine.
- The costs of practice inspections are to be borne by the member or firm.
- The Association may establish and govern the payment of fees, fines, and other amounts.
- Contravention of section 26 (prohibitions on use of designations) is an offence, liable to a fine of up to $25,000.
- Directors/officers of corporations are also liable for offences under section 26.
- Obstruction of investigators or inspectors is an offence, liable to a fine of up to $25,000.
- Contravention of the duty of confidentiality is an offence, liable to a fine of up to $25,000.
- The discipline committee has powers to revoke membership, suspend membership or registration, impose restrictions, reprimand, order rehabilitative measures, or impose fines.
- The Superior Court of Justice may issue orders prohibiting contravention of section 26.
- The capacity committee may order suspension of membership if a member fails to comply with an examination order.
- The capacity committee may suspend membership or impose conditions if a member is found incapacitated.
- The specific provisions of the Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, 2010, that apply to the Association will be prescribed by regulation.
- The exact requirements and qualifications for membership are to be specified by by-laws.
- The specific details of committees, their composition, powers, and procedures are to be established by by-laws.
- The specifics of designations, their use, and any related requirements are subject to by-laws.
- The Act does not affect the right of non-members to practice in human resources.
- The Act is subject to regulations that may be made by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.
- The extent to which the Act applies to firms that also practice other professions is subject to by-laws.
This Act is repealed, meaning its provisions are no longer in effect.
Source: Section 73
Adds the Human Resources Professionals Association to Schedule 1, likely to recognize it under the fair access provisions of that Act.
Source: Section 74
Removes an item from Table 1 and adds a new item related to the Registered Human Resources Professionals Act, 2011, likely for labour mobility purposes.
Source: Section 75
This bill enacts the Registered Human Resources Professionals Act, 2011, establishing a new regulatory framework for human resources professionals.
Source: Explanatory Note
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 is still active. We only show vote counts after the legislature publishes a recorded division.
No published representative vote breakdown
This bill is still moving through the process. When a recorded division is published, representative positions can be listed here.
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.
How this data is sourced