OntarioPassed43rd Parliament, 1st Session

Bill 229 explained in plain English

Working for Workers Six Act, 2024

Labour & Employment Education & Skills

Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.

How This Type of Bill Becomes Law Official source

At a glance

Jurisdiction

Ontario Legislature

Legislature / Parliament

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Session

43rd Parliament, 1st Session

Bill number

Bill 229

Full title

Working for Workers Six Act, 2024

Current status

Passed

Latest event

Royal Assent received

Last updated

Dec 19, 2024

Sponsor

David Piccini

Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. Representative vote breakdowns appear when the Assembly publishes an Ayes and Nays page for the bill.

Chamber

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Current Stage

Royal Assent received

Latest Activity

Dec 19, 2024

Sponsor

David Piccini

Plain-language explanation

In plain English (our explanation)

Our plain-language take, written for civic education.

Source: By PoliticalData.ca

AI-assisted, reviewed before publishing

Short Version

The Working for Workers Six Act, 2024 enacts the Skilled Trades Week Act and amends various employment, labour, and workplace safety laws in Ontario, including those related to leave entitlements, road safety, occupational health and safety training, immigration representation, and workplace insurance for first responders.

What It Means

This bill, known as the Working for Workers Six Act, 2024, enacts a new law called the Skilled Trades Week Act and makes several changes to existing Ontario laws related to employment, labour, and workplace safety. Key changes include introducing new types of leave under the Employment Standards Act, 2000, modifying rules for drivers approaching stopped work-related vehicles under the Highway Traffic Act, updating provisions for occupational health and safety training and personal protective equipment, and establishing new regulations for representatives in the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015. It also expands presumptions for certain occupational diseases for firefighters and fire investigators under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997. The bill establishes the first full week of November each year as Skilled Trades Week.

What This Bill Does

Enacts the Skilled Trades Week Act, 2024, which proclaims the first full week of November each year as Skilled Trades Week.
Amends the Employment Standards Act, 2000, to introduce a 'placement of a child leave' and a 'long-term illness leave'.
Amends the Highway Traffic Act to change how drivers must react to stopped work-related vehicles, requiring them to slow down and proceed with caution, and to move lanes if safe, with exceptions for certain construction zones.
Amends the Occupational Health and Safety Act to allow the Chief Prevention Officer to establish criteria for assessing foreign training programs for equivalency, create policies on general training requirements, and issue orders regarding worker trades committees.
Amends the Occupational Health and Safety Act to require employers to ensure personal protective clothing and equipment is a proper fit and appropriate for the circumstances.
Increases the maximum fine for corporations convicted of offences under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to $2,000,000 and sets a minimum fine of $500,000 for subsequent offences resulting in worker death or serious injury.
Amends the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015, to require representatives to comply with ministerial standards, prohibit misrepresentations, and allow the Minister to impose bans on representatives and recruiters.
Amends the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997, to establish presumptions for primary-site kidney cancer and primary-site colorectal cancer as occupational diseases for firefighters and fire investigators who have served for at least 10 years.
Requires the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board to distribute surplus funds to certain Schedule 2 municipal employers under specific conditions related to occupational disease claims.

Who Is Affected

Employees entitled to new types of leave (placement of a child leave, long-term illness leave).
Drivers operating vehicles in Ontario.
Employers in Ontario.
Workers in Ontario, particularly regarding occupational health and safety training and personal protective equipment.
Representatives and recruiters in the immigration sector.
Firefighters and fire investigators who may be eligible for expanded occupational disease presumptions.
Schedule 2 municipal employers under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.
Construction companies required to establish worker trades committees.

Rights, Duties, Or Obligations

Employees have the right to up to 16 weeks of unpaid 'placement of a child leave' and up to 27 weeks of unpaid 'long-term illness leave'.
Employees must provide notice to employers when taking these leaves, and may need to provide evidence.
Drivers have new obligations to slow down, proceed with caution, and potentially change lanes when encountering stopped work-related vehicles.
Employers must ensure personal protective clothing and equipment fits properly and is appropriate for the circumstances.
Representatives in the immigration sector must comply with ministerial standards and refrain from making misrepresentations.
Firefighters and fire investigators with 10+ years of service may have an easier path to proving certain cancers as work-related.

Important Dates

Most provisions of the Act came into force on December 19, 2024 (the day it received Royal Assent).
Some provisions related to employment standards (long-term illness leave) come into force six months after Royal Assent.
Some provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, including those related to worker trades committees and specific training requirements, come into force on a day named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor, or January 1, 2025, whichever is later.
Provisions of the Highway Traffic Act related to approaching stopped work-related vehicles come into force on a day named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor.
Provisions of the Skilled Trades Week Act, 2024, come into force on the day the Working for Workers Six Act, 2024 receives Royal Assent.

Financial Or Tax Impacts

The maximum fine for corporations convicted under the Occupational Health and Safety Act is increased to $2,000,000, with a minimum fine of $500,000 for subsequent offences causing death or serious injury.
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board may be required to distribute surplus funds to certain Schedule 2 municipal employers.

Enforcement Or Penalties

Drivers contravening the new rules for approaching stopped work-related vehicles face fines of not less than $400 and not more than $2,000 for a first offence, and not less than $1,000 and not more than $4,000, or up to six months imprisonment, or both, for subsequent offences.
Convictions under the Highway Traffic Act may lead to driver's licence suspension for up to two years.
Corporate convictions under the Occupational Health and Safety Act face a maximum fine of $2,000,000, with a minimum fine of $500,000 for subsequent offences resulting in death or serious injury.
Contraventions of misrepresentation rules under the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015, are offences.

Uncertainties Or Limits

The specific details regarding the definition of 'work-related vehicle' under the Highway Traffic Act will be determined by regulations.
The definition of 'placement' for the new 'placement of a child leave' includes 'prescribed events or prescribed circumstances', which are not detailed in the bill.
The circumstances under which the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board distributes surplus funds to Schedule 2 employers are subject to prescribed conditions.
The bill allows for regulations to be made that may prescribe further details or conditions for various provisions, such as for the 'placement of a child leave' and 'long-term illness leave'.

Laws Or Regulations Affected

Skilled Trades Week Act, 2024

enacted

Establishes the first full week of November annually as Skilled Trades Week.

Source: SCHEDULE 5

Employment Standards Act, 2000

amended

Introduces a 'placement of a child leave' of up to 16 weeks for adoption or surrogacy, and a 'long-term illness leave' of up to 27 weeks for serious medical conditions. It also modifies the end of parental leave periods to account for these new leaves.

Source: SCHEDULE 1

Highway Traffic Act

amended

Requires drivers to slow down and proceed with caution when approaching a stopped work-related vehicle with flashing amber lights. Drivers in lanes adjacent to or the same as the stopped vehicle must move to another lane if safe. These rules do not apply in certain construction zones. The Lieutenant Governor in Council can define 'work-related vehicle'.

Source: SCHEDULE 2

Occupational Health and Safety Act

amended

Allows the Chief Prevention Officer to establish criteria for assessing training programs from outside Ontario, create policies on general training requirements, and adopt standards or guides. It also gives the Minister power to order the establishment and composition of worker trades committees. Employers must ensure personal protective equipment fits properly and is appropriate. Fines for corporate offences are increased, with a minimum fine for subsequent offences causing death or serious injury. Regulations can be made regarding the assessment of personal protective clothing and equipment.

Source: SCHEDULE 3

Ontario Immigration Act, 2015

amended

Requires representatives to follow ministerial standards and prohibits misrepresentations about applicant eligibility. The director and Minister gain new powers to ban individuals or bodies from acting as representatives or recruiters, with specified minimum and maximum ban periods.

Source: SCHEDULE 4

Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997

amended

Establishes presumptions that primary-site kidney cancer and primary-site colorectal cancer are occupational diseases for firefighters and fire investigators with at least 10 years of service. It also details conditions under which the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board must distribute surplus funds to certain Schedule 2 municipal employers for specific occupational disease claims.

Source: SCHEDULE 6

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 text

Process Snapshot

Step 1

First reading

Nov 27, 2024

Step 2

Second reading

Dec 11, 2024

Step 3

Committee review

Not reached yet

Step 4

Third reading

Dec 12, 2024

Step 5

Royal assent

Dec 19, 2024

Vote Summary

Yes

Abstain

Absent / Other

Final recorded vote

Dec 12, 2024

97 representative positions are recorded in this official snapshot for this vote.

Sponsor

David Piccini

Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | Northumberland—Peterborough South

Jurisdiction

Ontario Legislature

Representative Voting Breakdown

Vote badges include text labels so the table stays readable for everyone, even without color cues alone.

Representative	Role	Riding	Party	Vote	Notes
Adil Shamji MPP	MPP	Don Valley East	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Aislinn Clancy MPP	MPP	Kitchener Centre	Green Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Amarjot Sandhu MPP	MPP	Brampton West	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Andrew Dowie MPP	MPP	Windsor—Tecumseh	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Anthony Leardi MPP	MPP	Essex	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Aris Babikian MPP	MPP	Scarborough—Agincourt	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Bhutila Karpoche MPP	MPP	Parkdale—High Park	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Billy Pang MPP	MPP	Markham—Unionville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Bobbi Ann Brady MPP	MPP	Haldimand—Norfolk	Independent	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Brian Riddell MPP	MPP	Cambridge	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Catherine Fife MPP	MPP	Waterloo	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Chandra Pasma MPP	MPP	Ottawa West—Nepean	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Chris Glover MPP	MPP	Spadina—Fort York	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Christine Hogarth MPP	MPP	Etobicoke—Lakeshore	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Daisy Wai MPP	MPP	Richmond Hill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
David Smith MPP	MPP	Scarborough Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Dawn Gallagher Murphy MPP	MPP	Newmarket—Aurora	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Deepak Anand MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Malton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Doly Begum MPP	MPP	Scarborough Southwest	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Effie J. Triantafilopoulos MPP	MPP	Oakville North—Burlington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
France Gélinas MPP	MPP	Nickel Belt	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Guy Bourgouin MPP	MPP	Mushkegowuk—James Bay	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hardeep Singh Grewal MPP	MPP	Brampton East	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Caroline Mulroney MPP	MPP	York—Simcoe	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Charmaine A. Williams MPP	MPP	Brampton Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. David Piccini MPP	MPP	Northumberland—Peterborough South	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Donna Skelly MPP	MPP	Flamborough—Glanbrook	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Doug Downey MPP	MPP	Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Ernie Hardeman MPP	MPP	Oxford	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. George Pirie MPP	MPP	Timmins	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Graham McGregor MPP	MPP	Brampton North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Graydon Smith MPP	MPP	Parry Sound—Muskoka	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Jill Dunlop MPP	MPP	Simcoe North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Kevin Holland MPP	MPP	Thunder Bay—Atikokan	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Kinga Surma MPP	MPP	Etobicoke Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Laurie Scott MPP	MPP	Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Lisa M. Thompson MPP	MPP	Huron—Bruce	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael A. Tibollo MPP	MPP	Vaughan—Woodbridge	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael Parsa MPP	MPP	Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael S. Kerzner MPP	MPP	York Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Neil Lumsden MPP	MPP	Hamilton East—Stoney Creek	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Nina Tangri MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Streetsville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Nolan Quinn MPP	MPP	Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Paul Calandra MPP	MPP	Markham—Stouffville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy MPP	MPP	Pickering—Uxbridge	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria MPP	MPP	Brampton South	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Raymond Sung Joon Cho MPP	MPP	Scarborough North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Rob Flack MPP	MPP	Elgin—Middlesex—London	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Sam Oosterhoff MPP	MPP	Niagara West	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Stan Cho MPP	MPP	Willowdale	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Stephen Crawford MPP	MPP	Oakville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Stephen Lecce MPP	MPP	King—Vaughan	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Steve Clark MPP	MPP	Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Sylvia Jones MPP	MPP	Dufferin—Caledon	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Todd J. McCarthy MPP	MPP	Durham	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Trevor Jones MPP	MPP	Chatham-Kent—Leamington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Victor Fedeli MPP	MPP	Nipissing	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Vijay Thanigasalam MPP	MPP	Scarborough—Rouge Park	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Zee Hamid MPP	MPP	Milton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jamie West MPP	MPP	Sudbury	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jeff Burch MPP	MPP	Niagara Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens MPP	MPP	St. Catharines	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jennifer K. French MPP	MPP	Oshawa	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jess Dixon MPP	MPP	Kitchener South—Hespeler	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jessica Bell MPP	MPP	University—Rosedale	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jill Andrew MPP	MPP	Toronto—St. Paul's	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Joel Harden MPP	MPP	Ottawa Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
John Fraser MPP	MPP	Ottawa South	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
John Jordan MPP	MPP	Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Kristyn Wong-Tam MPP	MPP	Toronto Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Lisa Gretzky MPP	MPP	Windsor West	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Logan Kanapathi MPP	MPP	Markham—Thornhill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Lorne Coe MPP	MPP	Whitby	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Mary-Margaret McMahon MPP	MPP	Beaches—East York	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Matthew Rae MPP	MPP	Perth—Wellington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Mike Schreiner MPP	MPP	Guelph	Green Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Monique Taylor MPP	MPP	Hamilton Mountain	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Natalie Pierre MPP	MPP	Burlington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Patrice Barnes MPP	MPP	Ajax	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Peggy Sattler MPP	MPP	London West	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Peter Tabuns MPP	MPP	Toronto—Danforth	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Ric Bresee MPP	MPP	Hastings—Lennox and Addington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Rick Byers MPP	MPP	Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Robert Bailey MPP	MPP	Sarnia—Lambton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Robin Martin MPP	MPP	Eglinton—Lawrence	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Ross Romano MPP	MPP	Sault Ste. Marie	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Rudy Cuzzetto MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Lakeshore	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Sarah Jama MPP	MPP	Hamilton Centre	Independent	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Sheref Sabawy MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Erin Mills	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Stéphane Sarrazin MPP	MPP	Glengarry—Prescott—Russell	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Steve Pinsonneault MPP	MPP	Lambton—Kent—Middlesex	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Terence Kernaghan MPP	MPP	London North Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Teresa J. Armstrong MPP	MPP	London—Fanshawe	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Tom Rakocevic MPP	MPP	Humber River—Black Creek	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Vincent Ke MPP	MPP	Don Valley North	Independent	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Wayne Gates MPP	MPP	Niagara Falls	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Will Bouma MPP	MPP	Brantford—Brant	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.

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