Bill 96 explained in plain English
Anti-Scab Labour Act, 2026
Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 44th 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
This bill would amend Ontario's Labour Relations Act, 1995, to prohibit the use of replacement workers during strikes and lockouts, except in specified emergencies, and to establish procedures for employee reinstatement and benefit continuation.
Bill 96, the Anti-Scab Labour Act, 2026, would amend the Labour Relations Act, 1995, to prevent employers from using replacement workers during a legal strike or lockout, with exceptions for certain emergency situations and essential services. It also outlines rules for reinstating employees after a strike or lockout and for continuing employee benefits. The bill's explanatory note states it aims to restore provisions that were in place before 1995.
- Prohibits employers from hiring or using replacement workers during a legal strike or lockout, with exceptions.
- Defines specific circumstances under which replacement workers may be used, such as for essential services or to prevent danger to life, health, or safety.
- Requires employers to notify trade unions before using replacement workers and to allow trade unions an opportunity to consent to the use of striking or locked-out employees instead.
- Establishes rules for the reinstatement of employees after a strike or lockout ends, including provisions for displacing replacement workers.
- Ensures that employment benefits, other than pensions, continue during a lawful strike or lockout if the trade union makes the necessary payments.
- Adds new sections (73.1, 73.2, 73.3, and 73.4) to the Labour Relations Act, 1995.
- Employers
- Employees
- Trade unions
- Replacement workers (persons hired or engaged during a strike or lockout)
- Persons providing essential services
- Persons receiving residential care for behavioural or emotional problems or disabilities
- Children in need of protection
- Victims of violence
- Individuals in need of emergency shelter or crisis intervention services
- The Ontario Labour Relations Board (the "Board")
- Employers are prohibited from using replacement workers during a strike or lockout, with exceptions.
- Employers must notify trade unions before using replacement workers and allow consent for bargaining unit employees.
- Employees who are striking or locked out are entitled to reinstatement to their former positions.
- Trade unions have the right to continue employee benefits by making payments.
- The burden of proof lies with the employer to show they did not act contrary to the replacement worker provisions.
- The Board may determine circumstances for using replacement workers and issue directions.
- Agreements between employers and trade unions regarding replacement workers must be in writing and signed.
- The Board may enforce agreements regarding replacement workers.
- This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.
- Trade unions may need to tender payments to continue employment benefits for employees during a strike or lockout.
- The Ontario Labour Relations Board (the "Board") can be applied to for directions regarding the use of replacement workers.
- The Board may enforce agreements related to replacement workers and make orders.
- Decisions of the Board can be filed in the Superior Court of Justice and are enforceable as orders of that court.
- The bill states the employer bears the burden of proof to show compliance with the provisions regarding replacement workers.
- The bill does not specify penalties for an employer who violates the provisions regarding replacement workers.
- The exact definition of "emergency situations" or "danger to life, health or safety" is not detailed, but the Board can determine these circumstances.
- The bill does not specify the amount of payments required by a trade union to continue employment benefits.
Adds new sections that define terms related to strikes and lockouts, prohibit the use of replacement workers except in specific emergency or essential service situations, outline procedures for employee reinstatement after a strike or lockout, and detail the continuation of employee benefits during a strike or lockout.
Source: Section 1
Is referenced in the definition of an employee receiving benefits under this Act, who is included in the prohibition against being used during a strike or lockout.
Source: Section 73.1 (4)
Is referenced to define persons with disabilities for the purpose of residential care services that may permit the use of replacement workers.
Source: Section 73.2 (2) 2
Is referenced to define children in need of protection and allegations of such, for the purpose of services that may permit the use of replacement workers during emergencies.
Source: Section 73.2 (2) 3, 73.2 (2) 7
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.
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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