Bill 66: Ontario’s Omnibus Offensive
Ford government continues its attack on workers with new bill
The so-called Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act (“Bill 66”) is an omnibus Bill which, if passed, will amend several pieces of legislation covering a wide range of issues.
Following closely on the heels of the enactment of Bill 47, which erased many of the legislative gains achieved through Bill 148, Bill 66 continues the Ontario government’s attack on working people across the province.
Contrary to the Ontario government’s claim that this Bill will allow businesses to create “good jobs,” the proposed amendments to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 and Labour Relations Act, 1995 would in fact intensify precarious employment and eliminate protections for thousands of Ontario workers.
Bill 66 would also amend certain provisions of the Education Act, although it is difficult to tell what the impact of these amendments would be.
Ryan Newell has looked at some of the provisions of Bill 66. You can read his analysis here.
UPDATE: There were a few changes to Bill 66 before it passed third reading. We explain those changes here.