Canadian Payroll Reporter

7 Canadian HR Reporter, a Thomson Reuters business 2017 Specified salespersons also include those working for a commercial agent licensed un- der the Licensing of Trades and Businesses Act, as well as com- mission-based salespersons (ex- cluding route salespersons) who generally work outside of their employer's place of business to sell orders that will be delivered later. The rate for domestic employ- ees who live in their employer's residence rose from $2,316 a month to $2,582 on Oct. 1. Manitoba Reminder: Minimum wage rising in October Manitoba's minimum wage rate rose from $11 an hour to $11.15 on Oct. 1. The rate adjustment reflects changes in the province's con- sumer price index (CPI). Earlier this year, the Manitoba legisla- ture passed amendments to The Employment Standards Code requiring the government to tie rate changes to the CPI, with any adjustments taking effect on Oct. 1 each year. Minimum wage changes are rounded to the nearest $0.05. If the CPI adjustment is negative, the government will not change the minimum wage rate. The amendments will also allow the government to freeze the mini- mum wage if economic condi- tions (such as a recession) war- ranted it. The minimum wage rate for security guards who hold a license issued under The Pri- vate Investigators and Secu- rity Guards Act increased from $12.50 an hour to $13.40 on Oct. 1. The province has been phasing-in a higher minimum wage rate for security guards over the last four years. The rate will now remain $2.25 higher than the provincial minimum wage rate. Province proclaims PRPP legislation On Aug. 1, the Manitoba gov- ernment proclaimed into force its Pooled Registered Pension Plans (Manitoba) Act and ac- companying regulations. PRPPs are defined contribu- tion-style pension plans that are administered by a third party (such as a financial institution) rather than an employer. The plans provide a way of saving for retirement for individuals whose employer does not have its own registered pension plan or for those who are self-employed. Before licenced providers will be able to offer them, the Mani- toba government must sign a multilateral agreement with the federal government and a num- ber of other provinces, including British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatche- wan. Finance Minister Cameron Friesen says he expects the gov- ernment to sign the agreement this fall. The Manitoba PRPP act es- sentially incorporates provisions of the federal Pooled Registered Pension Plans Act, with chang- es where necessary. As with the federal act, participation in the plans will be voluntary. Once third parties start offering PRPPs, Manitoba employers will have the option of signing up for them. Once an employer is regis- tered, employees will be au- tomatically enrolled, with the option to opt out. Employee contributions will be deducted at source and employers will re- mit the amount deducted to the plan administrator. Employers may choose to match employee contributions, but it will not be mandatory. New Brunswick Athletes exempted from some ESA requirements As of July 28, the provincial government exempted athletes playing on New Brunswick- based teams from a number of employment standards require- ments. Athletes who are taking part in activities related to their sport and the persons employing them for those endeavours are now exempt from provisions in the Employment Standards Act cov- ering minimum wage, hours of work, minimum reporting pay, weekly rest periods, statutory holidays, vacations, unjust dis- missal and notice of termination. They continue to be covered un- der the act for other standards. Nova Scotia made similar changes to its Labour Standards Code last year. Newfoundland and Labrador Reminder: Minimum wage rate going up in October The minimum wage rate in Newfoundland and Labrador rose from $10.75 an hour to $11.00 on Oct. 1. The provincial government is considering indexing the mini- mum wage rate. It held consul- tations on the issue over the winter and released a report on the findings in June, but has not yet announced when and how it would proceed with the change. Province launches review of tax system The provincial government has launched an independent review of the province's tax system. Finance Minister Tom Os- borne announced in late August that a five-person committee would examine both personal and businesses taxes, including personal income tax, the Health and Post-Secondary Education Tax, the Harmonized Sales Tax, and the retail sales tax on insur- ance premiums. He said the main objectives of the tax review are to ensure that the province's tax system is com- petitive and fair and to identify ways to simplify the tax system and reduce costs for both gov- ernment and taxpayers. Osborne added that the re- view would also examine wheth- er the current mix of taxes is ap- propriate, the progressiveness of the tax system, tax incentives, and how the tax system affects the province's economy and its competitiveness. The committee is expected to complete the review by next September, with a final report due in November 2018. Osborne said the schedule will give the government time to consider the committee's recommendations before tabling the province's 2019-20 budget. Ontario Reminder: Minimum wage rates rising Oct. 1 The general minimum wage rate in Ontario rose from $11.40 an hour to $11.60 on Oct. 1. Other minimum wage rates in the province also went up. The rate for students who are under 18 and who work fewer than 28 hours a week (or more than 28 hours during school vacation) increased from $10.70 an hour to $10.90. The rate for liquor servers rose from $9.90 an hour to $10.10. The minimum wage rate paid to homeworkers increased from $12.55 an hour to $12.80. The minimum wage rate for hunting and fishing guides also increased on Oct. 1. The rate for guides who work fewer than five consecutive hours in a day rose from $56.95 to $58. The rate for guides who work five or more hours in a day, whether or not the hours are consecutive, in- creased from $113.95 to $116. The government is also pro- posing to raise the general mini- mum wage rate to $14 an hour on Jan. 1, 2018 and to $15 on Jan. 1, 2019. The rates for the other minimum wage categories would go up by the same per- centage. Minimum wage rate changes would go back to being indexed as of Oct. 1, 2019. Saskatchewan Reminder: Minimum wage rising in October The minimum wage rate in Sas- katchewan rose from $10.72 an hour to $10.96 on Oct. 1, the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety recently announced. Under Saskatchewan law, the government uses annual chang- es in the province's consumer price index and average hourly wage to set the minimum wage rate. Annual adjustments take effect Oct. 1. from ALBERTA on page 1 Legislative Roundup CPR | October 2017

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