LAWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

OHS Enforcement

Mar 9: Since April 1, 2024, Manitoba has carried out 5,414 WSH inspections, resulting in the issuance of 386 Stop-Work Orders and 11,338 Improvement Orders. There were also 12 reported OHS work refusals and 53 alleged reprisals.

Action Point: Find out how to implement an OHS inspections policy in case inspectors show up at your door.

New Laws

Mar 6: Newly tabled Bill 29 proposes amendments to the WSH Act. Highlights: i. Act’s purposes expanded to include enabling workers to work in psychologically safe workplaces; ii. Employer may be ordered to implement a medical surveillance program if the Chief Occupational Medical Officer has reason to believe that a worker has been over-exposed to a harmful substance; iii. Workers who lose wages due to reprisal may collect them as unpaid wages under The Employment Standards Code; and iv. Clarification that required hazard assessments must be carried out by a competent person.

Transportation Safety

Mar 6: First Reading for Bill 36 that would, among other things, disqualify any person whose driver’s licence is suspended pending the provision of a medical report from driving a motor vehicle or operating an off-road vehicle. In addition, individuals who are obligated to provide an impaired driver’s assessment wouldn’t be eligible to hold a driver’s licence until they provide the assessment and complete any required education or treatment program.

Action Point: Find out how far you can go in disciplining workers for distracted and dangerous driving.

Transportation Safety

Mar 6: Key Highway Traffic Act changes contained in newly tabled Bill 38: i. Right of the operator of a tow truck or other roadside assistance vehicle to place traffic control devices on the highway when providing roadside assistance; ii. Requirement that drivers follow at least 30 metres behind a snowplow or other winter maintenance vehicle, which increases to 100 metres if the speed limit of the highway is over 80 km/h; iii. Ban on passing a winter maintenance vehicle unless additional precautions are taken; and iv. Requirement that drivers keep a distance of at least one metre when passing a bicycle or power-assisted bicycle.

New Laws

Mar 6: In response to the Trump tariffs, Manitoba tabled Bill 42, aka The Buy Canadian Act, requiring the province to establish a policy affording preferential treatment to Canadian suppliers when procuring government goods and services under the Government Purchases Act.  

New Laws

Feb 18: Manitoba announced that it plans to create over 700 new affordable childcare spots across the province, including approximately 324 spaces in health care facilities and 384 new spaces in public schools and secondary institutions. The venture, which will be supported by federal funding, is designed to provide childcare support at the locations where parents are working.

Workplace Harassment

Mar 6: Newly proposed Bill 19 would amend The Public Schools Act to require every school board in Manitoba to establish a policy about appropriate and inappropriate interactions between students and staff on and off school sites that includes procedures for reporting and addressing violations; and provide information about the policy to students, parents and the public. The school board must also ensure that school staff, coaches and volunteers complete sexual abuse prevention and school sport abuse prevention programs once every 4 years.

Action Point: Find out how to implement an effective Workplace Violence and Harassment Compliance Game Plan at your site.

Workers’ Comp

Mar 6: Newly tabled Bill 24 would amend The Workers’ Compensation Act to provide that if a Manitoba worker who dies as a result of a workplace injury doesn’t have a current or former spouse or common-law partner, the lump sum will instead be paid to the worker’s estate or another person determined by the WCB.

Environmental

Mar 7: The Governments of Canada and Manitoba signed a new Memorandum of Understanding to work together to develop a nature agreement to advance nature conservation and protection across the province. Nature agreements are designed to support work to protect critical habitat for species at risk and migratory birds, to lessen impacts and build resilience to climate change, and to address biodiversity loss through the creation and expansion of Protected and Conserved Areas.

CASES

Workplace Violence: Robbers Shoot Late-Night Hotel Worker Leading to $25K Fine

A young worker working alone in a Winnipeg hotel at 2:00 a.m. was shot to death by 1 of the 3 robbers that entered the hotel through the main vendor door designated for walk-up purchases. The victim’s employer was fined $25,000 after pleading guilty to failing to develop and implement a workplace violence prevention policy [Travelodge by Wyndham].

Action Point: Find out how to implement a compliance game plan to ensure the safety of workers who work alone.