Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program rules consolidated: old applicant categories removed, broader eligibility language now in force

Ontario has updated the procedural regulation governing its Immigrant Nominee Program by removing several sections that listed specific applicant categories (foreign worker, international student with a job offer, in-demand skills, entrepreneur, and others) and replacing them with category-neutral language. The expression-of-interest and invitation-to-apply process now applies to any applicant who is required to receive an invitation before filing, rather than being tied to named categories. Similarly, the Express Entry notification-of-interest process now applies to any category requiring such a notification, not just the previously listed human capital priorities, French-speaking skilled worker, and skilled trades streams. Employer registration and job-offer submission requirements are streamlined: employers must register with the director and submit a job offer before an employment position approval is sought, and applicants who need an approved job offer cannot apply for a certificate of nomination without one from a registered employer. Applicants already in the program or planning to apply should review Ontario Regulation 422/17 (General) for updated eligibility criteria, as the detailed category definitions now sit there rather than in this procedural regulation.

Six union central bargaining tables formally established for Ontario school board negotiations

The regulation now designates six employee bargaining agencies — CUPE, ETFO, OSSTF, OPSEU, EWAO-ATEO, and OCEW — as the official representatives for central bargaining covering all school board employees in their respective bargaining units. For each union or union council, a matching central table is established, and employer-side bargaining agencies (councils drawn from francophone public, francophone Catholic, and English-language school board associations) are designated where required. Each central table will conduct province-wide bargaining on behalf of the affected employees and school boards. School boards and unions covered by these designations must engage through these central tables for the 2026 round of collective bargaining. Individual school boards and local union affiliates should verify which central table applies to their bargaining units and coordinate with their designated employer or employee bargaining agency accordingly.

New rules for PAVA projectile launchers: training required before issuance and tighter use restrictions

The regulation replaces all references to 'PepperBall launcher' with the broader term 'PAVA projectile launcher,' defined as a PepperBall launcher or closely similar device that fires projectiles containing PAVA or a similar irritant. A new section requires police chiefs to confirm that any member receiving a PAVA projectile launcher has met the Minister's training requirements and is competent with the device before it is issued — mirroring the existing pre-issuance duties for firearms. Use of the launcher is now explicitly limited to projectiles containing PAVA, OC, or a PAVA/OC combination. The device may only be carried or used by members of a tactical unit, hostage rescue team, or public order unit who are chief-authorized, and special constables employed by the Niagara Parks Commission are expressly prohibited from carrying or using it. The new pre-issuance duty is also excluded from the training-exercise and maintenance exemption that applies to other firearm rules.

Protection corridor maps updated for SickKids and St. Michael's Hospital heliport flight paths

The zoning order that restricts building heights near two Toronto hospital heliports has been updated to reference new official corridor maps. The map numbers defining the protected air corridors for The Hospital for Sick Children and St. Michael's Hospital have changed, meaning the geographic boundaries of the height-restriction zones are now determined by the newly filed maps rather than the previous ones. Anyone planning construction, installing cranes, antennas, or other structures near these hospitals should consult the updated maps (now numbered 391 and 392, filed at the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing at 777 Bay Street) to determine whether their project falls within a restricted area. Two housekeeping provisions in the regulation have also been formally revoked. Developers, architects, and project managers with active or planned projects in the vicinity of either hospital heliport should verify compliance against the updated corridor boundaries.

New regulation names specific federal drug offence as trigger for Ontario's illegal drug premises law

A new Ontario regulation identifies one specific federal offence — contravening the provision of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act that relates to certain drug-related activity — as a "prescribed offence" under Ontario's Measures Respecting Premises with Illegal Drug Activity Act, 2025. This designation is significant because that provincial Act allows authorities to take action against premises where prescribed offences have occurred. Property owners, landlords, and operators of commercial or residential spaces should be aware that a conviction or finding related to this federal offence can now trigger Ontario's premises-based enforcement tools. Businesses and property owners who lease or manage spaces should review their tenant screening and lease compliance practices in light of this connection between federal drug offences and provincial premises powers.

Ontario Trillium Benefit lump-sum payment threshold raised from $360 to $500

The regulation has been updated to raise the threshold below which the Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) can be paid as a single lump sum rather than monthly installments. Under the new rules applying to benefit years based on 2024 and later tax years, individuals whose total annual OTB entitlement is more than $2 but no more than $500 may receive their benefit in one payment instead of spread across 12 months. The previous $360 ceiling continues to apply for benefit calculations tied to earlier tax years. Individuals who were previously receiving monthly payments because their benefit exceeded $360 may now receive a single annual payment if their entitlement falls at or below the new $500 cap. No action is required from recipients — the payment method is determined administratively by the Ontario Minister.

New rules set out how Ontario's CODE bargaining committee is structured, governed, and how it ratifies collective agreements

A new regulation establishes the formal structure of the CODE Bargaining Committee, which represents school boards as employers during central collective bargaining under the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act. The committee will have 16 elected members drawn from chief executive officers of CODE-represented school boards, plus any Minister-appointed members and a non-voting executive director who acts as secretary. The regulation spells out how members are elected and replaced, how meetings are run (including quorum and voting rules), and how the committee exercises its powers by resolution. On ratification of central bargaining settlements, the committee must first approve a memorandum before a weighted vote of affected school board chief executive officers is held—abstentions and non-votes count as votes in favour. Financial rules require that employer-association fees be kept in a separate account and used only for collective bargaining functions. A transitional 'interim committee' applies until the committee itself, with Ministerial approval, fixes a date to move to the permanent structure, with initial membership reflecting current provincial supervisory appointments at several named school boards.

School board central bargaining fees: 'trustees' associations' renamed to 'employers' associations,' English-public boards to pay CODE

This amendment makes two main changes to the central bargaining fee rules for Ontario school boards. First, all references to 'trustees' association' have been replaced with 'employers' association' throughout the regulation, covering fee payment obligations, financial statement requirements, and consequences for non-payment. Second, for English-language public district school boards, the fee recipient is changing from the Ontario Public School Boards' Association to the Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE), with school authorities also directed to pay their annual $1,000 fee to CODE instead of OPSBA. A future amendment (taking effect September 1, 2026) will also remove the separate paragraph covering English-language separate district school boards from the fee schedule. School boards and their finance teams should update their records to reflect the new payee names and terminology when making fee payments and processing financial statements.

Employer bargaining agency for designated school boards renamed from OPSBA to CODE

The regulation has been updated to replace the name of the designated employer bargaining agency for four small northern and separate school boards. Where the Ontario Public School Boards' Association (OPSBA) was previously named as the employer bargaining agency for these boards, that role is now assigned to the Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE). The four affected school boards are the James Bay Lowlands Secondary School Board, the Moose Factory Island District School Area Board, the Moosonee District School Area Board, and the Protestant Separate School Board of the Town of Penetanguishene. Administrators and labour relations staff at these boards should confirm that collective bargaining processes and related communications now flow through CODE rather than OPSBA.

Ontario bans cat declawing, dog devocalization, and ear cropping except for medical necessity

A new regulation under Ontario's Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act formally prohibits three surgical procedures on companion animals: declawing (onychectomy) on cats, devocalization on dogs, and ear cropping on dogs. These procedures are now off-limits as routine or cosmetic practices. The only exception allows a veterinarian to perform one of these procedures if they determine it is medically necessary to treat an injury or disease, and they must document that determination in the animal's records. Veterinary clinics and animal owners should be aware that requesting or performing these procedures outside the medical exception exposes them to liability under the Act. Anyone currently offering or planning these procedures for non-medical reasons should review their practices immediately.

Homeless shelters, retirement homes, and long-term care homes are exempt from the illegal drug activity landlord rules

A new regulation carves out three categories of premises from the definition of

Ontario coroner rules updated: mandatory tissue collection for genetic conditions, new 50-year retention, and family genetic testing requests

Amendments taking effect in early 2027 make significant changes to how pathologists and coroners handle tissue samples when a genetic condition is believed to have contributed to a death. Pathologists and coroners will be required—not just permitted—to collect and retain tissue samples (including a new category, extracted DNA samples) when they believe a genetic condition contributed to the death. Retained tissue samples collected for future genetic testing, and extracted DNA samples, must now be kept for at least 50 years, a major extension from previous maximum periods of two years or less. Accommodation policies for post mortem examinations are broadened to cover conscientious beliefs in addition to religious beliefs. A new formal process allows close genetic relatives (parents, siblings, children) or their substitute decision-makers to request genetic testing of a deceased person's retained tissue samples to inform their own health care decisions, with the Chief Coroner or Chief Forensic Pathologist deciding whether to proceed and sharing results in writing. Personal representatives may request disposal of tissue samples collected for future genetic testing, but extracted DNA samples are excluded from burial or cremation handover rights.

Transit special constables given enforcement powers under Ontario's illegal-substance consumption ban

A new regulation under Ontario's law restricting public consumption of illegal substances designates certain special constables as "officers" with enforcement authority under that Act. Specifically, this applies to special constables employed by Metrolinx and those employed by operators of local transit systems, provided their employer qualifies as a "special constable employer" under provincial policing legislation. In practical terms, these transit special constables can now enforce the rules against public illegal-substance consumption on transit property and vehicles. Transit operators and their special constable workforces should confirm whether their organization meets the "special constable employer" definition and update training and policies accordingly.

Use-of-force training rules split for police officers and Niagara Parks constables; 'PepperBalls' replaced with 'PAVA projectile launchers'; board member training clock clarified

The regulation separates what were combined training requirements for police officers and Niagara Parks constables into two distinct subsections. For police officers, the exemption from non-firearm weapon training now excludes conducted energy weapons only; the previous reference to 'PepperBalls' is removed. For Niagara Parks constables and police service special constables, the same exemption now references 'PAVA projectile launchers' instead of 'PepperBalls,' aligning the terminology used across both groups. Separately, the six-month window for police service board and committee members to complete required training is now measured from the day the person became a member, rather than from the day of their formal appointment — a distinction that could affect how the deadline is calculated in practice. Police services, constable employers, and board administrators should review how they track training deadlines and ensure their policies reflect the updated weapon terminology.

Police service board member conduct rules updated: criminal charge disclosure and membership language clarified

Two practical changes have been made to the code of conduct for police service board members. First, the trigger for the criminal-offence conduct rule and the criminal-charge disclosure obligation has been reworded from 'after they were appointed' to 'after they became a member,' which broadens the timing reference beyond formal appointment. Second, the rule on who must receive a member's disclosure of criminal charges or findings of guilt has been expanded: the head of a municipal council must now disclose to the full municipal council (rather than to 'the person or body that appointed them'), while Lieutenant Governor in Council appointees continue to disclose to the Minister, and all other members disclose to their appointing person or body. Police service board members — especially heads of municipal council — should review who they are required to notify if charges are laid against them.

Ontario's Extreme Incident Response Plan reference updated to September 2025 edition

The regulation's definition of "Extreme Incident Response Plan" has been updated to reference the September 2025 version of that document, replacing the previous November 2023 version. Police services across Ontario are required to follow this plan when responding to extreme incidents such as mass casualty events, critical infrastructure threats, or serious protests. The amendment also adds source citations to three existing subsections but makes no substantive changes to the rules those subsections contain. Police services and their boards should ensure they are consulting and planning against the current September 2025 version of the Extreme Incident Response Plan available on the Ontario government website.

Police can now share photos of charged or convicted individuals when keeping the public informed

The regulation governing what personal information police may disclose to the public has been expanded to explicitly permit chiefs of police or their designates to release images of individuals who have been charged with, convicted of, or found guilty of an offence. Previously, the list of disclosable information covered personal identifiers, offence details, court outcomes, custody status, and release dates, but did not mention images. This change adds images as a permitted category alongside those existing items. Police services and their legal or compliance teams should review their disclosure practices and policies to reflect that images are now an expressly authorized category of public disclosure.

Major case management rules updated: file co-ordinator data-entry duty narrowed, new manager review duty added for non-threshold investigations

Two substantive changes affect how police services manage major case investigations. First, the file co-ordinator's information management duties have been narrowed: the requirement to ensure all investigative information is *entered* in the approved software has been removed from the subsection covering information management duties (though a separate duty to ensure entry in accordance with the regulation remains). Second, the major case manager overseeing a non-threshold investigation now has an explicit additional duty to review all investigative information entered into the approved software to check its accuracy and completeness. Police services and their major case teams should review internal procedures and training materials to reflect both the adjusted file co-ordinator responsibilities and the new manager review obligation.