Child-care operators must have safe-arrival policy
Starting from Jan. 1, 2024, all child-care operators in Ontario will be required to develop a policy outlining what steps they will take to closely monitor when a child does not arrive or is not picked up as expected. The changes are intended to prevent the rare, but horrendous deaths of young children inadvertently left in hot cars. Safe arrival systems have long been in place in schools, where children are as young as three or four when starting junior kindergarten, but not in child-care settings, where children are younger and more vulnerable.
The new regulation will apply to licensed child-care centres, home child-care agencies, and authorized recreational and skill-building programs. The policy must include procedures for contacting parents or guardians, emergency contacts, and authorities if necessary. The policy must also be communicated to parents or guardians and staff, and reviewed at least once a year.
Tow-truck industry faces new regulations and customer rights
Several changes to the tow-truck industry are also set to come into force on Jan. 1, 2024, including new customer rights and licensing requirements. The province will take over the tow-truck licensing regime from municipalities and will require certification of all towing operators and vehicle storage companies. The new system will aim to increase safety, oversight, and consumer protection in the sector, which has been plagued by violence, fraud, and corruption.
Customers will also have new rights when dealing with tow trucks, such as the right to provide consent to tow a car, where it will be towed, access to the vehicle after the fact and rights related to invoices and payments. Customers will also have the right to request a copy of the tow-truck driver’s license, the tow authorization form, and the itemized invoice. The province will also establish a tow-truck complaints hotline and a website to help customers find reputable tow-truck services.
Health privacy breaches will face fines and penalties
Individuals or organizations who inappropriately access or share a patient’s personal health information will face fines and penalties under a new regulation that will take effect on Jan. 1, 2024. The regulation will allow Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner to impose administrative monetary penalties of up to $100,000 for individuals and up to $500,000 for organizations for each privacy breach.
The regulation will also enable the commissioner to order individuals or organizations to stop collecting, using, or disclosing personal health information, or to take other measures to protect the privacy of patients. The regulation will also require health information custodians, such as hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies, to report annual statistics on the number and nature of privacy breaches to the commissioner.
Other new laws and regulations in effect on New Year’s Day
In addition to the above changes, Ontario will also introduce or update several other laws and regulations on Jan. 1, 2024, such as:
- Adding several organisms to the invasive species list, including killer shrimp, most crayfish, and several plants such as the tree of heaven.
- Updating the Occupational Health and Safety Act to increase safety for crane operators on construction sites, by requiring proper installation, inspection, and maintenance of cranes.
- Extending rules governing the purchase of alcohol across provincial borders, allowing consumers to buy alcohol directly from businesses in other provinces until Jan. 1, 2026.
These new laws and regulations are part of the province’s efforts to modernize and streamline its legislation and regulations, and to improve the lives and well-being of Ontarians.
