WhatchangedinCanadianlaw,May25,2026toMay31,2026
20 changes took effect this week across 9 sectors. Every summary links the exact diff and the official source.
Employment & Workplace (3)
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-…
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 resp…
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…
Construction & Real Estate (2)
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…
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…
Tax & Revenue (1)
Education & Child Care (3)
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. T…
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 reg…
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 prev…
Government Operations (4)
Indonesia and Malaysia added to eTA-eligible countries; Provincial Nominee Class rules tightened
Two significant changes have been made to Canada's immigration regulations. First, Indonesia and Malaysia have been added to the list of countries whose nationals may qualify for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eT…
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…
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 fr…
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 a…
Health Care (3)
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 d…
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 wil…
Transportation (1)
Courts & Justice (2)
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 w…
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 informa…