Newsletters

March 26, 2020

124

New Measures of Assistance for Workers and Employers

RSS’s Labour and Employment Law Practice Group closely monitors developments with measures taken by the federal and Quebec governments to support employers and their workforce.

For instance, as of April 2020, Canada will be implementing a new Canada Emergency Response Benefit, that will provide a taxable benefit of $2,000 a month for up to 4 months to:

  1. workers who must stop working due to COVID-19 and do not have access to paid leave or other income support
  2. workers who are sick, quarantined, or taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19
  3. working parents who must stay home without pay to care for children that are sick or need additional care because of school and daycare closures
  4. workers who still have their employment but are not being paid because there is currently not sufficient work and their employer has asked them not to come to work
  5. wage earners and self-employed individuals, including contract workers, who would not otherwise be eligible for Employment Insurance.

Many similar measures have been adopted: the Work-Sharing programme has been enhanced, a temporary salary grant for certain small- and medium-sized employers has been awarded, and the CNESST, among other temporary provisions, has postponed the date for the payment of assessments and the declaration of gross wages by employers.

Our group is ready to help employers make the right decisions in this difficult period.

124

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In Pavage Wemindji Inc. v. Compagnie de Construction et de Développement crie ltée, the Quebec Superior Court emphasized that a valid notice of default (mise en demeure) is not just a formality—it’s a precondition to exercising remedies like contract termination in many cases under Quebec civil law. The Decision The plaintiff, Pavage Wemindji Inc. (“Wemindji”), […]
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Office Parties and the Employer’s Duty to Prevent Harassment

In De Sousa and Corporation interactive Eidos, 2026 QCTAT 4, the Quebec Administrative Labour Tribunal (ALT) appears to have broadened the scope of an employer’s obligation to prevent harassment. The decision arose from a complaint filed by a former employee who had been sexually assaulted at her home by a colleague following an office party organized by the […]
Insurance Law / Newsletters

March 24, 2026

Should Economic Losses Be Considered Property Damage?

The Quebec Court of Appeal in Zurich, Compagnie d’assurances SA c. CRT Construction inc., recently overturned the Superior Court’s decision on the interpretation of a construction insurance policy. Facts CRT Construction Inc. (“CRT”) was retained by the City of Montreal (“City”) to perform major construction work at the Atwater water treatment plant. At the City’s request, CRT […]