Document Details

FOREWORD

The Law Commission of Ontario is pleased to release this Final Report on Vulnerable Workers and Precarious Work.
This project had its genesis in several proposals for Law Commission projects, including those made at the Creative Symposium in November 2006 (which led to the creation of the Law Commission) as well as suggestions from the Labour and Feminist Legal Analysis Section of the Ontario Bar Association and, particularly from issues raised at the Racialization of Poverty Conference held in April 2008. The LCO’s Board of Governors approved the Project in June 2008.
The Final Report is intended to focus on the challenges of insecure, low wage employment facing an increasing number of Ontarians resulting from economic, technological and global influences. We have highlighted major reports and research on the issues and presented 47 Recommendations for change, with a particular emphasis on the Employment Standards Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Act, along with related legislation, regulations, policies, processes, training and education. While the Report pays particular attention to the disproportionate numbers of women, racialized persons and immigrants undertaking precarious work, the Recommendations, if implemented, would benefit all workers in precarious jobs.

This Report has been distributed to relevant government ministries and to organizations and individuals with an
interest in the issues. The LCO is pleased to contribute this Report to the ongoing body of work on the most effective ways to respond to the needs of vulnerable workers.

The Board of Governors approved this Final Report in December 2012. The Board’s approval reflects its members’ collective responsibility to manage and conduct the affairs of the Law Commission, and should not be considered an endorsement by individual members or by the organizations to which they belong or which they represent.