Manitoba Government Introduces Official Time Amendment ActNovember 17, 2022 – “The Manitoba government is proactively introducing the Official Time Amendment Act, which would allow the province to consider adopting permanent daylight saving time should neighbouring jurisdictions enact similar legislation and the majority of Manitobans support this change.”
Recent Bill Activity
Government Bills
Introduced
Bill 2 The Official Time Amendment Act – “amends The Official Time Act to discontinue the seasonal time change for daylight saving time.”
Bill 3 The Vital Statistics Amendment Act (Name Registration) – “amends how a name may be expressed under The Vital Statistics Act. The letters, including marks above and below letters, and other typographical symbols permitted to be used in a name are set out in the Act, and additional ones may be set out in the regulations. The restriction on the number of names that may be included in a surname is removed. In accordance with a person’s traditional culture, a person may be registered under a single name instead of having both a given name and a surname. A registration that included a letter or typographical symbol that is now permitted is validated.”
Bill 5 The Demise of the Crown Act (Various Acts Amended) – mends several statutes to deal with the demise of the Crown. The chief legislative counsel is given a revision power to make changes to other Acts and regulations to reflect the change of sovereign.
Bill 6 The Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation Amendment Act – “makes several amendments to The Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation Act. The corporation is not required to pay benefits to a resident of a jurisdiction other than Manitoba if there is an interjurisdictional agreement that exempts the corporation from providing benefits to residents of that jurisdiction. Currently, an accident victim 65 years or older is entitled to an income replacement indemnity only if they are employed at the time of the accident. The entitlement is broadened to also apply if the victim has a job offer or a history of seasonal, casual or temporary employment. The corporation is authorized to pay funds in trust to a person to manage on behalf of a victim with impaired cognitive functioning, even if no formal committee or substitute decision maker has been appointed for the victim. The corporation’s ability to recover overpayments is strengthened.”
Bill 201 The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act – “amends The Residential Tenancies Act. The Act currently establishes a process to set the maximum rent increase that may be charged for most rental units and allows landlords to apply for an order that authorizes rent increases above this amount. This Bill prevents landlords from applying for a larger rent increase unless the landlord has incurred eligible capital expenditures or there has been an extraordinary increase in taxes, utilities or security service costs. Larger rent increases cannot be charged until an order has been made that authorizes the increased rent. Landlords are prevented from removing or reducing rent discounts for one year after an application for a larger rent increase is made and from applying for a larger rent increase within one year after removing or reducing a rent discount.
Bill 202 The Abortion Protest Buffer Zone Act – ” establishes The Abortion Protest Buffer Zone Act. Access zones are created for clinics and facilities that provide abortion services and for service providers. Certain activities are prohibited within these zones. Certain activities are prohibited on school sites and within 50 metres of school sites.”
Bill 204 The Drivers and Vehicles Amendment Act (Licence Plates for MMIWG2S Awareness) – “amends The Drivers and Vehicles Act. It permits an organization to apply to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to make a licence plate available that includes the abbreviation “MMIWG2S”, meaning missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people. The plate must also bear a graphic depicting a red hand or a red dress.”
Bill 205 The Restricting Mandatory Overtime for Nurses Act (Various Acts Amended) – “amends The Employment Standards Code to establish a separate overtime regime for nurses by January 1, 2024. Nurses are not obligated to work overtime in non-urgent circumstances. Amendments to The Licensed Practical Nurses Act and The Regulated Health Professions Act provide that a refusal by a nurse to work overtime in non-urgent circumstances does not constitute professional misconduct or breach the duty of care owed to their patient. This Bill also amends The Health Administration Act to require the minister to report twice a year to the Assembly about nurse position vacancies.”
Bill 206 The Louis Riel Act – “This Bill bestows the honorary title of “First Premier of Manitoba” on Louis Riel. The Bill requires the Manitoba education curriculum to include the significant contributions of Louis Riel.”
Bill 207 The Criminal Property Forfeiture Amendment Act – “This Bill amends The Criminal Property Forfeiture Act. Currently, money in the criminal property forfeiture fund may be used for programs operated by law enforcement agencies. The Bill enables the money to instead go to non-profit community organizations for social programs, such as affordable housing and restorative justice.”
Bill 208 The Protecting Youth in Sports Act – “establishes The Protecting Youth in Sports Act. A sports organization or association that receives government funding, a school division or an independent school must ensure that every coach; completes training in the prevention of sexual abuse, harassment, abuse and bullying in sport before commencing coaching youths; and undertakes not to host a young athlete in the coach’s home without prior permission of the athlete’s parent and, in the case of a student participating in an extra-curricular athletic activity, the principal of the student’s school.
Bill 209 The Manitoba Hydro Amendment Act (Referendum Before Privatization of Subsidiary) – “amends The Manitoba Hydro Act. Currently, the government may introduce a bill to privatize Manitoba Hydro only after a referendum has been held in which the majority of voters have approved the privatization. The amendment clarifies that the referendum requirement also applies to the privatization of any subsidiary of Manitoba Hydro.”
Bill 45 The Budget Implementation and Tax Statutes Amendment Act, 2022 – “This Bill implements various tax and other measures announced in the 2022 Manitoba Budget. Additional amendments implement and support the summary budget and make various amendments to tax legislation.”
Bill 46 The Highway Traffic Amendment Act – “This Bill amends The Highway Traffic Act to give peace officers specific authority to close highways due to road conditions, visibility and other emergency situations. The amendments also give traffic authorities the specific authority to close roads for emergencies and road work. Driving on a closed highway is made an offence.”
Bill 241 The Drivers and Vehicles Amendment Act (Licence Plates for MMIWG2S Awareness) – ” permits an organization to apply to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to make a licence plate available that includes the abbreviation “MMIWG2S”, meaning missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people. The plate must also bear a graphic depicting a red hand or a red dress.”
April 22, 2022 – Manitoba Government proclaims new Public Service Act “The Manitoba Public Service Commission advises the Manitoba government has proclaimed the Public Service Act (PSA) to replace the Civil Service Act.
…the PSA provides a legislative framework for an ethical and effective public service for Manitoba by setting out fundamental values such as transparency, accountability, integrity and respect for others. It provides a modern and innovative approach to workforce management supported by a code of conduct and an action plan that strengthen the foundation for a dynamic public workforce.” More information can be found here.
May 2, 2022 – Manitoba government enacts accessible information and communication standard regulation “The Accessible Information and Communication Standard Regulation is the third standard under the Accessibility for Manitobans Act. It reduces barriers related to accessing information provided in print, in-person, on websites or in other formats. Standards have been put in place previously for accessible customer services and employment.” Read the full news release here.‘
221 The Apprenticeship and Certification Amendment Act (Apprenticeship Supervision) – The Apprenticeship and Certification Act. Currently, the number of apprentices a journeyperson may supervise is set by regulation. This Bill requires a 1 to 1 supervision ratio for most trades. A trade may continue to have a greater number of apprentices supervised by a journeyperson if a higher ratio is set by regulation for that trade before this Bill takes effect.
229 The Transportation Infrastructure Amendment Act – amends The Transportation Infrastructure Act to add a requirement that the minister establish standards for clearing snow from provincial roads. These standards must meet the minimum requirements set out in a schedule to the Act and must be published.
230 The Budget Impact Reporting Act – establishes The Budget Impact Reporting Act. The Minister of Finance must report on the effects of the government’s budget decisions on economic and social inclusion and greenhouse gas emissions in Manitoba.
232 The Catalytic Converter Identification Act – requires a motor vehicle dealer to mark the vehicle identification number for every vehicle sold by the dealer on that vehicle’s catalytic converter. Amendments to Bill 9, The Scrap Metal Act, require scrap metal dealers who purchase a catalytic converter with a vehicle identification number on it to record that number and provide it to police and Manitoba Public Insurance.
233 The Engineering and Geoscientific Professions Amendment Act – amends the Engineering and Geoscientific Professions Act with new responsibilities of the registrar, specifies scope of practice licensees, changes to continuing professional development, and appeals.
235 The Public Schools Amendment Act (Nutrition Programs) – amends The Public Schools Act to require the minister to report each year by school division and school district on the schools that provided a nutrition program during the previous fiscal year. The minister must table the report in the Assembly and make it available to the public.
2nd Reading
234 The Drug-Related Death Bereavement Day Act – proclaims the Sunday before Mother’s Day of every year as Drug-Related Death Bereavement Day, a day to reflect on the impact of drugs in Manitoba and to grieve those lost to drugs.
Bill 4The Path to Reconciliation Amendment Act – amends The Path to Reconciliation Act to include references to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. In addition to the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the calls for justice of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls are to guide the Government of Manitoba’s commitment to reconciliation.
Bill 5The Coat of Arms, Emblems and the Manitoba Tartan Amendment Act – amends The Coat of Arms, Emblems and the Manitoba Tartan Act to add the polar bear as one of the designated mammal emblems of Manitoba. The plains bison was previously designated in 2014.
Bill 201The Regional Health Authorities Amendment Act – amends The Regional Health Authorities Act to require annual reports of health authorities to be tabled in the Assembly and referred to the Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development. The Standing Committee must consider each report within 120 days.
Bill 202The Louis Riel Act – This Bill bestows the honorary title of “First Premier of Manitoba” on Louis Riel. The Bill requires the Manitoba education curriculum to include the significant contributions of Louis Riel.
Bill 203The Abortion Protest Buffer Zone Act – Access zones are created for clinics and facilities that provide abortion services and for service providers. Certain activities are prohibited within these zones. Certain activities are prohibited on school sites and within 50 metres of school sites.
Bill 204The Protest Buffer Zone Act (COVID-19 Restrictions) – This Bill establishes The Protest Buffer Zone Act (COVID-19 Restrictions). Buffer zones are created with certain activities prohibited within these buffer zones.
Bill 207The Criminal Property Forfeiture Amendment Act – Enables the money in the criminal property forfeiture fund to instead go to non-profit community organizations for social programs, such as affordable housing and restorative justice.
Bill 6The Workers Compensation Amendment Act – The Workers Compensation Act lists specific illnesses and injuries presumed to be caused by firefighting, unless the contrary is proven. This Bill expands the list to include primary site thyroid, pancreatic, ovarian, cervical and penile cancers.
Government Concludes Fall Legislative Session, Focused on Protecting Manitobans, Advancing Manitoba (News Release) – “The fall sitting of the third session of the 42nd legislature has concluded, having completed the final stages of implementing Budget 2021 and passing important legislation to protect and improve the services Manitobans rely on, Premier and government house leader Kelvin Goertzen announced today.”
New Bills
Introduced
Bill 76 The Coat of Arms, Emblems and the Manitoba Tartan Amendment Act – amends The Coat of Arms, Emblems and the Manitoba Tartan Act to add the polar bear as one of the designated mammal emblems of Manitoba. The plains bison was previously designated in 2014.
Bill 241 The Consumer Protection Amendment and Farm Machinery and Equipment Amendment Act (Right to Repair — Vehicles and Other Equipment) – amends The Consumer Protection Act and The Farm Machinery and Equipment Act. A manufacturer must make the items necessary to maintain and repair its vehicle, farm equipment and machinery available to purchasers and repair businesses at a reasonable price. If a manufacturer does not make the necessary items available, the manufacturer must replace the vehicle, farm equipment or machinery at no charge or refund the purchase price.
The Manitoba Law Library would like to acknowledge with gratitude that we are situated on Treaty One Territory, the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe, Cree and Dakota peoples, and the homeland of the Métis Nation.
Printing and Photocopying
If you need to use the library’s printing and photocopying services you will need to create an account. See us at the front desk for assistance.
Please note: The library will be closing early on Friday, May 9th at 11:00AM for a special event. Regular library service will resume Monday, May 12th at 8:30AM.
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