The Protecting a Sustainable Public Service for Future Generations Act, 2019 (Bill 124) limited wage increases for most employees of a large range of public sector employers during a period of 3 years. In its decision released on February 12, 2024, the Ontario Court of Appeal found that Bill 124 infringed unionized employees’ collective bargaining protections in a way that was not saved by section 1 of the Charter. On the same day, the government confirmed that it would not appeal this decision and that Bill 124 would be repealed in its entirety.
The CCLA’s submissions as intervenor before the Court of Appeal focused on the appropriate approach to determining whether a law is justified under s. 1 of the Charter. We are pleased that our arguments proved useful to the Court of Appeal in finding that the government’s infringement under section 2(d) of the Charter was not justified in a free and democratic society.
We are deeply grateful to our excellent legal team of Tim Gleason and Adrienne Lei from Dewart Gleason LPP for their outstanding pro bono work in this file.
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About the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
The CCLA is an independent, non-profit organization with supporters from across the country. Founded in 1964, the CCLA is a national human rights organization committed to defending the rights, dignity, safety, and freedoms of all people in Canada.
Media Contact:
media@ccla.org
About the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
The CCLA is an independent, non-profit organization with supporters from across the country. Founded in 1964, the CCLA is a national human rights organization committed to defending the rights, dignity, safety, and freedoms of all people in Canada.
For the Media
For further comments, please contact us at media@ccla.org.
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