Changes to Alberta’s privacy act in effect; Ontario helps organizations hire students; Baby boomer retirements could slow economic growth
Changes to Alberta’s privacy act in effect
Edmonton — Changes to Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act, including breach reporting and notification requirements, came into effect on May 1. Under the amendment, organizations are required to report a privacy breach to the commissioner if there is “a real risk of significant harm” to an individual. The privacy commissioner will then determine if the affected individual needs to be notified. Other changes include provisions regarding personal employee information, which now clearly applies to former employees and the post-employment relationship. A new provision also more clearly permits the disclosure of employment references without consent. Organizations are also required to notify people when their personal information will be transferred to a service provider outside of Canada.
Ontario helps organizations hire students
Toronto — Ontario is investing a record $90 million — $6.7 million more than last year — in the province’s summer jobs programs. Through programs such as the Summer Jobs Service and Summer Jobs for Youth, the government provides a $2-per-hour hiring incentive to employers that hire students aged 15 to 30 years old who are planning to return to school in the fall. Another program, Summer Company, helps young people launch their own summer business.
Baby boomer retirements could slow economic growth
Ottawa — Labour shortages, brought on by the exodus of the baby boomer generation from the labour market, will be the dominant economic trend and a constraint on Canada’s economic growth over the next 15 years, according to the Conference Board of Canada’s Canadian Outlook: Long-Term Economic Forecast. In the middle term, gross domestic product will grow by an average of 3.4 per cent from 2012 to 2015 and national unemployment will fall below six per cent. But capital investment will need to be increased and productivity growth will need to be improved to sustain economic performance over the long term, found the report. Canada will also need to increase the number of immigrants it allows in each year to offset the population’s aging trend and maintain stable population growth, stated the report.
