Provinces set strict caps on generic drug prices | N.L. holding public consultations on workers’ compensation system | Ontario repeals 'industrial exception' for professional engineers
CANADA
Provinces set strict caps on generic drug prices
(Reuters) — Canada's provinces and territories have agreed to tighter caps on the prices of six of the most widely prescribed generic drugs, and that's just the beginning of a co-ordinated effort to hold down costs, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said.
Aiming to cut the high cost of generics for private and government health programs in Canada, the jurisdictions will allow drugstores to charge no more than 18 per cent of the price of the brand-name equivalent.
The new price restrictions — set by an interprovincial policy group that Wall leads with Prince Edward Island Premier Robert Ghiz — are likely to ratchet up pressure on Shoppers Drug Mart and other big chains.
The agreement is the first co-ordinated effort in a broad push by individual Canadian provinces to cut the prices they pay for generic drugs. The changes began in Ontario and spread, to varying degrees, across the country.
Quebec is not participating in the initiative, although Quebec already matches its prices to the lowest rates available elsewhere in Canada.
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
N.L. holding public consultations on workers’ compensation system
Consultations will be held from Feb. 27 to April 3 in 13 communities in Newfoundland and Labrador as part of a statutory review of the province’s workplace health, safety and compensation system — as required every five years under the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Act.
A number of themes will be discussed and interested groups are encouraged to prepare submissions and presentations based on these themes or any other matters they feel should be considered, according to Nick McGrath, minister of service NL and minister responsible for the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission (WHSCC).
The key themes include:
• maximum compensable assessable earnings (MCAE) (claim benefit ceiling)
• financial sustainability
• labour market re-entry (LMR)
• medical management
• occupational disease
• prevention — role of stakeholders.
ONTARIO
Ontario repeals 'industrial exception' for professional engineers
Workers in Ontario who are responsible for professional engineering work in relation to production machinery or equipment must be licensed by Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO), effective March 1.
The new requirement is the result of a change to the Professional Engineers Act that will remove the current "industrial exception" from the legislation.
Individuals must now be licensed by PEO if they do any act within the practice of professional engineering on machinery or equipment used to produce products for their employer in their employer's facility.
Ontario has also approved a regulatory provision to help employers make the transition to the new requirement. Under this regulation, employers who file a transition plan with PEO by March 1 will have up to one year to meet the requirement.
To provide further support, PEO has extended its financial credit program, which waives PEO's licence application fee for eligible new graduates and newcomers to Canada, to all employees who apply for a licence by March 1.
