How Ontario is changing in 2016

From antismoking laws to new rules at crosswalks and higher electricity prices, Ontarians facing changes starting Jan. 1.

Thestar.com
Dec. 30, 2015
By Rob Ferguson

Just as the Christmas bills are rolling in, Ontarians will be getting another jolt as the provincial government scraps a 10-per-cent rebate on electricity costs starting Jan. 1.

There will also be help for low-income households needing assistance on hydro costs, as the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit, which saved consumers an average of $17 monthly, comes to an end.

“It’s always bad timing,” Progressive Conservative MPP John Yakabuski, his party’s energy critic, said of the increased cost for most ratepayers, which will be offset slightly by an end to a smaller charge for the debt of the former Ontario Hydro.

Those measures and new rules for motorists and cyclists - who will have to be more patient at pedestrian crossings, among other things - are just some of the many changes taking effect for Ontarians on January 1.

Tax changes in 2016

The new year always brings some changes to how much Canadians will be paying - or getting back - in taxes, especially when a new federal government is in town.

The federal government is lowering the rate for the second income-tax bracket - affecting Canadians who earn between $45,282 and $90,563 per year - from 22 per cent to 20.5 per cent beginning Jan. 1.

The federal government also introduced a new tax bracket for individuals whose taxable personal income exceeds $200,000 per year. Income over that amount will now be taxed at a rate of 33 per cent, up from 29 per cent.

Smokers of e-cigarettes are getting a break to start the new year as the province delays a ban on vaping in public places where smoking has been outlawed for years.

Vapers were supposed to face the same restrictions as traditional puffers starting Jan. 1, but that fell apart when the Liberal government retreated from an initiative to let people smoke medical marijuana anywhere they want.

Premier Kathleen Wynne says that controversial proposal has gone back to the drawing board so officials can devise a comprehensive plan for vapers, whether they prefer tobacco or pot.

“We know that we’re going to need to bring in regulation, and possibly legislation, to make sure that all the rules that apply to smoking cigarettes - tobacco - will apply to smoking marijuana whether it’s medical or otherwise.”

Until then, however, employers and business owners have the legal right to prohibit medical marijuana users from vaporizing on their premises.

The new policy is expected in a few weeks, but in the meantime, the province is sticking to its ban on selling e-cigarettes and flavoured tobacco to minors under 19 starting New Year’s Day. Fines for selling to youth are also being increased under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act.

As well, no smoking will be allowed anywhere on the grounds of hospitals and psychiatric facilities.

As the government ends the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit, brought in years ago at the cost of $1 billion a year to offset consumers’ electricity bills as more costly green energy sources came on stream, there is a new initiative called the Ontario Electricity Support Program.

But families must have a combined household income after tax of $52,000 or less and make an application in order to qualify for the program.

The Ministry of Energy says it will save low-income families as much as $75 a month depending on their circumstances, including the number of people living in the home and whether they have electric heat or use energy-hungry medical appliances like oxygen concentrators and mechanical ventilators.

Processing the requests with supporting documentation takes six to eight weeks. About 500,000 households are expected to qualify, but it appears many don’t know about the program because applications have been slow to come in.

To help finance that subsidy, there will also be a new charge of about $1 a month on electricity bills, the Ministry of Energy says.

The new year means an end to the “debt retirement charge” on all residential electricity bills, saving the average user about $5.60 a month on the fee that went to paying down stranded debt from the old Ontario Hydro. Businesses, however, will continue paying the debt charge for two more years.

At crosswalks and school crossings, motorists and cyclists will now have to come to a full stop until pedestrians finish crossing the road. Under previous regulations it was all right to move forward if pedestrians had crossed half the roadway.

There’s more onus on pedestrians, too, with a requirement that they not enter a crosswalk if an approaching vehicle is so close it can’t stop.

Ontario is also allowing driverless test cars for pilot projects on roadways as companies pave the way for new automated vehicle technologies and try to carve out a stake in the emerging industry. The vehicles must include a driver who can override the automated system.

The move, requiring companies to apply online for permits, puts Ontario in competition with California and Nevada, where Google’s podlike car and Mercedes’ sleek F015 are attracting attention.

Many automakers are adding automated features like parallel parking to their vehicles, with fully driverless models expected within 10 years, according to some industry estimates.

“Our roads are going to be very different 10 years from now, 20 years from now, 30 years from now,” Economic Development Minister Brad Duguid said in October.

MPP EXPENSES: Members of the legislature must post their expenses online for taxpayers to track. Staff for cabinet ministers, parliamentary assistants and opposition leaders must also post expenses.

MARINE MAMMALS: Prompted by a series of Star stories, tougher standards of care take effect for nutrition, reproduction, light and noise exposure, water quality, enclosures and access to qualified veterinary care.

WINTER TIRES: Insurance companies must provide a discount for drivers who buy and install tires to improve traction and safety until spring comes.

INJURED WORKERS: Workers who receive partial disability benefits from the Workplace Safety Insurance Board will see them rise 0.5 per cent on the way to being fully indexed to inflation in 2018.

UNPAID FINES: The fee for unpaid Provincial Offences Act fines doubles to $40, encouraging people to pay promptly. The money will go to municipalities.

FIREFIGHTERS: Lung cancer is added to the list of diseases presumed to be related to their work, making it easier for them to quality for benefits.