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Interesting

Association in Ontario Granted Intervener Status by Justice O'Connor

TORONTO—Yesterday, the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) was granted intervener status by Justice O’Connor in the case between Blue Mountain Resorts Limited v. Ontario (the Ministry of Labour and the Ontario Labour Relations Board).

This case arose in December 2007 when a guest at Blue Mountain Resorts drowned in an unsupervised swimming pool on the resort’s grounds. In 2011 the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) upheld a decision which determined that all fatal and critical injuries occurring at a workplace, not just those involving workers, but those involving guests as well should be reported to the Ministry of Labour. This decision was later upheld by the Ontario Divisional Court.

“TIAO will make a strong case of how treating premises that are traditionally used by guests as a ‘workplace’ would negatively impact businesses that operate tourist resorts, hotels and facilities,” said Beth Potter, President of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario. “We will also be arguing that the OHSA was intended to ensure worker safety issues,” Potter concluded. It is for this reason that TIAO applied for intervener status on behalf of its members and Ontario’s tourism industry.

The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) is the umbrella organization for leading associations, destination marketing organizations, regional tourism organizations and 147,000 businesses serving Ontario’s diverse tourism industry. TIAO provides a strong unified voice for the sector, advocating the importance of tourism and the interests of the business community to all levels of government in order to help the industry grow and prosper.