If your dependant (a child for whom you are legally responsible as a parent or guardian) is of legal age, you are no longer required by law to take care of them financially. This also applies if they married or left home before reaching the age of 18. For the following industries and workplaces, the legal age to work in Ontario is listed below: This resource does not replace the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and its regulations and should not be used or considered legal advice. Health and safety inspectors enforce these laws and enforce them based on the facts they establish in the workplace. If you run a business that employs a lot of young people, you need to know the legal age to work in Ontario. While most people will tell you that the legal age to work in the province is 14, this is not true for all industries and workplaces. The legal age to work in Ontario is one thing, but did you know that there is also a legal age to visit certain workplaces in the province? It is also important to note that some employers set their own minimum wage guidelines for work. For example, you could legally hire 16-year-olds to work at your company, but you could implement a policy requiring employees to be at least 18 years of age or older. In other words, a person must be at least 16 years of age to legally consent to sexual activity. According to the Education Act, children are generally required to attend school between the ages of 6 and 18. Employers are also prohibited from employing children under the age of 16 during school hours. However, the Education Act contains a list of legal exceptions to these requirements. For example, children aged 14 and older may be exempted from school or attend school only part-time to participate in supervised alternative learning programs that may include employment.
See Ontario Regulation 374/10, Supervised Alternative Learning and Other School Attendance Excuses. When it comes to the legal working age in Ontario, the rules for most industries are fairly straightforward. And as long as you follow your industry`s guidelines and ensure that workers under the age of 16 are not employed during school hours, you will be in full compliance with Ontario`s labour laws. For example, a restaurant`s kitchen would be considered a factory, meaning the legal working age is 15. However, keeping a cash register at the front of the restaurant would be considered a retail job, meaning the legal working age is only 14. With few exceptions, Ontario`s Education Act states that children must attend school until age 18 and employers are prohibited from employing children under the age of 16 during school hours. In other words, someone 15 can legally work at your pizzeria, but not at 11 a.m. on the Tuesday school is in session. The age of majority is the age at which you are legally considered an adult.
The age of majority is different in other provinces, but in Ontario it is 18. However, as noted earlier, the legal age to work in Ontario varies by industry and workplace. Some jobs are riskier or require more specialized skills. As a result, some industries, such as construction and mining, require employees to be over the age of 14. The legal age to consume alcohol at a licensed liquor retail outlet in the province of Ontario is 19. Since there is no general minimum age for work in all workplaces in Ontario, it is not surprising that there has been some confusion among employers. To help you navigate this tricky part of Ontario`s labour laws, we`ve created a quick guide to the legal working age in Ontario. In this guide, we cover: If you are of legal age, you can choose and have access to new rights and services, but some activities may be of different legal age. If you are a parent or guardian, you are no longer legally responsible for your child when he or she reaches the age of majority. This can affect your obligations to provide for children. Whether you operate an ice cream truck or an auto repair shop, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about the legal working age in Ontario.
The legal age is the age at which you are allowed to engage in a certain activity or take on a certain responsibility. It is independent of the age of majority. For example, the legal age to be licensed in Ontario is 16, while you must be 19 to buy alcohol or cannabis. The age of consent is the age at which a young person can legally consent to sexual activity. The age of consent applies to all forms of sexual activity, from kissing and fondling to sexual intercourse. The following factors may be considered in determining whether a relationship constitutes exploitation of the young person: In addition to these criminal laws against child sexual exploitation and abuse, each province and territory has its own child protection laws to protect children from abuse, exploitation and neglect. Welcome to the new e-laws. It is now easier than ever to find laws in Ontario. We welcome your comments. Under Ontario`s Employment Standards Act, 2000, there is no minimum age for work in Ontario.
Instead, the province`s Occupational Health and Safety Act established minimum age requirements for various industries and workplaces. That`s right, according to the Industrial Activities Regulation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, visitors to the following types of workplaces must meet certain age requirements: In addition to OHSA regulations that set the minimum age for work in Ontario, some employers have their own minimum workplace age guidelines. The Penal Code also protects children from child-specific crimes, including: Your loved one has a disability or is in school full-time after reaching the age of majority Maximum penalties for these offences range from 10 to 14 years. Unless accompanied and guided by a guide, you must be at least 18 years old to attend: You can leave school on your 18th birthday if your birthday is between January 1 and January 1. Every person reaches the age of majority and ceases to be a minor when he reaches the age of eighteen. R.S.O. 1990, c. A.7, p. 1. 4 Where an Act of the Legislature, an Act of Parliament or a provision of the Legislature applies to an Act or matter or matter over which the Legislature has jurisdiction for the purposes of this Act of Parliament or its provision in relation to this Act, matter or matter, any reference to the age of twenty-one years in the Act of Parliament or the provision is deemed to include the age of eighteen.
R.S.O. 1990, c. A.7, p. 4. People too young to work in industrial establishments such as offices, stores, arenas, restaurants and factories may continue to visit these workplaces if one of the following conditions is met: Consolidation period: From July 25, 2007 to the e-Laws update date. By law, no one can be required to present the Ontario Health Card, nor can the Health Number be collected. Employees should not ask you for an Ontario health card as identification, but if you offer it, they can accept it at their discretion. There are some exceptions to this rule, such as those exempted from school attendance under Ontario Regulation 374/10 of the Education Act, “Supervised Alternative Learning and Other Exclusions from School Attendance.” It is illegal for someone to expose their sexual organs to anyone under the age of 16 for sexual purposes.
The maximum penalty for this offence is 2 years. 2. The use of a term referred to in paragraph 1 or a similar expression shall not in itself be construed as an indication of a contrary intention within the meaning of this Section without any other indication of a contrary intention. R.S.O. 1990, c. A.7, p. 3(2). 2 para.
1 applies for the purposes of any legal provision for which the legislator is competent. R.S.O. 1990, c. A.7, p. 2. Older persons may attend the above-mentioned institutions, but may not work there as long as they: You agreed to pay child support after the age of majority Any sexual activity without consent is a criminal offence, regardless of age. A 14- or 15-year-old can consent to sexual activity as long as the partner is under five years older and there is no relationship of trust, authority, dependence or other exploitation of the adolescent. This means that if the partner is 5 years old or older than the 14- or 15-year-old, any sexual activity is a criminal offence. 9 This Act does not apply to the extent that it affects the right of eternity. R.S.O.
1990, c. A.7, p. 9. 5 (1) A person reaches an age determined by the number of years at the first moment of the corresponding anniversary of his or her birth. 2006, c. 21, Schedule A. F, p. 101. These are serious criminal offences that carry severe penalties, including mandatory minimum sentences. 8 Nothing in this Act invalidates any cumulation instruction expressed in a regulation or other provision made by deed, will or other instrument and executed before September 1, 1971, that, in the absence of that Act, was an authorized accumulation period.
