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Ontario Labour Relations Board

Ministry
Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
URL
www.olrb.gov.on.ca
Address
505 University Avenue, 2nd Floor
Toronto
M5G2P1
Phone
416-326-7500/ 1-877-339-3335
Fax
416-326-7531
Background
Labour Relations Act, S.O. 1995, C. 1, SCHEDULE A, S. 110 (opens a new window)
Function

The Board is an independent adjudicative tribunal which plays a fundamental role in the labour relations regime within Ontario. It has a mandate to provide excellence in administrative justice through the effective resolution of a wide range of labour relations and employment disputes. The Board adjudicates and mediates disputes under the Labour Relations Act, Employment Standards Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act and numerous other labour and employment-related statutes. Matters before the Board include certification and termination of bargaining rights, unfair labour practice complaints, unlawful strikes and lockouts, jurisdictional disputes in the construction and non-construction industries, accreditations in the construction industry, construction industry grievances, sale of a business and related employer applications in the construction and non-construction industries, interim order applications, Ministerial References, School Boards Collective Bargaining Act applications, essential services agreements, Crown Employee Collective Bargaining Act disputes, first collective agreement applications, Hospital Labour Disputes Arbitration Act, Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act appeals, Colleges Collective Bargaining Act applications, Public Sector Labour Relations Transition Act cases, a large variety of reprisal cases and numerous others under a large variety of statutes.

Membership

The Board is composed of a Chair one or more Vice-Chairs and an equal number of members representing employers and unions, respectively. The Lieutenant Governor in Council designates one of the vice-chairs to be alternate chair.

Qualifications

•    Able to hear, mediate and decide cases under more than 24 statutes, in particular, high-profile and precedent setting cases, and provide oral or written reasons which are often lengthy and are subject to judicial review.  Able to act as a neutral adjudicator.
•    Ability to formulate impartial and fair decisions using sound judgment and to communicate them orally and in writing in a timely manner.
•    Thorough understanding of the administrative justice system and its legal principles.
•    Knowledge of the legislation and jurisprudence under the Board’s jurisdiction and related laws and legal processes and rules of evidence or the ability to acquire such knowledge.
•    Understanding of the Board's rules of practice and supporting procedures.
•    Superior dispute resolution and analytical skills to resolve complex matters involving multiple interests, under public scrutiny.
•    Excellent communication skills and relationships in the labour relations community.
•    In-depth understanding of the professional, institutional, policy and community context in which the agency operates, or the ability to acquire such understanding.
•    Knowledge of the continuum of dispute resolution practices to design new, or change existing, processes.
•    Commitment to the protection of the public interest within the mandate of the agency.

Term

There is no limitation in legislation, however, the Agencies & Appointments Directive limits the term of appointment to a maximum of ten years in total for regulatory and adjudicative agencies. Re-appointment to a further term beyond the maximum of ten years in total may be made only in exceptional circumstances in the public interest. If a member of the Board resigns or his or her appointment expires, the Chair of the Board may authorize the member to complete his or her duties or responsibilities in a particular file.

Meetings
Hearings are held daily in Toronto at the Tribunal's Head Office, as well as across the Province. The Board regularly meets internally as called by the Chair.
Remuneration

Appointees are remunerated according to Schedule B of the Agencies and Appointments Directive

Appointments & Vacancies

No. Position Member Term Location
1. Chair (Full-Time) BRIAN O'BYRNE
28-Feb-2024 - 27-Feb-2026
toronto
2. Alternate Chair (Full-Time) LINDSAY LAWRENCE
02-Sep-2023 - 01-Sep-2025
toronto
3. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) MICHAEL MCCRORY
29-Aug-2021 - 28-Aug-2024
toronto
4. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) PEIGI ROSS
29-Aug-2021 - 28-Aug-2024
toronto
5. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) MICHAEL MCFADDEN
05-Nov-2019 - 04-Nov-2024
toronto
6. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) C MICHAEL MITCHELL
09-Mar-2023 - 08-Mar-2025
toronto
7. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) CAROLINE ROWAN
07-May-2023 - 06-May-2025
toronto
8. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) MIREILLE GIROUX
01-Jun-2023 - 31-May-2025
toronto
9. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) TIM LIZNICK
15-Jun-2023 - 14-Jun-2025
mississauga
10. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) JESSE KUGLER
26-Aug-2023 - 25-Aug-2025
toronto
11. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) MAHEEN MERCHANT
31-Aug-2023 - 30-Aug-2025
toronto
12. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) LINDSAY LAWRENCE
02-Sep-2023 - 01-Sep-2025
toronto
13. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) RISHI BANDHU
05-Oct-2023 - 04-Oct-2025
oakville
14. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) ROSLYN MCGILVERY
31-Oct-2023 - 30-Oct-2025
toronto
15. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) DAVID ROSS
15-Nov-2022 - 14-Nov-2025
mississauga
16. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) NEIL KEATING
22-Jan-2023 - 21-Jan-2026
oshawa
17. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) JACK SLAUGHTER
03-Feb-2021 - 02-Feb-2026
toronto
18. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) DANNA MORRISON
17-Feb-2024 - 16-Feb-2026
toronto
19. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) MAUREEN DOYLE
23-Feb-2023 - 22-Feb-2026
toronto
20. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) GENEVIEVE DEBANE
01-Jan-2022 - 29-Jun-2026
toronto
21. Vice-Chair (Full-Time) JOHN LEWIS
11-Mar-2024 - 10-Mar-2027
oakville
22. Vice-Chair (Full-Time)
23. Vice-Chair (Part-Time) ALLAN KAUFMAN
06-Apr-2023 - 05-Apr-2025
toronto
24. Vice-Chair (Part-Time) BRIAN MULRONEY
13-Apr-2023 - 12-Apr-2025
toronto
25. Vice-Chair (Part-Time) PAUL YOUNG
13-Apr-2023 - 12-Apr-2025
toronto
26. Vice-Chair (Part-Time) WALTER JASON HANSON
13-Apr-2023 - 12-Apr-2025
toronto
27. Vice-Chair (Part-Time) BRIAN SMEENK
20-May-2023 - 19-May-2025
toronto
28. Vice-Chair (Part-Time) JOHN (GIOVANNI) MARTELLI
20-May-2023 - 19-May-2025
etobicoke
29. Vice-Chair (Part-Time) SCOTT THOMPSON
25-May-2023 - 24-May-2025
old toronto
30. Vice-Chair (Part-Time) PATRICK KELLY
27-Jul-2023 - 26-Jul-2025
toronto
31. Vice-Chair (Part-Time) DEREK ROGERS
31-Oct-2023 - 30-Oct-2025
toronto
32. Vice-Chair (Part-Time) JOHANNE CAVÉ
07-Mar-2024 - 06-Mar-2027
gatineau
33. Vice-Chair (Part-Time) ROBERT KITCHEN
09-Jul-2022 - 08-Jul-2027
heathcote
34. Vice-Chair (Part-Time)
35. Vice-Chair (Part-Time)
36. Member (Part-Time) DAVID ST.LOUIS
18-Feb-2020 - 17-Feb-2025
etobicoke
37. Member (Part-Time) LORI BOLTON
11-Mar-2020 - 10-Mar-2025
coldwater
38. Member (Part-Time) WILLIAM COOK
18-Mar-2020 - 17-Mar-2025
thornbury
39. Member (Part-Time) WILLIAM NICHOLLS
06-May-2020 - 05-May-2025
cobourg
40. Member (Part-Time) BRIAN MACDONALD
01-Jan-2022 - 21-Jun-2026
mountain
41. Member (Part-Time) JOHN DOWDING
01-Jan-2022 - 21-Jun-2026
sarnia
42. Member (Part-Time) WAYNE ZACHAR
01-Jan-2022 - 21-Jun-2026
mississauga
43. Member (Part-Time) HEINO NIELSEN
01-Jan-2022 - 29-Jun-2026
toronto
44. Member (Part-Time) MARGARET TAYLOR
08-Dec-2022 - 07-Dec-2027
port perry