With all due respect, we've been moving forward with this legislation from the beginning, with respect to the pay equity special committee and the consultations. It's critical we get this right.
I understand that everybody wants this implemented yesterday, but we have an opportunity here that we have to seize. We are seizing it. We are going to get it right because our kids and our grandkids are going to have the benefits of the legislation we are passing.
In terms of your question specifically, companies have three years to come up with a plan with their committees and post those plans. If they come up with those plans before and the plan is approved, that's when the payment starts. If they require extra time, the payment still runs at the three-year mark.
If the cost is significant for that company, it gives that company time to ensure that they can pay those funds, but those funds would be retroactive to the date of the three-year mark. This is about preserving those jobs. We don't want jobs to be lost in this. We want to ensure that women have more opportunities and more jobs.
That's the timing piece.