The past year has brought significant changes to employment laws across Canada, with major legislative updates in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, and at the federal level. With more changes set to come into force, employers should remain proactive in their compliance efforts and strategic policy adjustments.
Below, we’ve highlighted a few of the changes that are top of mind for employers in these jurisdictions:
- Ontario’s Working for Workers Six Act and Working for Workers Five Act introduced minimum fines for repeat workplace safety violations and stricter requirements for alternative vacation pay agreements. Expanded long-term illness leave entitlements are coming into force in June 2025. Employers must also comply with new job posting transparency rules, set to take effect in January 2026.
- Alberta has replaced summary trials with streamlined trials to expedite dispute resolution for employment-related claims. However, the case law to date indicates that it may be difficult to be granted a streamlined trial for employment matters. Proposed amendments to the Employment Standards Code would enhance protections for tips and gratuities, preventing Alberta employers from withholding or deducting tips from employees. Recent case law emphasizes the importance of complying with occupational health and safety investigations (including participating in investigation interviews) and being cautious when including probationary period provisions in written employment agreements.
- British Columbia enacted legislation codifying the duty to accommodate in cases of workplace injury. Pay transparency laws have expanded, requiring more B.C. employers to report on wage disparities. In addition, the province’s minimum wage increases will now be indexed to inflation annually. Case law developments highlight the enforceability of termination clauses and employers’ evolving duties in good-faith employment relationships.
- Quebec’s employee-count threshold for registering with the Office québécois de la langue française’s francization process will lower in June 2025 from 50 to 25 people employed during a six-month period. Enhanced protections against workplace harassment and sexual violence are now in force in the province; employers should review their policies to align with the new requirements. New rules restrict Quebec employers from requesting medical certificates for the first three absences of three days or less in the same year.
- Federally regulated employers must prepare for new leave entitlements — including for pregnancy loss, adoption, surrogacy and bereavement — coming into force in December 2025. A significant shift in employment classification presumes that paid workers are employees unless proven otherwise. Federally regulated employers are subject to updated termination notice frameworks and pay equity reporting obligations. A change not yet in force would also require them to create disconnecting-from-work policies.
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