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Canada employment law: what changed and when

Canada employment law: what changed and when

Every recent federal and provincial employment-law change in Canada on one page, with confirmed dates, and who handles it if you hire through Teamed.

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Ontario's job posting rules started on 1 January 2026 for employers with 25 or more employees, the federal minimum wage rose to $18.15 an hour on 1 April 2026, and Ontario's minimum wage rose to $17.95 on 1 October 2026. Canada's rules change several times a year, and in different places.

The full timeline

What changedStatusWhenWho handles this at Teamed?
Federal Pay Equity Act comes into force for federally regulated employers with 10 or more employeesIn force31 August 2021Handled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework
Quebec's Bill 96 amends the Charter of the French language: most changes in force, including written individual employment contracts drawn up in French unless the parties expressly choose another languageIn force1 June 2022Handled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework
Quebec: new contracts of adhesion must first be presented in French (employment contracts stay under the language of work rules)In force1 June 2023Handled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework
British Columbia: expected pay or pay range required in all public job postingsIn force1 November 2023Handled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework
Federal Pay Equity Act: final pay equity plans due for employers covered since 2021In force3 September 2024Handled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework
British Columbia: first pay transparency reports due from employers with 1,000 or more employeesIn force1 November 2024Handled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework
Quebec: businesses with 25 to 49 employees must register with the Office quebecois de la langue francaise to begin francizationIn force1 June 2025Handled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework
Ban on replacement workers during strikes and lockouts (Bill C-58) comes into force for federally regulated employersIn force20 June 2025Handled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework
Ontario's Digital Platform Workers' Rights Act, 2022 comes into force for ride share, delivery and courier workers, whether employees or contractorsIn force1 July 2025Handled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework
British Columbia: pay transparency reports due from employers with 300 or more employeesIn force1 November 2025Handled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework
Ontario: job seeking leave of 3 unpaid days for employees who receive a mass termination noticeIn force27 November 2025Handled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework
Canada Labour Code: leave related to pregnancy loss and up to 8 weeks of bereavement leave on the death of a childIn force12 December 2025Handled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework
2026 CPP, CPP2 and EI figures apply: YMPE $74,600, YAMPE $85,000, EI employee rate 1.63% to $68,900In force1 January 2026Handled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework
Quebec 2026 figures apply: QPP rate 6.30%, QPIP employee rate 0.430% and employer rate 0.602%In force1 January 2026Handled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework
Ontario job posting rules start for employers with 25 or more employees: pay range up to $50,000, AI disclosure, no Canadian experience requirement, vacancy statement, 45-day interviewee responseIn force1 January 2026Handled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework
Federal minimum wage rises to $18.15 an hourIn force1 April 2026Handled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework
British Columbia: pay transparency reports due from employers with 50 or more employees for the first timeConfirmed date1 November 2026Handled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework
Canada Labour Code policy on disconnecting from work-related communication (section 177.2): enacted, awaiting a coming-into-force orderExpectedDate to be set by orderHandled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework
Canada Labour Code 16-week unpaid leave for the placement of a child (section 206.01): enacted, awaiting a coming-into-force orderExpectedDate to be set by orderHandled inside Teamed's Canadian employment framework

How to read this

Status reflects whether a measure is already in force, has a confirmed commencement date, has only an expected timeframe, or is still under consultation. Each row links to the full topic page. This page is reviewed regularly and figures are checked against primary sources on the dates shown.

A note from Teamed

Every one of these changes lands on your contracts, policies or payroll eventually. When Teamed is your legal employer in Canada, we track the changes and update what you need, when it actually commences, so a new obligation is never your problem to catch.

Teamed Legal Operations
Talk to an expertRead the Canada employment law guide
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