October 4, 2022 - Alberta has slowest wage growth in Canada, despite leading in economic growth - Alberta's economy and Wheatland County has seen plenty of big investments and economic growth recently. These investments are no doubt a great thing, but Albertans currently aren't seeing the benefits reflected in their paycheques, as the province has the slowest wage growth in Canada. According to NDP reports, Albertans' average weekly earnings only grew by 1.1% in July, compared to 2.9% in the rest of Canada. Combined with inflation, this means Albertans are losing more money than the rest of the country. (Full Story)

September 29, 2022 - Labour shortage gives workers a chance to trade up in the world of employment - With Alberta's job vacancy rate reaching as high as five per cent by June, some people are using the labour shortage as an opportunity to find a job that better fits their life and future goals. Over all industries, Alberta had a job vacancy rate of 5.3 per cent for the second quarter of 2022. Alberta's construction industry has been hit hard by labour shortages, with the industry reporting a job vacancy rate of 7.4 per cent by the second quarter of 2022. (Full Story)

September 28th, 2022 - How to get a human resources (HR) job in Canada as a newcomer - Human resources (HR) is an important function in businesses across Canada as the need to attract and retain skilled workers continues to grow. Human resources professionals often play an integral role in establishing a company's culture, training and retention, diversity and inclusion, and labour relations. Whether you are a seasoned HR manager or are at the start of your HR career in your home country, moving to Canada can open doors to new employment opportunities. (Full Story)

September 27, 2022 - Supporting mental health in the workplace - Helping to make sure Alberta's workplaces are healthy and safe is a priority for Alberta's government – and an important part of workplace health and safety involves mental health. After all, workplaces that promote mental health are more likely to be physically safe. They also have increased morale, job satisfaction, and much more. (Full Story)

September 27, 2022 - Canadian employers projecting 4.2% salary increase in 2023: survey - Canadian employers are anticipating the highest salary increase in two decades as they try to balance inflationary pressures, surging interest rates, recession risks and a tight labour market, a new survey has found. The national average base salary increase for next year is projected at 4.2 per cent, excluding planned salary freezes, which parallels 2022 actual base salary increases. Projected salary increases for 2022 was lower than the actual figures. (Full Story)

September 23, 2022 - Creating more opportunities for apprenticeships - As part of the Alberta at Work initiative, Alberta's government is investing $15 million over three years to expand apprenticeship education at post-secondary institutions across the province. This investment will increase hands-on learning and mentorship opportunities for various programs and create additional seats in existing apprenticeship programs. (Full Story)

September 22, 2022 - Providing Albertans with job-ready skills - Advanced Education will invest $8 million over the next two years to fund new micro-credential programs. These short-term programs will create new opportunities for unemployed and underemployed Albertans to quickly re-skill or upskill in our changing economy. This will allow Albertans to better meet industry needs, re-enter the workforce and quickly pivot in their careers. (Full Story)

September 12, 2022 - Alberta companies forced to evolve with record number of retirements - More than 306,000 Canadians retired from the workforce in the last 12 months - a Canadian record and an increase of 73,200 from the previous 12-month period, recently released statistics show. While this grey wave of early retirements presents a number of challenges for companies, the trend can also be viewed as an opportunity rather than a problem, say experts. (Full Story)

August 29, 2022 - 'Quiet Quitting' an opportunity for employers to help reshape the workplace - Conversations about 'Quiet Quitting' are everywhere these days, and one expert says it's a "profound opportunity" for Canadian companies to get it right with employees and improve the work landscape for the future. It's not about slacking off on the job, but rather setting boundaries and preventing burnout. (Full Story)

September 28, 2022 - BC Is Set To Have One Of The Biggest Wage Increases In Canada For 2023 & Here's How Much - Good news for all those in B.C. struggling to pay rent - wages are expected to increase in 2023 more so than in the rest of Canada. On par with Ontario and Quebec, B.C. is set to have a 4.1% increase in average salaries, which is higher than most other provinces in the country, according to a compensation planning survey from the consulting company Eckler. (Full Story)

September 27, 2022 - This BC town just introduced a four-day work week program & here's what we know - The coveted four-day workweek model has really taken off in terms of what many prospective employees are looking for. And if you're getting fed up with these high costs of living in and around Vancouver – we might have a potential solution. Merritt, BC is introducing a four-day work week pilot program for all City employees. So, if you're willing to relocate, you might just want to check out their open positions. But for now – let's dive into the program. (Full Story)

September 27, 2022 - British Columbia Skills Immigration To Pause As It Switches To NOC 2021 - Registration for the British Columbia Skills Immigration (SI) category is to pause starting in mid-October as it switches to using the latest National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. That category of programs targets skilled and semi-skilled workers in high-demand occupations in the West Coast province and is further divided into five components. (Full Story)

September 23, 2022 - Recruiters and employers increasingly taking advantage of temporary foreign workers, advocate says - Temporary foreign workers are reporting paying recruiters and employers thousands of dollars to obtain a permit to work in Canada - only to end up with nothing. CBC Radio-Canada spoke with multiple experts who say some employers and immigration consultants in B.C. often take advantage of workers from abroad. (Full Story)

September 2, 2022 - Funding connects Indigenous youth to trades, job training - As many as 24 eligible people will receive employment skills to help them prepare for jobs as certified building maintenance workers in the Lower Mainland's busy skilled trades sector. This new provincial Community and Employer Partnerships (CEP) project focuses on training for Indigenous youth. (Full Story)

August 31, 2022 - Innovator Skills Initiative supports more tech jobs - More people from under-represented groups can join B.C.'s growing technology sector through the Province's Innovator Skills Initiative. The Province provided $15 million to the Innovator Skills Initiative in fall 2021 to help people from under-represented groups get their start in the technology sector in 2022 and 2023. As a result of the program's success, the Province is allocating a further $583,000 this summer to allow waitlisted businesses to access the Innovator Skills Initiative program. (Full Story)

August 22, 2022 - WorkSafeBC amends rules on the refusal of unsafe work so workers can make more informed decisions - Amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OHSR) are coming into effect on Aug. 22, 2022, that will strengthen worker protections on the right to refuse unsafe work. A worker's right to refuse unsafe work is an integral element in ensuring work is carried out safely. All workers in B.C. have the right to refuse work where there is reasonable cause to believe it would create an undue hazard to their health or safety. (Full Story)

August 30, 2022 - Manitoba government launches five-year review of Workplace Safety and Health Act, associated regulations - The Manitoba government is launching a legislated five-year review of the Workplace Safety and Health Act and its three associated regulations – the Administrative Penalty Regulation, the Operation of Mines Regulation and the Workplace Safety and Health Regulation, Labour, Consumer Protection and Government Services Minister Reg Helwer announced today. (Full Story)

August 18, 2022 - Manitoba's minimum wage will rise to $15 per hour by October 2023 - Minimum wage earners in Manitoba will make just over $3 per hour more than they currently do by the fall of 2023, when the hourly rate goes up to $15, the province says. Premier Heather Stefanson announced the phased-in approach to raising the minimum wage Thursday, saying Manitoba has fallen behind other jurisdictions. (Full Story)

October 1, 2022 - N.B. minimum wage now highest in Atlantic Canada, businesses weigh in - The minimum wage in New Brunswick increased to $13.75 today, making it the highest hourly rate in Atlantic Canada. But with other Atlantic provinces making plans to raise their minimum wages more than once in the next year or two, the "highest hourly rate" title for New Brunswick may not last long. (Full Story)

September 27, 2022 - Saint John, N.B. to pilot 4-day work week - Another New Brunswick municipality has elected to nix the traditional five-day work week for most employees. The City of Saint John has announced it will implement a four-day compressed work week, where workers are on the job for extended hours from Monday to Thursday and, in return, have Friday off. A growing demand for a more suitable work-life balance has pushed employers to cut down their work days. (Full Story)

September 27, 2022 - New Brunswick is expanding the Navigator program to add international health workers - A program designed to guide internationally trained workers who want to move to New Brunswick is expanding. The Navigator program has helped connect nurses with employment and regulatory bodies responsible for certification since 2019 and is now expanding to all registered professions, including doctors. Trevor Holder, the minister for post-secondary education, training and work, says the program has brought 200 nurses to the province since 2019. (Full Story)

August 29, 2022 - CIBC to create more than 200 incremental full-time jobs at contact centres - CIBC is creating more than 200 incremental full-time jobs over the next three years as it expands its contact centre operations in the province. Most of these new employees will work from home. To support the creation of these jobs, CIBC is eligible for a payroll rebate of up to $1.5 million from Opportunities NB over three years. It is estimated that this investment will help create $67.6 million of incremental direct GDP in the province over three years. (Full Story)

October 3, 2022 - NL Transitional Support Program: help with minimum wage increases - Beginning October 1, 2022, and running until September 30, 2023, eligible businesses in Newfoundland and Labrador will be able to apply for financial help to offset the costs of minimum wage increases through the Transitional Support Program for Smaller Employers. The program will: Pay $0.50/h for all hours worked at the minimum wage rate from October 1st, 2022, to September 30, 2023; Provide two payments to eligible employers, with 80% of the eligible amount paid upfront, and 20% after the covering period ends. (Full Story)

October 1, 2022 - Minimum wage up by 50 cents in N.L., but workers say a further increase is needed - The minimum wage in Newfoundland and Labrador increased by 50 cents an hour on Saturday, but a worker and an advocate say more needs to be done. The increase means minimum wage workers in the province now earn $13.70 per hour. The increase was initially announced this past May, when the provincial government's Minimum Wage Review Committee released its final report. Another increase is scheduled for April of next year, rising by 80 cents to $14.50 an hour. (Full Story)

September 30, 2022 - Healthcare Workers' Shift to Better Work-Life Balance Not Unique to NL, says Health Minister - The province's Minister of Health says he supports moves by healthcare professionals to better their work-life balance, despite the negative impacts on some healthcare facilities. During Eastern Health's AGM yesterday, interim CEO Ken Baird responded to concerns around unprecedented pressures on local emergency rooms. He says they're seeing more and more staff making choices to accommodate their work-life balance, something which he calls a "completely new phenomenon" that is leading to backlogs and delays at emergency departments. (Full Story)

September 28, 2022 - Transitional Support Program for Smaller Employers Opening on October 1 - o coincide with the increase to the minimum wage on October 1, 2022, the Honourable Bernard Davis, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister Responsible for Labour, today announced the details of a new Transitional Support Program for Smaller Employers. The new program provides short-term financial support to employers with 20 employees or less that employ minimum wage earners. It offers $0.50 per hour for all hours worked at the minimum wage rate, from October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2023. (Full Story)

September 26, 2022 - Payday Loan Borrowing Rate Lowered - The Provincial Government is lowering the maximum total cost of borrowing by a payday lender from $21 per $100 loaned, to $14 per $100 loaned, making Newfoundland and Labrador's cost of borrowing the lowest in the country. Payday loans are for small amounts of less than $1,500, with payment terms under 62 days. Payday loans are regulated in the province through the Payday Loans Regulations, which came into effect in April 2019, under the Consumer Protection and Business Practices Act. (Full Story)

September 23, 2022 - 2022 injured workers and employers client service surveys now underway - Throughout September and October, WorkplaceNL will be conducting a client service satisfaction survey in an effort to further improve our program and service delivery. If you are an injured worker or employer, you may receive a call about WCB services from Narrative Research. Please be assured that if you choose to participate, your individual responses are completely confidential and will not be provided to WorkplaceNL. (Full Story)

September 5, 2022 - Students Should Know Their Workplace Rights - Student workers often experience poverty wages, wage theft, unfair scheduling, and no paid sick days. But it doesn't have to be this way. This week, thousands of young adults across Newfoundland and Labrador will begin or continue their post-secondary studies and, if they haven't already done so, most will enter the workforce. For many, this early foray into the "working world" will be an unpleasant, if not traumatic, experience. (Full Story)

September 15, 2022 - Northwest Territories revises rules for immigration program - Northwest Territories has modified the eligibility criteria and guidelines for the employer-driven stream of the Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP), which helps employers recruit and retain skilled workers. The changes provide more flexibility for employers and ensure the program and processes are user-friendly, according to the government. (Full Story)

September 14, 2022 - Minimum wage hikes are a fact of life, but need oversight, says NWT Chamber - If you're looking for a place where political interests collide with business, labour, academics and social justice groups, then it's the minimum wage. Along with abortion, rent controls and the retention of the monarchy, the lowest hourly wage legally allowed by law is a third rail issue always sure to jolt hot-take responses from those on all sides of the controversy. (Full Story)

September 13, 2022 - NWT rolls out first changes to help firms find more workers - Earlier this month, Cabin Radio reported the NWT government was preparing a new immigration push to attract more people to the North as companies struggle to find workers. The first of those initiatives was announced on Tuesday. In a press release, the GNWT said some rules governing the "employer-driven stream" – a means by which businesses can bring in foreign nationals to fill vacancies – would be relaxed. (Full Story)

September 10, 2022 - NWT employment rate remains parked at historic high - Throughout 2022, the territory has had Canada's highest employment rate by a distance. Only the Yukon is close, at 71.9 percent. Every other jurisdiction posted an August figure below 65 percent. The figures demonstrate the continuing tight labour market in the NWT, where employers are fighting to find workers to fill vacancies. (Full Story)

August 18, 2022 - NWT Chamber responds to GNWT's minimum wage change - The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) will be, effective Sept. 1, 2023, changing the way it calculates and adjusts the territory's minimum wage. "The minimum wage will be adjusted annually using a formula based on the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Yellowknife and the percentage change in the average hourly wage (AHW) in the Northwest Territories (NWT) for the preceding calendar year," reads the GNWT's notice. (Full Story)

October 3, 2022 - Workers with disabilities will soon become the new norm - Disability inclusion is driving the future of work in this country. You may not be aware of this, but it's happening. And Nova Scotia businesses that don't make a culture shift and fully embrace disability inclusion, are going to get left behind. Why? In part, especially because the number of Canadians who have a disability is increasing. In Nova Scotia, 30 per cent of the population (or 229,430 people) has at least one disability. That's higher than any other province. (Full Story)

September 21, 2022 - Wages up across some sectors in N.S., but still lag behind inflation, experts say - New data from Statistics Canada shows that wages in the Atlantic provinces grew at almost double the national rate between April and June of this year due to wage increases in key sectors across the region. But despite the growth, some experts say the buying power of wages is still falling because of inflation. Nova Scotia saw the third-highest wage growth among the provinces and territories at 3.9 per cent, behind New Brunswick at 4.1 percent and Newfoundland and Labrador at four per cent. (Full Story)

September 13, 2022 - Nova Scotia Federation of Labour Statement - Nova Scotia workers have been having it rough. According to a recent statement from the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour, the past two and a half years have been some of the most challenging times in a generation. Expanded access to employment insurance is set to expire in a few weeks and workers could face trouble qualifying for benefits. NSFL believes government action is required to ensure these workers are not left behind, and they urge them to extend temporary measures until the EI program can be permanently approved. (Full Story)

September 13, 2022 - Province Designates September 19 a Provincial Holiday - Nova Scotia will recognize Monday, September 19, 2022, as a provincial holiday in honour of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's funeral service. Provincial government offices, public schools and regulated child care will be closed. Healthcare services, appointments and procedures will remain operational across the province. Businesses will have the choice, as they do on other occasions, to remain open. (Full Story)

September 8, 2022 - Nova Scotia child-care workers rally in frustration over wages - Hundreds of early childhood educators rallied in Halifax on Thursday demanding the wage hike they've been promised for over a year. The Day of Action at the Grade Parade was sparked by continuing delays in implementing a new wage package for workers in daycare and preschool centres. Houston said the protest Thursday wasn't necessary as a motivator to get the government moving more quickly on the matter. (Full Story)

September 1, 2022 - 2023 employer assessment rates now available on MyAccount - Today, WCB Nova Scotia announced employer assessment rates for 2023 on MyAccount, the online portal for employers. The average employer assessment rate will remain stable at $2.65 per $100 of payroll in 2023. Employers can access their 2023 rate and full experience rating statement by navigating to the Financials tab on MyAccount. (Full Story)

August 18, 2022 - Nova Scotia Workers' Compensation Board holding the line on average employer rates - The Nova Scotia Workers' Compensation Board is holding the line on the average amount that businesses will pay towards worker's compensation benefits next year. In its report for the first quarter of 2022, the board announced that the average employer rate will remain steady for 2023, at $2.65 per $100 of assessable payroll, where it's held steady for almost two decades. (Full Story)

September 15, 2022 - GN, federal employees to get holiday to mourn Queen Elizabeth - The Government of Nunavut will join the federal government in giving its employees the day off on Sept. 19 for the National Day of Mourning for Queen Elizabeth. The Queen died Sept. 8 in Scotland. She was 96 years old and served as the Queen of Canada for 70 years. Five days later, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the government would mark Sept. 19 as a federal holiday. Thursday morning, the GN announced it would also close its offices for the day. (Full Story)

September 5, 2022 - New computer systems program seeks to fill IT gaps in Nunavut workforce - A computer systems technician program is relaunching in Iqaluit after a five year hiatus. The program, offered through Nunavut Arctic College, will bring a cohort of 10 students through lessons in operating systems, networking technologies, computer hardware and system administration. The one-year program also requires a six-week placement so that students can "feel fully prepared to enter the workforce upon graduation," according to the college's course description. (Full Story)

October 4, 2022 - Here's how Ontario's new minimum wage compares across the country - According to the Ontario government, this slight increase, tied to the Ontario Consumer Price Index for 2022, will help employees keep up with high costs and inflation. Ontario now has the fourth highest rate in the country. But how does the rest of Canada compare? According to the Retail Council of Canada, Nunavut has the highest minimum wage rate at $16 an hour. Yukon is close behind with a rate of $15.70 an hour. (Full Story)

October 3, 2022 - Ontario Minimum Wage Increases to $15.50 an hour - The minimum wage rate in Ontario has increased to $15.50 an hour. The new rate came into effect October 1 and represents a 3.33% increase from the previous rate of $15.00 an hour. Students under 18 are now earning $14.60 per hour, up from $14.10, while homeworkers - those who do paid work out of their own homes for employers - are seeing a 55-cent raise, to $17.05 per hour. A quick survey of local employers shows that most entry level jobs in the logistics, manufacturing and food processing sectors start between $17 and $20 an hour. (Full Story)

October 3, 2022 - Ontario's electronic monitoring policy ensures employer transparency: lawyer - By requiring employers to have a written policy on the electronic monitoring of their employees, the Ontario government is aiming to increase employer transparency, says Andy Pushalik, partner and head of the employment and labour group at Dentons Canada LLP. By Oct. 11, 2022, employers with 25 or more workers are required to have a written policy on the electronic monitoring of employees. (Full Story)

October 3, 2022 - Injured migrant farmworkers fight for fair compensation from WSIB - A group of injured migrant farmworkers is demanding action from the Workplace and Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) at a community delegation in Kitchener on Monday afternoon. In an open letter, the group Justice for Migrant Workers, made up of injured migrant farmworkers and allies, said it is fighting for fair compensation and respect from the WSIB. (Full Story)

September 29, 2022 - There's a new Ontario law that employers need to know - The pandemic has led many employers to embrace work-from-home arrangements with their employees, but that doesn't mean they can't check up on them. Bill 88, the Working for Workers Act, 2022, amended the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the "ESA") to require employers to implement a written policy about their electronic monitoring practices with respect to employees. The law's purpose is to enhance protections for workers' privacy by requiring employers to be transparent. (Full Story)

September 28, 2022 - WSIB doubles rebates in 2023 for smaller businesses investing in health and safety - The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) is providing smaller businesses with up to 99 full-time employees more time to take advantage of added incentives to make their workplaces safer, while boosting their bottom line. The benefits for smaller businesses through the WSIB's Health and safety Excellence program are now available through 2023, meaning businesses can: earn double the rebates in both 2022 and 2023, and receive $1,000 towards their health and safety plan in both 2022 and 2023. (Full Story)

September 27, 2022 - Ontario Preparing to Expand Health and Benefits Coverage - The Ontario government is seeking public feedback as it moves forward with plans to expand benefits like health, dental, prescription drug and vision care to more workers who need coverage. Results from an online public survey will inform the design and implementation of a proposed benefits plan that would make Ontario the first province in Canada to cover millions of precarious workers in sectors such as retail, the gig economy and hospitality. (Full Story)

September 27, 2022 - In a competitive time for hiring, here's how some Ottawa employers are finding their people - What do you do when you have to staff an entire restaurant and hotel, in the middle of peak season, after a uniquely challenging two-and-a-half years for hospitality employment? The answer was a job fair. And not just any job fair. "A recruiting festival," as executive chef Stephen La Salle had taken to calling the July event, featuring a DJ and arcade games, mocktails and ice cream - even gift bags and a contest for a prize package, featuring a stay and dining at a a sister hotel in Montreal. (Full Story)

September 23, 2022 - Work-related COVID-19 claim costs will impact WCB premiums in Ontario - Ontario's Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) recently announced a change to how it will cost COVID-19 related claims. Effective July 1, 2022, the cost of a COVID-19 related claim which arose on or after July 1, 2022 will be allocated to the individual Schedule 1 employer. Prior to this change, the WSIB did not allocate the costs of a COVID-19 claim to the individual employer, but instead distributed those costs across all employers in Schedule 1. (Full Story)

September 12, 2022 - Higher wages will cause WSIB cost hikes for some construction employers: OGCA - OGCA director of government relations David Frame explained for 2021 and 2022, the government legislated artificially low increases for the Maximum Insurable Earnings (MIE) ceiling due to the pandemic but for 2023 the MIE ceiling will be allowed to increase from the current $100,422 to $110,030. (Full Story)

September 23, 2022 - Province promises to increase minimum wage twice in 2023 - Prince Edward Island has pledged to increase its minimum wage twice in 2023, according to the provincial government. However, employers have since expressed concern that the hikes might be too much for them amid inflation and other workplace concerns. In an announcement this week, the P.E.I. government said the province's minimum wage will be hiked by 80 cents on January 1, 2023, followed by another 50 cents on October 1, 2023. These increases mean employees will earn a minimum of $15 per hour by the end of next year. (Full Story)

September 2022 - Wage Rebate for Impacted Workers - The Wage Rebate for Impacted Workers – Fiona Response provides a 100 per cent wage rebate for businesses and self-employed individuals while closed due to power outage or significant physical damage which make operating impossible AND were not earning revenue. The rebate will be calculated at 100 per cent of payroll costs to a maximum of $25/hour, a maximum $1,000 per week for PEI employees, including wages and MERC's during the period of time that the business could not open and not earning income due to Hurricane Fiona. (Full Story)

September 13, 2022 - Day of Mourning to be marked as Statutory Holiday on Prince Edward Island - The day of the Commemorative Ceremony (September 19, 2022) for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, will be considered a one-time statutory holiday in PEI. In response to the federal announcement, earlier today provincial Cabinet met to make a regulation change to declare September 19, 2022 a statutory holiday for all workers that are provincially regulated. Provincial government offices, schools in the Public Schools Branch, and la Commission scolaire de langue française will be closed for the day. (Full Story)

September 13, 2022 - Does P.E.I. have a labour shortage? Or a job surplus? - P.E.I.'s unemployment rate rose in August as more Islanders entered the workforce, providing some relief for employers coping with an ongoing labour shortage. The unemployment rate moved up to 7.3 per cent last month, still very low from a historical perspective but more than two percentage points higher than P.E.I.'s record low of 4.9 per cent in June. The rate rose despite an increase in the number of jobs available, as more Islanders started looking for work. (Full Story)

September 9, 2022 - Employment grew in PEI in August, but unemployment rate rose as well - Statistics Canada says the national unemployment rate was 5.4 per cent in August, ticking up for the first time in seven months. Job figures released Friday show that Canada's economy lost 40,000 jobs last month, with the losses concentrated in the public sector.  In July, unemployment reached a historic low of 4.9 per cent. (Full Story)

September 13, 2022 - P.E.I. to hire co-ordinator to help recruit and support foreign-trained health-care workers - The P.E.I. government is posting a position for an international recruitment co-ordinator in an effort to get more foreign-trained health-care workers employed on the Island. Like many provinces, Prince Edward Island is facing major staffing challenges in health care. For example, the new co-ordinator will help international recruits find housing and child care. (Full Story)

October 4, 2022 - October Proclaimed as Disability Employment Awareness Month - The Government of Saskatchewan, in partnership with SARC, is proud to proclaim October as Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM). DEAM is an opportunity to celebrate the strength and diversity of Saskatchewan people, including those living with disabilities who are making meaningful contributions to our local businesses and communities. It is also a time to highlight the importance of inclusiveness in our workforce. (Full Story)

October 1, 2022 - Sask. minimum wage hike to $13 goes into effect - Many workers in Saskatchewan are set to benefit from the province's latest minimum wage increase. The minimum pay in the province has risen to $13 an hour, effective Oct. 1, 2022. In May of this year the Government of Saskatchewan announced the increase, which marked a departure from the indexation formula that had been used to calculate changes. At the same time, it was announced the minimum would increase to $14 on Oct. 1, 2023, and $15 on Oct. 1, 2024. (Full Story)

October 2022 - Webinar looks to building an unshakeable workforce - As the business world changes rapidly, education also needs to evolve. Businesses need skilled employees to remain competitive and fill labour shortages. Micro-credentials, a new training option that emerged out of the pandemic, may be the innovative solution both industry and employees have been looking for. (Full Story)

September 29, 2022 - Training Staff? The Saskatchewan government has incentives! - You know the value of employee training. It equips your team with the skills, knowledge, and resources to effectively perform their jobs. It is an investment to grow your people and grow your business. To help Saskatchewan employers build and maintain their competitive edge in the marketplace, the province offers financial supports. (Full Story)

September 15, 2022 - Government Invests $5.4 Million For Increased Wages For Early Childhood Educators - The Governments of Saskatchewan and Canada are investing $5.4 million to provide up to $2 an hour increase for Early Childhood Educators (ECEs). This is in recognition of the important services they provide in supporting families who require child care. The investment will assist child care centres in providing improved wages in the recruitment and retention of ECEs. (Full Story)

October 6, 2022 - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on track to become statutory day in the Yukon - Minister of Community Services Richard Mostyn has announced the Yukon plans to mark September 30, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, as a statutory day starting in 2023 to commemorate the tragic legacy of residential schools in Canada. The Government of Yukon will table amendments to the Employment Standards Act in the spring of 2023. (Full Story)

September 24, 2022 - Labour shortages squeezing Yukon businesses - Is it better to keep an underperforming employee or not have someone in the position at all? This is a question several Yukon employers have told the News they are having to ask themselves, as the Yukon faces a severe shortage of workers. The Yukon Bureau of Statistics reported that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the Yukon for August 2022 is 1.7 per cent. Business owners are feeling it. (Full Story)

September 22, 2022 - Paid Sick Leave Rebate program extended for additional six months - The Government of Yukon is extending the Paid Sick Leave Rebate program until March 31, 2023. The program provides up to 10 days' wages for workers and self-employed individuals who have contracted COVID-19 and do not have access to paid sick days. The purpose of this extension is to provide a continued safety net for Yukoners over the coming winter. Reducing the threat of financial losses will make it easier for workers to make the decision to stay home when they are sick. (Full Story)

September 15, 2022 - Yukon to observe National Day of Mourning for late monarch - The Yukon will be following the lead of the federal government and joining other provinces and territories in observing the National Day of Mourning as a one-time holiday for territorial public sector employees. The federal government has announced that Sept. 19 will be a National Day of Mourning to coincide with the state funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. (Full Story)

September 15, 2021 - Assessment rates announced at YWCHSB annual information meeting reflect Yukon's performance in workplace safety - Yukon Workers' Compensation Health and Safety Board (YWCHSB) held its annual information meeting today. The Board discussed operational highlights and the financial performance from the previous year, as outlined in the 2020 Annual Report. The report was released in May of this year. The Board also announced industry classifications and assessment rates for 2022. The rates are reflective of safety and return to work efforts within Yukon's workplaces. (Full Story)