July 24, 2024 - Alberta has fewer farm jobs, but still not enough people to fill them - Job numbers have returned to pre-pandemic levels in most major industries in Alberta, but employment in agriculture continues to fall. There were 8,700 fewer people employed in the agriculture sector in Alberta this June compared to the same time in 2023, a 19 per cent decrease, according to labour force data from Statistics Canada. Over the last 10 years, employment in agriculture has shrunk by 44 per cent. (Full Story)

July 17, 2024 - Minimum Legal Working Age in Alberta - In Alberta, the minimum legal age to work is 12 years old for certain artistic activities, with specific job and hour restrictions based on age. Young workers under 18 years of age are entitled to minimum wage, holiday pay, and job-protected leave. Note: The minimum legal working age in Alberta is determined by the Employment Standards Code (ESC). (Full Story)

July 10, 2024 - Province's WCB to cover psychological injury from harassment - The Workers Compensation Board (WCB) of Prince Edward Island will be broadening compensation coverage to include psychological injuries that result from work-related harassment. "The WCB has covered psychological injuries following traumatic incidents for some time already and with this change, we will now include incidents of work-related harassment," said Jim MacPhee, Chair of the WCB. (Full Story)

July 9, 2024 - WCB Annual Report - As WCB Alberta continues to evolve and find new ways to meet the changing needs of Albertans, they offer a report that highlights and results from the past year. The report opens "We're improving client interactions and return-to-work outcomes through investments in service, collaboration and engagement. We strive to evolve the workers' compensation system, putting workers at the centre of their recovery and employers at the centre of guiding a safe and successful return to work." (Full Story)

July 8, 2024 - The Home Maintenance and Housekeeping Allowance for Injured Workers - Injured workers in Alberta who have confirmation from the Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) that they have permanent work restrictions due to a compensable injury, they may be eligible for additional support through the Home Maintenance and Housekeeping Allowance (HMA / HKA). (Full Story)

June 26, 2024 - Alberta had largest increase in part-time jobs - Earlier this month, I wrote a story about Statistics Canada's Labour Market Statistics for May 2024. In it, I focused on Alberta's statistics. One of the key findings from my article was that Alberta lost over 33,000 full-time jobs. Part-time jobs, on the other hand, increased by 12,700. The loss in full-time jobs was the largest loss since September 2023 and the second largest since April 2020. (Full Story)

June 24, 2024 - "A unique trend": Alberta employers rely more on temporary foreign workers for business roles - As the federal temporary foreign worker program expands, employers in Alberta are relying on them more to fill labour gaps in business, finance and administration roles. People who keep a close eye on the job market say it's an "interesting turn of events" as demand for workers grows in that sector in the province. (Full Story)

June 10, 2024 - AB lost over 33,000 FT jobs in May 2024 - The federal government released their May 2024 job numbers last week, and job numbers are down in Alberta. The net decrease to jobs between last month and April was 20,400. This wiped out all of the 10,600 jobs gained in April and the largest job loss since last September, when the province lost 30,900 jobs. This is also the second largest loss Alberta has seen since April 2020, just one month into the COVID-19 pandemic, when it lost nearly 227,000 jobs. (Full Story)

June 10, 2024 - Alberta employment law: A primer - Alberta's employment and labour laws apply to a number of areas relating to how companies manage their workers, including hiring, setting workplace policies, interactions with workers and ending working relationships. It's important for any organizations that have workers in Alberta or carry out business in Alberta to understand how these laws may affect them and their business decisions. This blog provides a basic primer on how these laws can impact Alberta employers. (Full Story)

June 4, 2024 - Cost Of Living: Why not raise the minimum wage? - Inflation means a basket of goods that cost $100 in 2018 costs $120.24 today, the Bank of Canada reports. But if you earn minimum wage in Alberta, you're still earning the same $15 an hour now as you did back then. Unlike every other part of Canada, Alberta has not raised its minimum wage since 2018 despite inflation. That wage is currently the second lowest in Canada, and will be tied for lowest this October when Saskatchewan raises its minimum to $15, the Retail Council of Canada reports. (Full Story)

July 24, 2024 - More trained workers will improve mental-health, addictions care in B.C. - People looking for skills training and job opportunities in mental-health and addictions care are now able to access free education and paid work experience in the sector. Building on the success of the Health Career Access Program (HCAP), which has trained more than 8,000 people as health-care support workers in long-term care homes, assisted-living facilities, home support and acute-care settings since it began in September 2020, the program is now expanding into mental-health and addictions care. (Full Story)

July 24, 2024 - More people will benefit from training grants - People training for good paying, in-demand careers will be able to access grants that cover most, or all, of their tuition thanks to the next intake of the StrongerBC future skills grant. This popular grant covers as much as $3,500 in eligible short-term skills training at public post-secondary institutions. People 19 and older who live in British Columbia are eligible for these grants. (Full Story)

July 15, 2024 - WorkSafeBC holds preliminary average base premium rate flat for employers in 2025 - WorkSafeBC announced today that the preliminary average base premium rate for 2025 will remain unchanged at 1.55 percent of employers' assessable payroll. Subject to final approvals by WorkSafeBC's Board of Directors, this will be the eighth year in a row that the average base rate has remained at this level. Annual base premium rates are driven by provincial injury rates, return-to-work performance, and the resulting cost of claims, as well as investment returns. (Full Story)

June 24, 2024 - Why B.C. students looking for summer jobs face stiff competition - It's a time-honoured tradition: high school and university students finish classes and then scramble to find temporary summer gigs to make some money and gain work experience, from flipping burgers to leading day camps. Early on, anecdotal indicators suggest students looking for work this summer may face stiff competition. (Full Story)

June 17, 2024 - Gig Workers - All workers deserve protections, no matter what they do. Gig workers - including app-based ride-hail and delivery services workers - deserve to be treated fairly, just like all other workers in our province. B.C.'s employment laws should reflect the needs of modern workplaces. People in B.C. have embraced app-based ride-hail and delivery services. Customers enjoy the convenience of these services, while workers value the flexibility that this type of work offers, such as being able to log on and off apps to work when they want. (Full Story)

June 12, 2024 - Fair pay, basic protections coming for gig workers - The Province has finalized regulations to provide fairness, minimum-wage measures and basic protections for app-based ride-hailing and delivery workers in British Columbia. The regulations, a first in Canada, will come into effect on Sept. 3, 2024. They will apply to those who work for apps such as Uber, Lyft, Uber Eats, SkiptheDishes, DoorDash and others. (Full Story)

June 11, 2024 - The Way We Work: How AI plays out in the workplace - If 2023 was the year artificial intelligence stepped out of the pages of science fiction and became a going concern, then 2024 is the year we turn to the latest bot, engine or app and ask, "What have you done for me lately?" In short: we're ready to put these AI offerings to work. One of the most pervasive (if least flashy) ways that AI will work for us is in the form of so-called "answer engines. (Full Story)

June 7, 2024 - B.C. job market stalls in May as province loses 7,900 positions - There was little momentum for the B.C. labour market going into May after a popping jobs report a month prior. The province lost 7,900 jobs last month compared with gains of 23,000 jobs in April, according to data released Friday by Statistics Canada. This delivered a blow to the employment rate, which jumped 0.6 percentage points to 5.6 per cent cent. (Full Story)

June 5, 2024 - B.C. introduces pay transparency reporting tool - A new, online reporting tool has been created to support B.C. employers with an efficient way to prepare pay transparency reports. Pay transparency reports are a requirement under B.C.'s Pay Transparency Act, which passed into law May 11, 2023. The pay transparency reporting tool allows employers to upload unidentifiable data on employees' gender and pay, which will then generate an automated report. (Full Story)

August 7, 2024 - Manitoba Employers Hoping To Hire Through New Rural Pilot and Provincial Nominee Program - Employers in Brandon, Manitoba, are hoping the province's Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and the promised Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) will allow them to keep on hiring the foreign workers they need to fill jobs. Brandon was one of the 11 communities that benefitted from the now-closed Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) and one of only two such communities in Manitoba. (Full Story)

August 2, 2024 - Latest Manitoba PNP draw invites 203 skilled workers - The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) has conducted a new draw. This was the draw conducted by MPNP in August. If you have been invited in this latest Manitoba PNP draw, you will have 60 days to submit a complete application for permanent residence (PR) to the MPNP. The MPNP conducts regular draws under its Expression of Interest (EOI) system to invite candidates in the EOI pool to submit a full application to the MPNP. (Full Story)

July 17, 2024 - Province seeks public feedback on accessible employment standard regulation - Manitoba is conducting a review of its Accessible Employment Standard Regulation, and the government is seeking input from the public. The goal of the review is to remove and prevent barriers faced by workers with disabilities. Earlier this year, Manitoba called on employers in the province to apply for funding for projects that will improve accessibility and remove barriers for those living with disabilities. (Full Story)

July 16, 2024 - New Manitoba Job Grant: Apply Starting July 24 - Attention employers in Manitoba: Applications open July 24, 2024 for the Canada-Manitoba Job Grant, supporting training for new and current employees. Despite federal cuts, $3 million is available for eligible employers, with up to $10,000 per employee and $100,000 per project. Small employers (100 or fewer employees) can get up to 75% of training costs, while larger employers can get up to 50%. (Full Story)

July 5, 2024 - Manitoba Adds 3,100 Jobs in the Month of June - New data from Statistics Canada shows that Manitoba government's plan to grow the economy is working. From May to June, Manitoba gained 3,100 jobs, which was more than the national average. Full-time employment was up 0.8 per cent and the province's unemployment rate is the lowest in Canada at 5.1 per cent. (Full Story)

July 2, 2024 - Provincial Regulation to Support a 2.75 Per Cent Increase to Child-Care Facility Wage Funding and an Updated Wage Grid Comes into Force - The Manitoba government has made amendments to the Child Care Regulation to increase the operating grants for all licensed and provincially funded early learning and child-care facilities, federal Families, Children and Social Development Minister Jenna Sudds and Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Nello Altomare announced today. (Full Story)

June 28, 2024 - Update on legislative changes for MB employers, including proposal to ban replacement workers & re-introduce automatic certification - On March 27, 2024, the Manitoba Government announced that it would restore the 1:1 ratio of apprentices to supervisors for skilled trades. In 2015, the province previously amended the Regulations under The Apprenticeship Act to allow for a 2:1 ratio of apprentices to journeypersons. This allowed an employer to require journeypersons to oversee two apprentices. (Full Story)

June 24, 2024 - Manitoba Government Hires More Home-Care Workers to Improve Services - A number of metrics for home-care services have shown improvement, thanks to a new pathway for home-care workers within the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) that has seen success recruiting and retaining health-care aides working in the home-care field, Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced today. (Full Story)

July 26, 2024 - New report shows one-third of N.B. workers earn less than $20 per hour - A new report compiling statistics around low-wage Atlantic Canadians reveals that one-third of New Brunswick workers earn $20 per hour or less. Ten per cent of those workers earn under $15 an hour. The Nova Scotia office for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives released the report this week, compiling data from the 2023 Statistics Canada labour force survey. (Full Story)

July 23, 2024 - Kickstart Safety: Effective Strategies for New Employee Orientation - This article is part of a series focused on enhancing new employee orientation, and thus health and safety, across New Brunswick. Who is considered a new employee? The answer might surprise you. The definition of a new employee is broader than many might think. It includes: Individuals new to a position or place of employment; Returning employees, if workplace hazards have changed during their absence; Employees under 25 returning to work; Employees affected by changes in workplace hazards due to shifts in job responsibilities or promotions. (Full Story)

July 12, 2024 - New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot - The New Brunswick Critical Worker Pilot is one of the latest joint efforts between the federal government and the province of New Brunswick to alleviate labour shortages in key economic sectors across the province. Launched at the end of 2022 as a five-year pilot program, it aims to attract skilled workers to occupations that have historically faced recruitment challenges within this province. (Full Story)

July 2, 2024 - Benefit enhancements for New Brunswick workers now in effect - WorkSafeNB is pleased to announce that the benefit improvements under the Government of New Brunswick's Bill 45, An Act Respecting the Firefighters' Compensation Act and the Workers' Compensation Act, are now in effect. These historic benefit improvements, which include an increase in loss of earnings benefits and adjustments to maximum annual earnings, mark a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to the well-being of our province's workforce. (Full Story)

June 12, 2024 - New funding to promote inclusive employment opportunities in N.B. - Together, ACOA, the province and Inclusion Canada are spending more than $300,000 helping employers hire people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Debbie Thomas of Inclusion N.B. and her daughter Kyra talk about the benefits of these job opportunities. (Full Story)

June 7, 2024 - Changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act - The Government of New Brunswick has introduced changes to the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act. While most changes are administrative in nature, two have larger implications for New Brunswick employers and workers: Amendment to Section 14 of the Act requiring joint health and safety committee (JHSC) minutes to be submitted to WorkSafeNB automatically, and Harmonizing the requirement for Type 2 headwear on project sites. (Full Story)

June 3, 2024 - Supporting our workforce: Historic benefit improvements for injured workers - In a significant move toward enhancing the well-being of New Brunswick's workforce, the Government of New Brunswick has passed a new bill to greatly benefit injured workers and their families. These historic improvements to benefits underscore our unwavering commitment to supporting those who have been injured on the job, ensuring they receive the financial assistance they need during recovery. (Full Story)

July 24, 2024 - Public Advisory: Provincial Government Assisting Displaced Workers in Labrador City and Wabush - The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is providing $500 for employed and self-employed residents of Labrador City and Wabush whose income has been affected by wildfires in the region. This assistance is available for individuals who cannot access income through employment or Employment Insurance (EI). It follows the $1,000 in one-time emergency financial assistance to households that had been ordered to evacuate their primary residence in Labrador City as a result of the wildfires. (Full Story)

June 28, 2024 - Lost-time injury rate reaches historic low and Injury Fund remains fully-funded - WorkplaceNL has released its 2023 Annual Performance Report, meeting annual strategic objectives for building healthy and safe workplaces, return to work and recovery from injury as well as growing strategic partnerships. As examples, WorkplaceNL reviewed its Traumatic Psychological Injury and Priority Employer Programs, rolled out changes to the PRIME program for small employers, secured training for health care providers, consulted on covering psychological injury due to workplace violence and harassment. (Full Story)

June 26, 2024 - Working Opportunities Program Removing Barriers to Training and Employment - In November 2023, the Provincial Government launched a new Poverty Reduction Plan to improve the overall well-being of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. The plan included a commitment to develop programming to help Income Support and other non-Employment Insurance (EI) eligible individuals secure meaningful and stable employment. (Full Story)

June 12, 2024 - With employment program funding in jeopardy, clients and supporters sing its praises - Detailed in this year's federal budget is a $625-million cut to the Labour Market Development Agreement, which funds community support organizations that help people find jobs. For Newfoundland and Labrador, that means a loss of $16.5 million a year. Employment corporations can still draw from the $142-million pool the province gets. The provincial government has topped up the feds' share until the end of June, but the future of the employment corporations beyond that remains uncertain. (Full Story)

June 4, 2024 - Auditors probed how serious workplace incidents are investigated in N.L. They found big problems - A recent internal provincial government audit, obtained by CBC News, revealed problems with how serious workplace accidents in Newfoundland and Labrador have been investigated and called for more resources and improvements to the system. The review suggested some employers may have escaped occupational health and safety charges because the clock ran out before those probes were completed. (Full Story)

July 22, 2024 - Northwest Territories Nominee Program hits a milestone - For the first time in the program's history, this July the Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP) reached and exceeded its federally-regulated nomination cap of 300 applications for a calendar year. IRCC regulates all nomination allocations for provinces and territories across Canada. With the NTNP reaching its 2024 maximum intake, the program will no longer be accepting new applications this year, with the exception of foreign nationals with work permits that expire in 2024 if they meet all eligibility criteria and have already been working in the NWT prior to July 22, 2024. (Full Story)

July 11, 2024 - WSCC Introduces Separate Year's Maximum Insurable Remuneration for Northwest Territories and Nunavut - The Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission (WSCC) will introduce two distinct Year's Maximum Insurable Remuneration (YMIR) values for the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, effective January 1, 2025. The Year's Maximum Insurable Remuneration (YMIR) is the dollar amount used to calculate compensation benefits for injured workers and sets a limit on the amount of payroll that employers report per worker. (Full Story)

July 10, 2024 - GNWT announces increase to minimum wage, releases survey results - The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has announced the 2024 adjustment to minimum wage in the Northwest Territories (NWT). Effective September 1, 2024, the minimum wage will increase from $16.05 per hour to $16.70 per hour. This increase reflects the GNWT's commitment to ensuring that wages keep pace with the rising cost of living, using a formula based on the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the average hourly wage for 2023. (Full Story)

July 2, 2024 - Updates to Income Assistance regulations come into force - Two sets of regulations came into force on July 1, 2024 that support improvements to the Northwest Territories (NWT) Income Assistance program. They include: Amendments to the existing Income Assistance Regulations and New Income Assistance for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities Regulations. As announced in June, these changes will increase benefit levels and income exemptions and reduce barriers to accessing Income Assistance in the Northwest Territories. (Full Story)

August 15, 2024 - N.S. researcher wants to see changes to protect temporary foreign workers - A recent United Nations report called Canada's temporary foreign worker program a "breeding ground" for modern slavery. It comes as Ottawa looks at reforming the program. Raluca Bejan with Dalhousie University's school of social work says the program is flawed in Nova Scotia too. (Full Story)

August 15, 2024 - Nova Scotia Partners with Ontario to Create More Skilled Trades Opportunities - Nova Scotia and Ontario are working together to improve recognition of international credentials for skilled trades professionals. The two provinces have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that details the collaboration, including Nova Scotia's efforts to recognize international credentials and improve the flow of skilled labour. (Full Story)

August 2, 2024 - New WCB policy will guide psychological injury claim decisions - WCB Nova Scotia's Board of Directors has approved the policy that will guide WCB claim decisions for psychological injury claims, including claims for gradual onset psychological injuries, which the WCB will cover starting on September 1st. The new policy is part of how the WCB is protecting more working Nova Scotians, guided by our Strategic Plan. (Full Story)

August 1, 2024 - New Incentive Program for Journeypersons Mentoring Apprentices - A new financial incentive recognizes the vital role certified trades professionals have in supporting and training apprentices. The Journeyperson Financial Incentive Program provides up to $2,500 to journeypersons actively mentoring apprentices. The goal of the new program is to increase the number of apprentices becoming certified journeypersons. (Full Story)

July 24, 2024 - WCB Nova Scotia secures additional resources to help inform GPI claim decisions - WCB Nova Scotia has hit another milestone in its preparations to support gradual onset psychological injury coverage starting on September 1st. WCB has secured four new expert service providers to gather information and mediate claims for this new type of compensable injury. Mobile Resource Group, MC Advisory Group, Latitude, and Homewood Health will lead evidence-based investigations and provide trauma-informed mediation services. (Full Story)

July 9, 2024 - New Workplace First Aid Standards in Nova Scotia - Attention all Nova Scotia employers: Starting August 1, 2024, Nova Scotia's updated workplace first aid requirements will take effect. These changes aim to modernize practices by setting new minimum standards for first aid training and kit contents. For detailed information, visit the NS Safety Branch's website and check out the updated guides: Workplace First Aid Guide and 2024 Revisions. (Full Story)

June 26, 2024 - Increase to Income Assistance Effective July 1 - More than 36,000 Nova Scotians receiving income assistance will soon see larger payments as the 2.5 per cent increase announced in March takes effect. Employment support and income assistance recipients, including people receiving the Income Assistance Disability Supplement, will receive a 2.5 per cent increase to the standard household rate and dependent allowance starting July 1. (Full Story)

June 19, 2024 - Summer Camps for Youth Interested in Skilled Trades - Youth across Nova Scotia will learn more about the skilled trades this summer with funding from the Province. Safe, fun and interactive camps for youth aged 12 to 15 will encourage exploring careers in the skilled trades and help meet the future demands of Nova Scotia's labour market. (Full Story)

June 13, 2024 - Nova Scotia weighs impact of federal cut to employment services - The Nova Scotia government is assessing how to deal with a cut to federal funding that pays for programs meant to connect people with job training and work opportunities. Nova Scotia's minister of labour, skills and immigration, hopes the funding will be reinstated, but her counterpart in Ottawa says the provinces knew the change was coming and should have planned ahead. Last year's labour market transfer from Ottawa to Nova Scotia was $122 million. According to the program's website, it served 27,000 participants. (Full Story)

June 6, 2024 - Website Launch: New resources available for psychological health and safety - WCB Nova Scotia is proud to introduce a suite of resources for Nova Scotians found in this newly launched Psychological Health and Safety Resource Centre. The suite of resources, adapted from our colleagues at WorkSafe Saskatchewan, will help Nova Scotians as we work to prevent and manage gradual onset psychological injury. The material contained in the website is considered at the leading edge of psychological injury prevention in Canada. (Full Story)

July 7, 2024 - Incentives to attract and keep Nunavut healthcare workers - At a time when jurisdictions across Canada are struggling to recruit and retain healthcare workers, the Government of Nunavut extended a variety of perks. Wage increases, retention bonuses, assistance in paying back student loans, and tuition forgiveness for working in Nunavut were part of a package of incentives devised to make the territory a more attractive place to find employment. (Full Story)

July 6, 2024 - Nunavut's unemployment rate trends downwards - Nunavut's labour force comprised 15,900 people in March. With 14,500 of them gainfully employed, the unemployment rate stood at a seasonally unadjusted 8.7 per cent. That was down from 9.1 per cent in February, but still the highest among the territories with the NWT at five per cent and Yukon at 4.7 per cent. For Canada as a whole, the unemployment rate was 6.1 per cent in March. (Full Story)

June 4, 2024 - Most GN workers to receive 9% wage bump - Most Government of Nunavut employees can expect a bump in their pay this fall when a newly announced nine per cent salary increase takes effect. GN employees represented by the Nunavut Employees Union, senior management, and excluded employees will see a nine per cent increase that comes into effect Sept. 30. (Full Story)

August 16, 2024 - Ontario, Nova Scotia team up to improve recognition of international credentials of skilled trades - Ontario and Nova Scotia are supporting a framework for collaboration on international credential recognition and post-journeyperson certification. Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the provinces will collaborate to improve recognition of international credentials for skilled trades professionals (Full Story)

August 15, 2024 - Ontario Helping More Women Build Skills and Get Jobs - The Ontario government is investing up to $8.2 million over three years through the Women's Economic Security Program to support eight programs in Toronto that will help women gain the skills, knowledge and experience they need to find a job, start a business and achieve financial independence. This funding is part of the government's investment of up to $26.7 million over three years in 25 local programs across the province that provide career training opportunities for women. (Full Story)

August 15, 2024 - Ontario court clarifies post-employment liabilities, obligations for employees - One of the most time-consuming and costly areas of employment law concerns the obligations departing employees owe their employers, and how employers can protect themselves from a departing employee's breach. In Titus v. Hack, 2024 ONSC 3666, the Ontario Superior Court clarified the various duties employees owe their former employers and the consequences for breaching them. (Full Story)

August 14, 2024 - New protections spell positive change for Ontario's seasonal and temporary farm workers - The last wave of seasonal agricultural workers will shortly be arriving in Ontario for the start of fall harvest, particularly apples. As employers and communities prepare to welcome these workers, Ontario farmers point to how much positive change has taken place in recent years around the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) and the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program's agricultural stream. (Full Story)

August 14, 2024 - Finding a job is tough when you have a disability - and Ontario's revamped employment system isn't helping - Disabled Ontarians unable to work are left to what advocates routinely describe as "legislated poverty": $1,368 a month for the Ontario Disability Support Program or $733 a month for Ontario Works. Neither program covers the cost of a one-bedroom apartment anywhere in Ontario. And according the 2018 auditor general's report, Ontario Works wasn't a great path to employment. It found just 10 to 13 per cent of OW recipients left the program for employment over a five-year period. (Full Story)

August 14, 2024 - Canadian Tim Hortons locations are hiring more foreign workers than any year prior - Ontario-based Tim Hortons locations have received backlash for the utilization of a common Canadian foreign worker hiring program. Information on the Canadian food service industry emerged in a recent report published by Bloomberg this week, which indicated that Tim Hortons has experienced an increase in temporary foreign workers in recent years. According to data in the report, the number of temporary foreign workers approved to work in the Canadian food and retail sectors jumped 211 per cent between 2019 and 2023. (Full Story)

August 9, 2024 - Ontario Added More Than 22,000 Jobs in July - The Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, issued the following statement on today's monthly employment release by Statistics Canada, which showed Ontario added more than 22,000 jobs in July. "Last month, we announced a historic expansion of the Skills Development Fund (SDF) Training Stream, committing up to an additional $260 million - the largest investment in skills training in the province's history. This new investment will help tackle the province's labour shortages and connect more workers with better jobs and bigger paycheques" (Full Story)

July 29, 2024 - Ontario Investing Up to $260 Million to Train Workers - The Ontario government's Skills Development Fund (SDF) Training Stream opens today, with up to an additional $260 million available, the biggest funding round since the Fund launched in 2021. Building on the success of the previous four rounds, the fifth round will help tackle Ontario's labour shortage by connecting jobseekers with employers, allowing them to begin rewarding careers in in-demand sectors such as manufacturing, construction and technology. (Full Story)

June 10, 2024 - Ontario Creating Pathways for Youth to Enter the Skilled Trades - The Ontario government is investing over $4.7 million through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) in three Niagara Region-based projects that will provide free training to 2,318 youth, apprentices and jobseekers that will prepare them for in-demand careers in the skilled trades. This brings Ontario's total investment in skills development and training through SDF to nearly $1.1 billion that supports the hiring, training, and retaining of youth in the skilled trades. (Full Story)

August 19, 2024 - Safety In Health Care  - There are thousands of health care workers on PEI, and they play a crucial role in the health and well-being of Islanders. The WCB is committed to making sure health care workers are safe at work. Health care workers face many hazards in their workplace such as using sharp equipment or needlesticks, dealing with violence in the workplace, and patient handling. Other than these industry-specific hazards, health care workers can face more common ones such as slips, trips and falls, working alone, chemicals, infectious diseases and more. (Full Story)

August 12, 2024 - Job creation stalled on P.E.I. for almost a year - A seven-year run of rapid job growth on P.E.I., interrupted by the pandemic, appears to be over. Statistics Canada's labour force survey for July, released on Friday, listed the Island's unemployment rate at 8.9 per cent, an increase from 8.0 per cent in June. The change was mostly due to more Islanders in the workforce as the province's population continues to grow. (Full Story)

August 9, 2024 - Labour Force Survey Monthly - Statistics Canada's LFS shows P.E.I.'s seasonally adjusted employment in July totaled 91,700, an increase of 3,200 from one year ago and down 400 from last month. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 8.9 percent, up 0.8 percentage points as compared to July 2023 and up 0.9 percentage points from last month. The total labour force totaled 100,700 in July. (Full Story)

July 8, 2024 - Enhanced Compensation for Psychological Injuries - The Workers Compensation Board (WCB) of PEI is pleased to share that it will be broadening compensation coverage to include psychological injuries that result from work-related harassment. This change will take effect January 1, 2025. The WCB will be communicating with workplaces over the coming months to make them aware of their rights and responsibilities related to this change in compensation coverage. (Full Story)

July 5, 2024 - P.E.I. unemployment rate rises to 8% - With job creation on Prince Edward Island stagnant over the last nine months, and the workforce continuing to grow with the population, the province's unemployment rate is rising. Statistics Canada released its June Labour Force Survey Friday morning. The unemployment rate was up almost a full percentage point, to 8.0 per cent. Employment on the Island increased through most of 2023, starting in January with 84,500 jobs and climbing to 92,100 in September. (Full Story)

June 5, 2024 - New report goes bold on temporary foreign worker program: Getting rid of it 'could solve this all' - The best way to fix problems with Canada's temporary foreign worker program may be to get rid of it, according to a new report. The report - Permanent Jobs, Temporary People: Temporary Foreign Workers' Struggle for Permanent Residency in Prince Edward Island - is a joint project involving Dalhousie and St. Thomas universities, P.E.I.'s Cooper Institute and the Madhu Verma Migrant Justice Centre. (Full Story)

August 9, 2024 - Saskatchewan Adds Nearly 23,000 Jobs, Leads Nation in Growth - Statistics Canada's latest labour force numbers show that Saskatchewan added 22,900 new jobs year-over-year in the month of July, ranking second among provinces in terms of percentage change at 3.9 per cent. This is the largest number of jobs added year-over-year since July 2022. Saskatchewan has the lowest unemployment rate, seasonally adjusted, among provinces at 5.4 per cent, well below the national average of 6.4 per cent. (Full Story)

July 4, 2024 - Province's immigration act comes into force - The Immigration Services Act out of Saskatchewan has officially taken effect, enhancing Saskatchewan's ability to manage and monitor the immigration system and protect foreign workers from exploitation, according to the provincial government. The legislation came into force on July 1. (Full Story)

July 2, 2024 - Minimum Wage Set to Increase October 1 - On October 1, 2024, the minimum wage in Saskatchewan will increase to $15 an hour. In 2022 the Government of Saskatchewan indicated it would make incremental increases to minimum wage over a two year period. In 2022 the minimum wage was increased from $11.81 to $13, followed by a $1 increase each year following until the minimum wage reached $15. (Full Story)

June 22, 2024 - Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce advocates for lowering working age to 13 - Young teens in Saskatchewan may soon be able to land their first legal job sooner. The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce has proposed allowing 13-year-olds to work as part of its policy recommendations issued in a news release on June 13. The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce released its policy platform for the 2024 provincial election, Fueling Momentum 2024. (Full Story)

June 14, 2024 - Amendments to the Workers' Compensation Act Come Into Force This October - On October 1, 2024 amendments to The Workers' Compensation Act, 2013 will come into force, including the expansion of occupational disease coverage to include six additional forms of cancer (penile, pancreatic, thyroid, soft tissue sarcoma, mesothelioma and laryngeal cancer) for firefighters. (Full Story)

July 20, 2024 - Yukon anti-poverty group puts living wage for single Yukoners at $28.39/hr - Assessing what it takes to make ends meet in Whitehorse in 2024, the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition (YAPC) has found that a full-time job earning at least $28.39 per hour is required for single residents of the city. Released on July 18, YAPC's report is its first to consider the costs for single people living alone, while they previously reported on living wages required for a family of two working adults and two children. (Full Story)

June 20, 2024 - These Yukoners are among the many Canadians dealing with workplace burnout - Many Yukoners are feeling tired, and not because it's the time of year where the sun hardly sets. Several Yukoners said they're feeling tired as a result of burnout. Burnout is defined as a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. (Full Story)