British Colombia
Effective November 1, 2024, amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OHSR) relating to the provision of occupational first aid take effect. These amendments better align BC with the Canadian Standards Association and include updates to requirements for first aid certifications and training levels, first aid kits, first aid assessments, transportation and first aid drills.

Quebec
In March 2024, Bill 42: An Act to Prevent and Fight Psychological Harassment and Sexual Violence in the Workplace (“Bill 42”) made changes to various statutes in Quebec. These changes included widening the definition of psychological harassment, and introducing a definition of sexual harassment.

By October 1, 2024, employers were required to review/update their policies on psychological harassment prevention to ensure they cover methods for identifying, controlling and eliminating the risks of psychological harassment, a clear complaints procedure and provided training to all employees. In addition, Bill 42 increased the reporting window for incidents of sexual violence in the workplace up to two (2) years and created a stronger connection to workplace illness and leaves.

Federal
On May 2, 2024, Bill C-69 received Royal Assent and provided updates to various Federal statutes in Canada. With this update, the Canada Labour Code will require Federally regulated employers to have a Policy for Disconnecting. This policy should provide general rules respecting work-related communication outside of scheduled working hours and outline the employer’s expectations from its employees. While a rollout date has not yet been announced, we recommend you start to consider your organizational exceptions and exemptions when it comes to disconnecting from work.

General Minimum Wages* across Canada

Jurisdiction

General Minimum Wage Rate

Effective Date

British Columbia

$17.40 

1-Jun-24

Alberta

$15.00 

1-Oct-18

Manitoba

$15.80 

1-Oct-24

New Brunswick

$15.30 

1-Apr-24

Newfoundland and Labrador

$15.60 

1-Apr-24

Northwest Territories

$16.70 

1-Sep-24

Nova Scotia

$15.20 

1-Apr-24

Nunavut

$19.00 

1-Jan-24

Ontario

$17.20 

1-Oct-24

Prince Edward Island

$16.00 

1-Oct-24

Quebec

$15.75 

1-May-24

Saskatchewan

$15.00 

1-Oct-24

Yukon

$17.59

1-Apr-24

*Note: This chart outlines the general minimum wages across Canada, for other groups (ex. students, homeworkers, etc.) please refer to the specific employment standards or reach out to an advisor.

As always, if you have any questions regarding the impact of these changes on your workplace, please do not hesitate to contact ClientCare.