Employment and labour relations in Canada are regulated at both the federal and provincial levels. Most employees are governed by the law of the province in which they work. Federal jurisdiction is limited principally to federal works and undertakings, including interprovincial transportation, pipelines, telecommunications, broadcasting and banking. An operation with employees in several provinces may therefore be subject to several employment regimes.
The general framework includes employment standards establishing minimum requirements for wages, hours, leave, vacation, termination and related matters; labour-relations legislation supporting certification and collective bargaining; and occupational health and safety legislation requiring safe workplaces and permitting regulatory enforcement. The details and administering agencies vary by jurisdiction, so employers should identify the applicable federal or provincial regime at the outset.
Provincial and federal employment standards frameworks remain the primary source of law in this area. The federal government enacted a ban on the use of replacement workers during a strike or lockout at federally regulated workplaces (Canada Labour Code amendments under Bill C-58), which came into force June 20, 2025, a significant change for federally regulated employers, including in banking, telecommunications and interprovincial transportation. The federal Pay Equity Act, in force since August 31, 2021,...
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