People

Services

Industries

Firm

About

Knowledge

Careers

News

Events

Contact

Connect

Privacy Policy

Disclaimer

Terms of Use

Accessibility

Legal

Calgary

Toronto

Edmonton

Ottawa

Vancouver

New York

Montréal

Katelyn Weller

Counsel at Bennett Jones Toronto

Counsel

Carl Cunningham

Management-side Employment Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Partner

The 2025 Federal Budget proposes significant employment law changes, including restrictions on non-compete agreements and new measures to address worker misclassification and wage theft. Federally regulated employers should prepare for upcoming consultations in early 2026.

Federal Budget Proposals Affecting Employers

David Cassin

Employment Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice’s recent decision in Wigdor v Facebook Canada Ltd, 2025 ONSC 4051 provides helpful clarity for employers on two key issues: the enforceability of restricted stock unit (RSU) forfeiture provisions, and the legal threshold for awarding punitive damages in employment disputes.

Forfeiture Clause Upheld

Forfeiture Clause Upheld, Punitive Damages Denied: Favourable Takeaways for Employers

Brendan J. Weiler

Employment Services Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Associate

On May 28, 2025, the Ontario government introduced <a href="https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-44/session-1/bill-30">Bill 30, Working for Workers Seven Act, 2025</a> (Bill 30), representing the latest addition to a series of legislative initiatives that Ontario has seen introduced under the “Working for Workers” headline since October 2021.

Ontario Introduces Bill 30

Ontario Introduces Bill 30, Working for Workers Seven Act, 2025

Ontario has recently published regulations offering employers further details on the new amendments to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) related to the hiring process. These changes were initially introduced under the Working for Workers Four Act, 2024 (Bill 149) and the Working for Workers Five Act, 2024 (Bill 190) as part of Ontario’s “Working for Workers” legislation series, which received Royal Assent earlier this year. We previously discussed these changes in our updates, <a href="https://www.bennettjones.com/Blogs-Section/More-Legislative-Changes-on-the-Horizon-for-Ontario-Employers">More Legislative Changes on the Horizon for Ontario Employers</a> and <a href="https://www.bennettjones.com/Blogs-Section/More-Legislative-Changes-for-Ontario-Employers">More Legislative Changes for Ontario Employers as Ontario’s Working for Workers Five Act, 2024 Receives Royal Assent</a>. The regulations are accessible <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/r24476?highlight=false&lang=en&option=%7B%22year%22%3A%22All%22%2C%22selection%22%3A%5B%22regulation%22%5D%7D&paging=%7B%22page%22%3A1%2C%22pageSize%22%3A50%2C%22sort%22%3A%22Newest%22%7D&searchMode=browse&searchWithin=%5B%22title%22%2C%22body%22%5D&searchWithinResult=false&selection=source+law&text=&trigger=1&useExact=false&withinResultSearch=" target="_blank">here</a> and <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/r24477?highlight=false&lang=en&option=%7B%22year%22%3A%22All%22%2C%22selection%22%3A%5B%22regulation%22%5D%7D&paging=%7B%22page%22%3A1%2C%22pageSize%22%3A50%2C%22sort%22%3A%22Newest%22%7D&searchMode=browse&searchWithin=%5B%22title%22%2C%22body%22%5D&searchWithinResult=false&selection=source+law&text=&trigger=1&useExact=false&withinResultSearch=" target="_blank">here</a>.

New Regulations Regarding the Hiring Process Key Dates and Information for Ontario Employers

New Regulations Regarding the Hiring Process: Key Dates and Information for Ontario Employers

The U.S. and global economies proved resilient in 2025. There were reasons, particularly around U.S. President Donald Trump&rsquo;s April 1 &ldquo;Liberation Day,&rdquo; to fear a global trade war or corrections in financial markets that would cause a recession in the United States and a sharp slowing of the global economy. In fact, while growth in the United States and most major economies slowed in 2025, other policy and market factors offset at least in part the early effect of disruptive policies by the U.S. administration. The United States&rsquo;s trading partners chose to avoid an all-out trade war, and most negotiated some form of accommodation with President Trump.

Economic Outlook 2026

Adapting to a New World: From Ambition to Investment

Stephen D. Burns

Technology Lawyer, Intellectual Property Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner, Trademark Agent

Benjamin K. Reingold

Intellectual Property Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

David Wainer

Commercial Transactions Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

This end-of-year overview examines the Federal Government&rsquo;s rapid expansion of AI-related funding in 2025, from large-scale investments in data centres and public compute infrastructure to programs supporting AI access, adoption and domestic research. It also explores the new commitments announced in Budget 2025 and signals key trends to watch in 2026 as Canada strengthens its AI ecosystem.

Canadas AI Efforts in 2025 A Year in Review

Canada's AI Efforts in 2025: A Year in Review

Laura Inglis

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Edmonton

Christine Plante

Civil Fraud Recovery, Employment and Shareholder Disputes Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

David M. Price

Employment Services Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Effective January 1, 2026, Alberta will increase job-protected long-term illness and injury leave from 16 to 27 weeks. This update aligns Alberta with other leading Canadian jurisdictions that recently implemented similar extended leaves. Employers will need to revisit their workplace policies to ensure compliance with the new requirements. The blog explains the legislative amendments and their implications for employers.

Alberta Aligns with Other Provinces in Extending Long Term Illness and Injury Leave

Ashley L. Paterson

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Morgan Sutherland

Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Associate 

Health Canada has proposed amendments to the Medical Devices Regulations focused on modernizing the MDEL framework. The changes would affect importer&ndash;distributor relationships, mandatory supplier disclosures, and safety documentation requirements. This update summarizes the key proposals and their potential impacts on MDEL holders and applicants.

Health Canada Proposes Amendments to MDEL Holders and Applicants

Cameron Penn

Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Tami Oguntona

Articling Student at Bennett Jones in Calgary 

Articling Student 

British Columbia has introduced new limits on when employers may request sick notes and created a 27-week unpaid leave for serious personal illness or injury. This update outlines the key legislative changes and their practical impact on employer policies.

What the Doctor Ordered British Columbia

What the Doctor Ordered: British Columbia Updates Rules on Employee Sick Notes and Introduces Serious Personal Illness and Injury Leave

Carl Cunningham Discusses Employers Accommodating Medical Marijuana Use

From the Same Authors