As Ontarians ring in the new year, there are new laws that are going into effect in Ontario.
From updated carbon monoxide alarm rules to including the expected salary in a job posting, here’s a look at some of the notable regulations this new year.
Pay transparency, AI disclosure
Job seekers in Ontario are going to have more information about the position they are applying for.
Publicly posted jobs are going to include the expected salary or compensation range. According to the province, the range must be within $50,000 or less (for example: $75,000-$125,000).
“What we’ll see is that people who are interested in those roles will take a guesswork out of what they had to pay and what they will earn in those opportunities. And that for organizations, likewise, are able to attract the right talent because they’re very transparent about what they can expect to pay them for the job they’re about to do,” David King, senior managing director at employment agency Robert Half, said in an interview with BNN Bloomberg.
“I think that in the past, it was somewhat secretive as to what opportunities would pay, and it would become one of the biggest contentious points in the actual interview process, getting to an agreed number.”
King believes pay transparency will increase competition in the marketplace, as job seekers can compare which company pays more for a similar position.
“With everybody knowing what you’re about to pay, it will definitely either include great candidates because you’re paying on market or exclude great candidates because you’re trying not to pay on market,” he said.
The employer is exempt from disclosing the amount if the expected salary is equivalent to or more than $200,000 per year.
Employers are also going to be prohibited from requiring “Canadian experience” in the job posting.
King says removing the “Canadian experience” requirement is meant to create objectivity around what the job actually requires.
“It does take away the inequity that potentially could occur if an employer was suggesting there was a preference of which country that experience would have been gained in, therefore creating more objectivity and again, more equitableness amongst the labour market,” he said.
Here’s what else is going to be included in Ontario job postings:
- A company must disclose whether artificial intelligence is being used during the vetting process.
- It should also be stated whether the posting is for a current vacancy.
- If a candidate is interviewed, employers are required to inform them within 45 days whether a hiring decision has been made.
- A company must also keep a copy of a job posting and the associated application form for three years, as well as follow-up communications with candidates.
Only companies that employ more than 25 people are required to follow the new job posting rules.
Carbon monoxide alarms
Under the Ontario Fire Code, carbon monoxide (CO) alarms are only required to be installed adjacent to bedrooms in residential homes with fuel-burning appliances and attached garages.
In 2026, homeowners will be required to install additional CO alarms.
All Ontario homes with fuel-burning appliances, fireplaces, attached garages or that are heated by air from a fuel-burning appliance that is not contained within the home are required to have a carbon monoxide alarm adjacent to every sleeping area and on every storey, including those without a sleeping area.
That means CO alarms must be on the main floor and in the basement.
Carbon monoxide is sometimes referred to as a silent killer because it’s a gas with no taste, smell, or colour, and it is non-irritating.
According to the Ontario Poison Centre (OPC), the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning increases in the winter as residents use propane heaters, grills and fires to stay warm indoors. OPC noted that as of 2022, an estimated 300 people die and 200 are hospitalized each year in Canada due to carbon monoxide exposure.
At low levels of exposure, symptoms include tiredness, headaches, flu-like symptoms, shortness of breath and impaired motor functions.
According to Health Canada, at higher levels, people could experience dizziness, chest pain, poor vision and difficulty thinking.
Carbon monoxide at very high levels can cause coma, convulsions, loss of consciousness and even death.
Tougher penalties for impaired driving, vehicle theft
A driver who is convicted of operating a vehicle while impaired and causing death will have their licence suspended indefinitely.
Those who are found guilty of vehicle theft for the first time will have their licence suspended for 10 years. A second conviction would result in a 15-year licence suspension. If the driver gets convicted for a third time or more, it will result in an indefinite licence suspension.
Drivers who are caught racing or performing a stunt on a highway will have to pay a fine between $2,000 and $10,000 and/or face imprisonment of not more than six months. Their licence will also be suspended for a minimum of one year on first conviction, three years on second conviction and indefinitely on subsequent convictions.
The Highway Traffic Act has also been amended to give police the authority to search and seize electronic devices that are intended to be used for vehicle theft.
‘As of Right’ rules expanding
More healthcare workers licensed and credentialed in other provinces can work in Ontario for up to six months while seeking registration with their profession’s Ontario regulator.
Before 2026, Ontario’s “As of Right” rules only applied to physicians, respiratory therapists and medical laboratory technologists from other provinces and territories.
However, as of the new year, 16 additional professions will be able to take advantage of the rule.
They include dental hygienists, dentists, dietitians, midwives, opticians, optometrists, pharmacists and psychologists.
During the rule expansion announcement in October, the province said it wanted to advance “the ongoing work to build a more united and resilient Canadian economy.”
Minimum price for select wines
The province is setting a minimum retail price for five-litre containers of wine in grocery and convenience stores.
Ontario also amended a regulation under the Liquor Licence and Control Act to remove rules for grocery and convenience stores to maintain a dedicated alcohol sales page on their websites.
Energy drinks will also be allowed to be displayed next to alcohol products.
Electronic property assessment notice
The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation will be able to deliver assessment notices to property owners electronically.
Changes to job sites
Defibrillators will be required on construction sites with 20 or more regularly employed workers on a project that will be at least three months long.
A worker trained in CPR and defibrillator operation must be present when work is in progress.
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, employers and constructors are required to keep, maintain and make available records of cleaning of washrooms at sites.
The record must include the date and time of the two most recent cleanings, and it should be posted in a visible place in or near the washroom or electronically available to workers.
Here’s what else is taking effect:
- Hotels and online accommodation providers will be required to keep a register of guests to help support human trafficking investigations by police. Under the Accommodation Sector Registration of Guests Act, a new regulation standardizes how police can access the register.
- A regulation under the Child Care and Early Years Act will not consider the Canadian Disability Benefit Payment when determining eligibility for child care fee subsidies.
- Select provincial parks are having their boundaries change to make way for the widening of Highway 69 as well as to expand and reclassify Devil’s Glen Park.
- Ontarians with a Digital Health Identifier will be able to securely access certain records of their personal health information in the provincial Electronic Health Record.
- The province is also expanding the scope of practice of midwives, including 29 additional tests that they can order and perform five Point of Care Tests.
For more, see the full list of provincial government regulations coming into effect as of Jan. 1, 2026.
