Ontario to require companies to disclose salary in job listings

Ontario will soon require employers to be more transparent about pay in their job listings.

The Ford government will table a bill that would force companies in the province to include the expected salary ranges when looking for candidates. The legislation would also require businesses to disclose if artificial intelligence (AI) is being used during their hiring process.

The province says the proposed legislation will help give “workers more information to make informed decisions in their career search.”

“At a time when many companies are posting record profits, it is only fair they communicate transparently about how they pay workers,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development in a statement.

“And as the use of artificial intelligence in Ontario skyrockets, our government will continue to take action to ensure workers aren’t excluded from the job market because of technological biases and that their privacy rights are protected.”

The province says the new bill could help close the gender pay gap while allowing employers to find candidates faster and ensure they stick around longer after being offered the job.

Piccini says the exact details are still being worked out and there will be consultation period.

B.C. saw a similar law come into effect on Nov. 1 after the province introduced legislation on more pay transparency earlier this year.

Ontario is also considering banning the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases of workplace sexual harassment, misconduct or violence.

Piccini is set to announce consultations on the issue on Monday, as he discusses his ministry’s next piece of legislation. He says that non-disclosure agreements should never be used to silence victims or to sidestep accountability.