March 8, 2021 - Projected wage increases 'fall short' - Negotiated wage increases for unionized workers are forecast to increase by 1.6 per cent for 2021 - down from an actual increase of two per cent actual in 2020, according to the Conference Board of Canada. Factoring in all the budgeted items - such as negotiated increases, merit, economic, step progression - overall salary increases are expected to be 1.6 per cent in 2021, compared to the increase negotiated for 2020 (1.9 per cent). (Full Story)

February 23, 2021 - 'Essential' not 'critical': Workers surprised to discover they won't receive benefit - Some frontline workers deemed essential under previous public health restrictions say they're frustrated to discover they do not qualify for the recently announced Critical Worker Benefit. The joint federal-provincial program will issue a one-time $1,200 cheque to about 380,000 eligible Alberta workers this spring, meant to act as a sort of retroactive danger pay. (Full Story)

February 19, 2021 - Alberta government changes criteria to include non-profit workers in $1,200 benefit - Frontline workers at some Alberta non-profits will get the $1,200 benefit for serving in critical roles throughout the pandemic after the government appeared to take a U-turn Thursday. When the Critical Worker Benefit application portal opened Wednesday evening, it specifically listed non-profit organizations in the private sector as ineligible. (Full Story)

February 19, 2021 - Non-profits, other employers frustrated by Alberta critical worker benefit program - At Boyle Street Community Services, workers are often in close contact with vulnerable clients. Director of operations Ian Mathieson says throughout the pandemic, employees have driven vulnerable people around, helped lift them off the ground or offered medical care - all without complaint. So, it was with frustration this week that he scrolled through the details of the Alberta government's critical worker benefit program, unable to decipher which of his employees qualify for a one-time, $1,200 pandemic bonus for frontline workers. (Full Story)

February 10, 2021 - Premier Kenney announces one-time $1,200 critical worker benefit for Albertans - Premier Jason Kenney announces nearly half a billion in supports for front-line workers in health-care, retail, education, social services, transportation, warehouses and more who face exposure to COVID-19 on the job. Kenney announced, in partnership with the federal government, a one-time $1,200 critical worker benefit for thousands of employees in both the public and private sector who have worked at least 300 hours between this past October and January. (Full Story)

January 29, 2021 - New online service makes trades verification easier - The Tradesperson Credential Verification Service is part of the Government of Alberta's commitment to reducing red tape. The service gives employers streamlined, online access to verify the credentials of a skilled tradesperson or apprentice. The Tradesperson Credential Verification Service means employers no longer need to request credential verification over the phone. Instead, they can now access this important information 24 hours a day, seven days a week. (Full Story)

March 1, 2021 - New business owners who don't qualify for COVID-19 aid petition Ottawa for help - Small-business owners in B.C. who opened their doors for the first time in 2020 - thereby making them ineligible for COVID-19 government support - are petitioning the federal government to help them keep those doors open. They are asking Ottawa to support new hospitality businesses that are excluded from the emergency wage, rent subsidy and emergency business loan programs because they did not earn revenue in 2019. (Full Story)

March 5, 2021 - Inclusive employment pilot lights the way in Powell River - A new inclusive employment pilot project is providing eligible Powell River residents with on-the-job work experience and skills training while they earn a fair wage in a new social enterprise. Now in its seventh month of operation, 25 people are getting work experience on the project. More than 80% of workers on the project experience developmental disabilities and/or multiple barriers to employment. (Full Story)

March 1, 2021 - Continued support for employers receiving CEWS - WorkSafeBC is continuing to waive premiums for employers who are approved to receive the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) for furloughed workers (employees on leave with full or partial pay). In support of this, a 2021 worksheet is available for employers to calculate the amounts to exclude from assessable payroll for furloughed workers who were eligible for a CEWS subsidy for the 2021 claim periods. Employers need to maintain documentation to identify workers who were furloughed as a result of this provincial health emergency. (Full Story)

February 23, 2021 - Recovery grants support jobs in rural communities - People living in rural communities throughout the province will soon benefit from B.C. government grants that will support new jobs and economic opportunities to help them recover from the impacts of COVID-19. Rural Economic Recovery (RER) program grants will support communities recovering from the economic impacts of COVID-19 and build their economies for the future. (Full Story)

February 8, 2021 - Micro credentials fast track to high-demand jobs - Micro credentials are a key part of a new initiative that will fast-track British Columbians to gain the education and skills they need for high-demand jobs. A total investment of $4 million has enabled 15 public post-secondary institutions to provide short-duration micro credentials for more than 2,000 British Columbians who need to reskill or upskill, so they can take advantage of opportunities in high-demand sectors. These will be especially helpful for those individuals whose employment has been impacted by COVID-19. (Full Story)

February 5, 2021 - Reskilling program helps British Columbians return to work - A new Skills Training for Economic Recovery program will help COVID-19-affected people to get access to new training opportunities for high-demand jobs. Government's $20-million investment is providing short-term skills training to people most affected by COVID-19 so they can develop the knowledge, skills and competencies for good job opportunities while the economy recovers. Almost 2,500 British Columbians will be able to quickly build the skills needed to access jobs that are in demand and get back to work sooner. (Full Story)

February 5, 2021 - B.C. employment growth flattens in January as province adds 2,800 jobs - It appears B.C. is done for the time being with adding tens of thousands of jobs each month. Employment expanded by 2,800 jobs in January - down from the 3,800 jobs added in December, according to data released Friday (Feb. 5) from Statistics Canada. Growth the past two months is a far cry from mid-2020, when B.C. was adding anywhere from 15,000 to 120,000 jobs each month as the economy rebounded from the pandemic. (Full Story)

March 5, 2021 - Manitoba offers tax payment deadline break for some businesses - Some Manitoba businesses are getting a COVID-related deadline break on certain tax payments. The leniency, also offered in March 2020, is due to the financial toll of the pandemic, the province said in a Friday news release. Small and medium-sized businesses - those with monthly remittances of $10,000 or less - had been given until March 31, 2021, to pay their retail sales tax. (Full Story)

March 4, 2021 - Manitoba's new apprenticeship changes come too little too late: industry experts - New changes are making it easier to keep Manitoba's apprenticeship programs up to date, but some experts are wondering why now? The province announced on Wednesday the Apprenticeship and Certification Amendment Act itself was amended - a move that promises to cut down on red tape and delays when updating the program. (Full Story)

March 3, 2021 - Province Introduces Amendments That Would Improve The Apprenticeship And Certification Amendment Act - The Manitoba government is making amendments to the Apprenticeship and Certification Act to modernize the way Manitoba updates Red Seal and provincial training standards and reduce the administrative burden for industry, journeypersons and apprentices. As part of a recent review, the province heard industry frustrations over delays and found red tape is delaying Manitoba's ability to update and harmonize trade standards. (Full Story)

February 10, 2021 - Reporting Contractor Earnings to the WCB - If you hire an individual or independent business without coverage, they are considered your worker and you would be liable for their coverage. You can search the WCB Clearance Request System to check if contractors have their own coverage. If they don't, you are required to include their earnings in your payroll calculations. (Full Story)

February 10, 2021 - Your Assessable Payroll - What to Include - Each year, employers are required to report their payroll to the WCB, which is how we calculate the premiums that you pay. Payroll includes workers' earnings, casual labour earnings and the labour reporting of contract workers' earnings. The amount you report, per worker, is subject to a cap, or a maximum assessable earnings level. You're not charged a premium on the earnings that exceed the cap, which in 2021 is $127,000. (Full Story)

February 8, 2021 - Province Partnering With Opportunities For Employment To Provide Supports For EIA Recipients Facing Employment Barriers - The Manitoba government is investing $1.9 million in a partnership with not-for-profit corporation Opportunities for Employment (OFE) to deliver three programs that will connect Employment and Income Assistance (EIA) participants with training and employment services. This investment will support OFE to connect single parents receiving EIA and others facing barriers to employment with additional tailored supports. (Full Story)

March 9, 2021 - New Brunswick farm groups upset with new restrictions for temporary foreign workers - Agriculture groups in New Brunswick are calling on the provincial government to rethink new restrictions on temporary foreign workers. Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick president Lisa Ashworth says farmers have been told that temporary foreign workers will have to quarantine inside individual bedrooms for 14 days upon arrival. Farmers had been able to quarantine workers together on farms as long as workers were able to remain two metres apart. (Full Story)

March 2, 2021 - Helping workers in New Brunswick develop the skills they need to find good jobs - An additional $1.5 billion has been announced for training Canadian workers through the Workforce Development Agreements (WDAs) with provinces and territories. The Government of New Brunswick has received $22 million to help respond to the increased number of New Brunswick residents looking to re-enter the workforce, particularly those in hard-hit sectors and groups disadvantaged as a result of the pandemic. As the Canadian economy recovers from the impact of COVID-19, workers are facing new challenges. Residents of New Brunswick and all Canadians need access to training and employment supports to develop new skills and find good jobs. (Full Story)

February 23, 2021 - Minimum wage to increase April 1 - The provincial government is increasing the minimum wage to $11.75 per hour on April 1, from the current rate of $11.70 per hour. The minimum wage rate is indexed to New Brunswick's consumer price index, rounded to the nearest five cents. The New Brunswick consumer price index grew by 0.22 per cent in 2020. There are currently about 20,000 minimum wage earners in New Brunswick, or about six per cent of the paid workforce. (Full Story)

February 9, 2021 - New Brunswick temporarily accepting PNP applications from labourers - Eligible labourers in New Brunswick who want to become Canadian permanent residents can now apply for a provincial nomination. Temporary workers working in these types of occupations will be able to apply for New Brunswick's Provincial Nominee Program up until April 30, 2021, according to a media release. (Full Story)

February 2, 2021 - Notice to employers: payments and payroll reports - WorkSafeNB has announced that due to COVID-19, they are not accepting payments or processing Form 100s at their office locations. They say that can pay assessments at the Service New Brunswick branch nearest you, or by choosing one of the following options: with credit card at 1 888 762-8600 or Online at snb.ca. More information is available at www.worksafenb.ca/employers/. (Full Story)

February 19, 2021 - Employers Reminded Minimum Wage Increase Takes Effect April 1 - The Provincial Government is reminding employers the minimum wage will increase by $0.35 cents on April 1, 2021, bringing the minimum wage rate to $12.50 per hour. This represents the third of a total of four increases to the minimum wage announced in February 2020. (Full Story)

February 16, 2021 - Federal Government Temporarily Waives One-Week Waiting Period for EI Claims - The Federal Government is temporarily waiving the one-week waiting period for Employment Insurance (EI) claimants who establish a new claim between January 31, 2021 and September 25, 2021. This includes claimants of regular, fishing and special benefits. (Full Story)

February 16, 2021 - WorkplaceNL safety training certificates extended to April 30 - WorkplaceNL is extending expiry dates of safety training certificates as training courses may not be widely available while the province is under COVID-19 Alert Level 5. Safety training certificate expiry dates will be extended from February 15 to April 30, 2021. During this time, employers and supervisors must continue to assess their worker's competency to ensure safe work. If competency is not satisfactory, action should be taken accordingly. (Full Story)

February 15, 2021 - Government takes heat for pre-lockdown denial of work-from-home to parenting employees - A single mother in St. John's was forced to take annual leave last week because her employer - the provincial government - said her children prevented her from being eligible to work from home. Another employee asked his manager to allow him to work from home last week. He was denied because his child had no babysitter. He was later identified as a close contact of a coworker who tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced to quarantine along with his child. (Full Story)

February 13, 2021 - Newfoundland and Labrador rotational workers lose seven-day privileges - Rotational workers in Newfoundland and Labrador who work in other parts of Canada have lost a privilege they fought hard for last year as a result of the current outbreak of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 in the province. All rotational workers, domestic and international, must now isolate for 14 days. (Full Story)

March 4, 2021 - Wage Top Up Program Extended to August 31st - The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is extending the Wage Top Up Program to August 31st, 2021. To support low-wage workers during the Covid-19 pandemic, the GNWT has implemented the Wage Top-Up Program to provide temporary financial assistance to NWT workers aged 15 or over and earning less than $18 per hour. (Full Story)

February 28, 2021 - Criminal records a barrier to employment in N.W.T., says MLA - Each government job posting in the N.W.T. has a caveat - that applicants provide a "satisfactory criminal record check" if they want to be considered for a position. With high crime rates in communities, that requirement could be deterring potential applicants from seeking those jobs, said Tu Nedhé-Wıı̀lıı̀deh MLA Steve Norn. (Full Story)

February 9, 2021 - Yukon and N.W.T. both claim lowest unemployment in Canada. What gives? - Last week, the N.W.T. Bureau of Statistics put out a release celebrating some good news for a change: the territory had the lowest unemployment rate in the country. But there was one, tiny problem - the Yukon claimed the same thing. According to their numbers, Yukon's unemployment rate sat at 5.6 per cent, to the N.W.T.'s 5.8 per cent. (Full Story)

February 8, 2021 - N.W.T. has lowest unemployment in country as hundreds more employed in public sector - The N.W.T. has the lowest unemployment rate in Canada, thanks largely to hundreds of people making the move to public administration, a new release from the N.W.T. Bureau of Statistics shows. The latest update on labour force activity from the bureau shows roughly 700 more people working in public administration this month than in January 2020. (Full Story)

February 1, 2021 - Media Release: Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission Announces New e-Service for Workplace Incident Reporting - Employers in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut can now report workplace incidents and injuries online through the e-Business service, WSCC Connect. Reporting requirements under the Workers' Compensation Acts, Safety Acts and Regulations and Mine Health and Safety Acts and Regulations have not changed. All employers must report workplace incidents, injuries or dangerous occurrences to the WSCC by fully completing an Employer's Report of Incident within three business days. (Full Story)

March 8, 2021 - Nova Scotia Will Reevaluate How Minimum Wage Increases Are Calculated - The Nova Scotia government says it will reevaluate how it calculates minimum wage increases in the province. The decision comes in response to a recommendation from the Nova Scotia Minimum Wage Review Committee, an arms-length body that each year reviews the province's minimum wage increases. (Full Story)

March 5, 2021 - Nova Scotia's Approach to Setting Minimum Wage to be Reviewed - The current approach to setting the minimum wage rate in Nova Scotia will be reviewed in the coming months. The review comes as government accepts the recommendation from the Nova Scotia Minimum Wage Review Committee in its annual report. On Jan. 26, government also accepted the committee's recommendation to increase the rate for minimum wage earners to $12.95 an hour. The new rate increase takes effect on April 1. (Full Story)

March 4, 2021 - Despite overall progress, workplace fatalities increased in 2020 - Acute workplace fatalities hit a tragic high in 2020, according to information released today from WCB Nova Scotia and the Department of Labour and Advanced Education (LAE). Eighteen Nova Scotians died from acute traumatic injuries on the job, the highest our province has seen since 2008. There were also 14 fatalities classified as chronic - 7 related to occupational diseases and 7 caused by health related issues, such as heart attacks. (See backgrounder) (Full Story)

March 3, 2021 - Employer Reminder: Subcontractor reports no longer required - The Nova Scotia WCB is reminding employers that they are no longer required to complete and submit formal subcontractor reports to WCB Nova Scotia. If you hire subcontractors who operate in a mandatory industry that do not have WCB Nova Scotia coverage, you should be including the labour portion of those contracts in your regular payroll reporting to the WCB. (Full Story)

January 26, 2021 - Minimum Wage Increasing April 1 - Nova Scotia's minimum wage is increasing on April 1. Today, Jan. 26, Labour and Advanced Education Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced that government has accepted the Minimum Wage Review Committee's recommendation that minimum wage increase by 30 cents, plus the national consumer price index, which is 10 cents for 2020, resulting in an overall increase of 40 cents an hour. (Full Story)

March 4, 2021 - Average GN salary rises to $95,984, but Inuit and women continue to earn less - The territorial government's workforce expanded by 132 positions in 2019-20 and the average salary reached $95,984, up by $384 from 2018-19. The average annual salary for Nunavut Inuit, who continue to comprise half of the public service, was $86,478. For non-Inuit it was $106,997. Female employees, who comprise 65 per cent of the territorial government's staff, earned an average of $94,841 while male employees were paid $98,634 per year, on average. (Full Story)

February 1, 2021 - Media Release: Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission Announces New e-Service for Workplace Incident Reporting - Employers in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut can now report workplace incidents and injuries online through the e-Business service, WSCC Connect. Reporting requirements under the Workers' Compensation Acts, Safety Acts and Regulations and Mine Health and Safety Acts and Regulations have not changed. All employers must report workplace incidents, injuries or dangerous occurrences to the WSCC by fully completing an Employer's Report of Incident within three business days. (Full Story)

March 8, 2021 - McNaughton: $23-million plan tackles 'looming crisis' in Ontario skilled trades - The Ontario government is making a renewed pushed to get more people into the trades, spending $23 million to encourage businesses to hire apprentices. The money, part of the government's Achievement Incentive program that was announced on March 5, will give as much as $4,000 to employers for each apprentice hired as they complete their training and certifications. (Full Story)

March 5, 2021 - Ontario Setting Up Apprentices and Employers for Success - The Ontario government is investing $47 million in 2021-22 to hire more apprentices, improve the quality of training and help them complete their training and certification through the new Achievement Incentive Program and the expanded Apprenticeship Capital Grant. These programs are designed to support those who train apprentices, such as businesses, colleges and other training organizations, providing more young people with high quality training that will lead to successful careers. (Full Story)

March 3, 2021 - Ontario Hires 100 Additional Health and Safety Inspectors - The Ontario government has hired over 100 new occupational health and safety inspectors to support business inspection campaigns, and help ensure employees, businesses and the public are protected. The new inspectors have begun a condensed training program, and will begin making field visits, with a mentor, within five weeks of their start date. They are scheduled to be fully trained and deployed by July 1, 2021. (Full Story)

February 20, 2021 - Connecting newcomers to northeastern Ontario with employment opportunities - The federal government recently announced funding to address labour needs of businesses in Northeastern Ontario. Fednor funding for the Northern Policy Institute connects migrant and immigrant workers with workplaces seeking to recruit employees. Nickel Belt M.P. Marc Serré often hears about the need for skilled labour in Northeastern Ontario. (Full Story)

February 5, 2021 - Applications Open for Ontario's New Skills Development Fund - Applications are now open for the Ontario government's new two-year $115 million Skills Development Fund. The fund, which will support workers and apprentices, is specifically designed to address the challenges brought on by COVID-19 and help reduce obstacles to hiring, training and retaining while preparing workers for the province's economic recovery. (Full Story)

March 1, 2021 - Province announces supports for impacted workers - The province is launching supports to help Islanders get through the latest modified red level restricted measures related to COVID-19. The Prince Edward Island Emergency Payment for Workers is a $500 payment for workers and self-employed Islanders who have completely lost their income or will have their hours reduced by at least 12 hours a week from February 28 to March 14, 2021. (Full Story)

February 24, 2021 - Employers can apply for wage support under Jobs for Youth - Employers on PEI can apply for wage support to create summer job opportunities for Island students. The Jobs for Youth Program supports non-profit organizations, municipalities, and public and private businesses with funding to create summer jobs for students aged 15-29 who plan to return to school in the following school year. (Full Story)

February 5, 2021 - Unemployment rate on P.E.I. dives to 2nd lowest rate in Canada - The unemployment rate on P.E.I. fell two full percentage points in January, dropping it well below the national average, which rose, and second only to Saskatchewan. The P.E.I. rate fell from 9.9 per cent to 7.9 per cent. Nationally the rate rose 0.6 to 9.4 per cent. The rate was down due to both strong growth in jobs and large numbers of people leaving the labour force. (Full Story)

February 8, 2021 - Changes to the WCB's Employer's Initial Report of Injury (E1) form - To continuously improve our customer service, the Saskatchewan Workers' Compensation Board has made changes to the online E1 form. The new features of the online E1 form include: A document upload feature, Fewer required fields, Fewer questions, and an enhanced dashboard that gives the users a better view of what E1s are submitted and saved. When you submit your E1 form online, the form is automatically entered into the WCB system, which eliminates delays that can occur if mailed. (Full Story)

February 5, 2021 - Saskatchewan Records Lowest Unemployment Rate in Canada - The Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey released today shows Saskatchewan's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in January 2021 was the lowest among the provinces at 7.2 per cent, and well below the national rate of 9.4 per cent. Saskatchewan's seasonally adjusted employment grew by 2,200 jobs (+0.4 per cent) on a month-to-month basis. (Full Story)

February 3, 2021 - Ensuring Job Protection for Employees Accessing Benefits Under the Federal Recovery Program - The Government of Saskatchewan announced amendments to The Employment Standards Regulations that will extend job protection to employees looking to access the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit and Caregiving Benefit. The amendments ensure employees that are accessing the new federal recovery benefits will have jobs to return to after taking leave due to a COVID illness or caring for a family member. (Full Story)

February 3, 2021 - Standardized Personal Protective Safety Equipment Increases Workplace Safety and Encourages Economic Growth - Saskatchewan has made amendments to The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 1996 that will standardize the workplace requirements for first aid kits based on the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standard Z1220-17 guidelines. (Full Story)

February 15, 2021 - Government of Yukon and Liard First Nation sign job training agreement - Highways and Public Works Minister Richard Mostyn and Liard First Nation Chief Stephen Charlie have announced an agreement to provide heavy equipment operator training. The agreement delivers on the Government of Yukon's commitment under the Yukon Resource Gateway Program to provide training opportunities in the community. (Full Story)

February 9, 2021 - Yukon and N.W.T. both claim lowest unemployment in Canada. What gives? - Last week, the N.W.T. Bureau of Statistics put out a release celebrating some good news for a change: the territory had the lowest unemployment rate in the country. But there was one, tiny problem - the Yukon claimed the same thing. According to their numbers, Yukon's unemployment rate sat at 5.6 per cent, to the N.W.T.'s 5.8 per cent. (Full Story)

Jan. 28, 2021 - Yukon employers to receive $10-million in rebates from Workers' Compensation Board - The Yukon Workers' Compensation Health and Safety Board is issuing $10 million in rebates to employers this month. Employers with an account in good standing will receive rebate cheques based on the total premiums paid in 2020. According to Heather Avery, Workers' Compensation Board spokesperson, employers with outstanding assessment rate payments will see the rebate funnelled directly into their accounts. (Full Story)