Workforce and business updates for Ontario employers
Short editorial summaries of announcements, data and rule changes that affect employers in Ontario, each with a link to its source and our view on why it matters. We add stories by hand, as we review them.
WSIB will lower its average premium rate for 2027
The average rate falls to $1.18 per $100 of insurable earnings, from $1.23 in 2026. Individual rate statements go online in November.
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GTA industrial availability steady at 5.0% as space keeps filling
CBRE reports a fifth straight quarter of positive absorption in the Toronto-area industrial market, with 2.0 million square feet taken up in the third quarter of 2026.
Read the summaryOntario unemployment held at 7.0% in September; Toronto rose to 7.2%
Statistics Canada's September Labour Force Survey shows employment edging down in Ontario and across Canada, with manufacturing among the industries that shed jobs.
Read the summaryOntario's general minimum wage is now $17.95 an hour
New minimum wage rates took effect on October 1, 2026, and apply until September 30, 2027.
Read the summaryRestaurant and food service sales rose for a seventh straight month in July
Statistics Canada reports food services and drinking places sales of $8.9 billion in July 2026, with Ontario up 0.8% from June.
Read the summaryWorkplace first aid training in Ontario: what changed in June
WSIB-approved first aid training now follows the national CSA Z1210 standard, and certificates from earlier approved providers stay valid until they expire.
Read the summaryJob postings in Ontario: pay ranges, AI disclosure and a 45-day reply
Since January 1, 2026, employers with 25 or more employees must follow new rules for publicly advertised job postings.
Read the summaryThese are editorial summaries of external sources, not original reporting and not legal or financial advice. Always check the source, and the official government page for any rule that applies to you.
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