Ontario’s New Pay Transparency Law: What It Means for Women and Working Moms

If you’ve been following Moms at Work for a while, you know we’ve been shouting about pay transparency for years—because moms deserve to know what a job pays before they waste time applying. Well, big news: Ontario is finally catching up. New legislation is coming into effect that will require employers to include salary ranges in job postings. It’s a huge step toward closing the wage gap and giving job seekers—especially women and parents—more power. Here’s what you need to know about the new rules and how they’ll impact your job search.

Starting July 1, 2025, employers in Ontario with more than 25 employees must provide specific pre-employment information. Following this, on January 1, 2026, new rules for job postings and pay transparency will be implemented under the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA). These changes, introduced through the Working for Workers Four Act, 2024 (Bill 149) and the Working for Workers Five Act (Bill 190), create a new “Part III.1” with five rules on advertising and hiring. The amendments are similar to the pay transparency legislation introduced in British Columbia in 2023. This article summarizes the Act’s contents, its implications for employers in Ontario, and considerations for compliance with the new legislation.

Requirements for Employers

Effective July 1, 2025, the employment information to be provided by employers is as follows:

• The employer’s legal name and any trade or business name if different
• The employer’s contact information, including address, phone number, and one or more contact names
• A general description of where the employee is expected to initially perform work
• The employee’s starting wage rate (hourly, salaried, or commission-based, as applicable)
• The pay period and pay day established by the employer
• A general overview of the employee’s expected initial working hours

This information must be provided to the employee in writing, prior to the employee’s first day of work.

Effective January 1, 2026, the job posting requirements are as follows:

Pay Transparency

Employers are required to:

• Publish expected wage range on all publicly advertised job postings
• This does not include position’s where the expected compensation exceeds $200,000 annually (or the high end of the range exceeds $200,000)
• Compensation ranges must not be wider than $50,000 (for example, $100,000 to $150,000)

“Wages” under the ESA include all forms of monetary compensation for work. Employers must consider STIP, LTIP, etc. when determining compliance.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Disclosure

Employers clearly state whether AI technology is used at any stage of the hiring process including screening, evaluating, or choosing applicants.

Vacancy

Job postings must clearly indicate whether the posting is for an existing vacancy or a newly created role.

Canadian Experience

Job postings must not include any requirements related to Canadian work experience. This ensures applicants from diverse backgrounds are not unfairly excluded.

Follow-Up With Interviewees

Employers must inform interviewees of the hiring decision within 45 days of the interview (or final interview if there is more than one) for publicly advertised job postings.

If you want more details, how to talk to your organization about pay transparency and how to advocate for pay transparency where you live grab a copy of our Pay Transparency Handbook

At Moms at Work, we know that pay transparency is a critical step toward closing the wage gap—and this new legislation is a win worth celebrating. But it’s just one piece of the puzzle. We’ll keep pushing for the changes that truly support working mothers across Canada.

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