• Competition Bureau chief urges limits on non-compete clauses for workers

  Source: Global News Politics
  Date: 2026-10-29 17:35:50.0
  Tags: [National, Ontario, Labour, Economy]

  Interim Commissioner of Competition Jeanne Pratt sent a letter on October 29 calling on provincial and territorial governments to limit the use of non-compete clauses to foster more competitive labour markets. Citing an OECD survey showing Canada has one of the highest prevalence rates of non-compete clauses—covering between 29 and 39 percent of private-sector employees, with 30 percent of firms applying them to all employees regardless of role—the Competition Bureau highlighted negative impacts on wage growth, job mobility, and entrepreneurship. The federal government committed in its 2025 budget to restricting non-compete agreements, while Ontario remains the only province to have enacted a statutory ban through its Employment Standards Act in 2021, which prohibits most new employment non-competes except for senior executives and the sale of a business.

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• Joly says she will meet with Stelco owner if company gives 'concrete' plan to bring workers back

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-10-29 13:55:47.0
  Tags: [National, Ontario, Economy, Trade, Labour, Industry]

  Federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly issued a letter to Paul Simon, president of Stelco, stating she will only meet with the company and its American parent firm, Cleveland-Cliffs, if they provide a concrete plan to immediately recall 300 to 350 laid-off workers at the Hamilton steel plant. The dispute follows recent layoffs and public remarks by Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves regarding the rationale behind the 2024 acquisition. Minister Joly is evaluating potential legal action for non-compliance with undertakings under the Investment Canada Act, which require maintaining unionized employee levels at 2024 figures through 2029.

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• U.S. steel CEO's 'confessions' for buying Stelco prompted government to call its lawyers: industry minister

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-10-28 16:11:32.0
  Tags: [National, Ontario, Industry, Labour, Trade, Economy]

  Federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly stated that department lawyers were consulted following public comments by Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves regarding the acquisition of Hamilton-based steelmaker Stelco. Goncalves admitted in a media interview that Cleveland-Cliffs purchased Stelco in 2024 specifically to prevent it from undercutting U.S. production facilities, prompting Ottawa to review potential legal consequences under the Investment Canada Act. The federal government previously issued a 15-day ultimatum to Cleveland-Cliffs demanding the reversal of announced layoffs at Stelco to maintain unionized employment levels agreed upon through 2029, threatening court action that could include financial penalties or forced divestment.

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• The owner of Ace Liquor and Spiritleaf raises its bet on U.S. cannabis, as its manufacturing arm faces a strategic review

  Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
  Date: 2026-10-28 11:00:16.0
  Tags: [Alberta, British Columbia, Economy, Industry, Labour, Trade]

  Edmonton-based retailer SNDL Inc., owner of Ace Liquor, Value Buds, and Spiritleaf, is conducting a strategic review and weighing the potential sale of its unprofitable Canadian cannabis production assets while exiting the dried flower business. The company reported a $52-million write-down and a 28 per cent year-over-year sales drop in its weed production segment, alongside cutting its workforce at its Kelowna, British Columbia manufacturing facility by more than 30 per cent. Simultaneously, SNDL invested $60.8 million into the United States market, acquiring approximately a 92 per cent stake in a partnership controlling Parallel, an American cannabis grower and retailer operating over 50 locations across Florida, Texas, and Massachusetts.

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• Canada-EU summit will kick off formal talks on closer ties: Carney

  Source: Global News Politics
  Date: 2026-10-27 17:05:20.0
  Tags: [National, Trade, Economy, Labour, Resources, Mining]

  Prime Minister Mark Carney is meeting with European Union President Ursula von der Leyen and other EU officials in Montreal for a summit launching formal negotiations on an enhanced alliance and deeper partnership over the next year. The talks follow the 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and encompass specialized labour mobility, potential Canadian participation in the Erasmus+ student exchange program, and critical minerals collaboration to reduce reliance on China. Additionally, the European Investment Bank has applied for an exemption from Canadian foreign banking rules to operate domestically as part of the critical minerals framework.

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• Cleveland-Cliffs says Stelco in 'full compliance' with commitments to Ottawa, wants to meet with Joly

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-10-27 12:14:41.0
  Tags: [National, Ontario, Trade, Labour, Industry, Economy]

  Ohio-based parent company Cleveland-Cliffs announced that Stelco is in full compliance with its 34 undertakings under the Investment Canada Act, following a demand letter from Industry Minister Mélanie Joly giving the company a 15-day deadline to reverse 300 to 350 layoffs in Hamilton and 50 layoffs at the Lake Erie Works in Nanticoke. Despite Cleveland-Cliffs citing U.S. tariffs and the need to ensure company survival for the cutbacks, Joly rejected the rationale and stated that market changes do not relieve the company of its binding commitments. Cleveland-Cliffs requested a meeting with Minister Joly and CEO Lourenco Goncalves to discuss resuming full employment for the affected workers, though the minister has not yet responded.

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• Ontario Funding More Than 2,900 Additional Seats in Northeast Ontario to Prepare Students for In-Demand Careers

  Source: Ontario - Ministry of Colleges and Universities
  Date: 2026-10-26 20:30:00.0
  Tags: [Ontario, Education, Labour, Healthcare, Economy]

  The Ontario government is investing $60 million to fund 2,946 additional postsecondary seats across eight institutions in Northeast Ontario, including Algoma University, Nipissing University, Collège Boréal, Sault College, Northern College, Canadore College, Cambrian College, and Université de Hearst. This funding is part of a broader $1.7 billion investment supporting more than 70,000 new seats province-wide in high-demand sectors such as STEM, health care, education, and trades, with enrollment beginning in the fall 2026 academic year. The initiative is designed to address regional labour market needs and develop a highly skilled workforce within the postsecondary sector.

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• Ontario Funding More Than 2,700 Additional Seats at Toronto Metropolitan University to Prepare Students for In-Demand Careers

  Source: Ontario - Ministry of Colleges and Universities
  Date: 2026-10-23 20:30:00.0
  Tags: [Ontario, Education, Labour, Economy, Technology, Healthcare]

  The Ontario government is investing $73 million to fund 2,776 additional postsecondary seats at Toronto Metropolitan University starting in the fall 2026 academic year. This allocation comprises 2,115 seats for STEM programs, 627 seats for health programs, and 34 seats for education programs. The funding is part of a broader $1.7 billion provincial investment supporting over 70,000 new seats across publicly assisted colleges and universities under a $6.4 billion postsecondary funding model.

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• Advocates flag contributions, not costs, of newcomers in Alberta referendum aftermath

  Source: Alberta - Provincial Politics
  Date: 2026-10-23 12:21:33.0
  Tags: [Alberta, Immigration, Labour, Healthcare, Economy, Agriculture]

  Following an Alberta referendum where a slim majority of voters supported limiting access to or charging fees for provincially funded services based on immigration status, advocates and industry groups have warned of negative economic and operational impacts. Premier Danielle Smith’s government had estimated that healthcare and education costs for temporary residents total $1 billion annually. However, union representatives from the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 401 at the Cargill abattoir in High River, alongside the Christian Health Association of Alberta and the Business Council of Alberta, emphasized the critical economic contributions of newcomers, noting that immigrants paid an estimated $4.1 billion in Alberta personal income taxes in 2026.

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• Canada Post CEO touts ‘early signs’ of recovery even as financial woes persist

  Source: Global News Politics
  Date: 2026-10-22 21:45:13.0
  Tags: [National, Economy, Finance, Labour, Transportation]

  Canada Post CEO Doug Ettinger announced early signs of financial recovery at the Crown corporation's annual public meeting, citing a reduced pre-tax loss of $277 million in the second quarter of the year compared to $407 million the previous year. To address structural challenges, Canada Post is phasing out door-to-door delivery for four million addresses over five years in favor of community mailboxes—targeting 700,000 households by the end of 2027—and launching a direct-to-consumer online marketplace named Canada Shops. These operational overhauls follow the federal government's adoption of recommendations from an Industrial Inquiry Commission led by William Kaplan, which lifted a moratorium on new community mailboxes and rural post office closures.

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• Minister giving Stelco owner 15 days to reverse layoffs before turning to the courts

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-10-22 14:15:00.0
  Tags: [National, Ontario, Industry, Trade, Labour, Economy]

  Federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly issued a 15-day demand letter to Ohio-based parent company Cleveland-Cliffs, threatening legal action under Section 40 of the Investment Canada Act if it does not reverse planned temporary layoffs of up to 500 workers at the Hamilton-based Stelco steel facility. The federal government asserts that the layoffs violate binding commitments made during Cleveland-Cliffs' 2024 acquisition of Stelco to maintain unionized and non-unionized employment levels through 2029. While Cleveland-Cliffs blamed the workforce reductions on U.S. steel tariffs aimed at ensuring the company's survival, Minister Joly dismissed market conditions as a valid reason to break binding investment commitments and warned that legal proceedings could include monetary penalties and a forced divestment from Stelco.

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• Ontario Saving Businesses $160 Million as WSIB Lowers Premiums

  Source: Ontario - Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
  Date: 2026-10-22 14:00:00.0
  Tags: [Ontario, Economy, Labour, Taxation, Trade]

  The Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development announced that the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) will decrease its average premium rate from $1.23 to $1.18 per $100 of insurable payroll, effective January 1, 2027, saving employers a total of $160 million. This reduction applies to over 80 per cent of premium-paying businesses—encompassing approximately 330,000 insured businesses and 5.6 million workers—and lowers Ontario's average WSIB premium rate to nearly 30 per cent below the national average. The initiative is paired with broader provincial economic measures to offset U.S. tariffs, including cutting the small business corporate income tax rate from 3.2 per cent to 2.2 per cent to deliver $1.1 billion in relief, investing $150 million through the Ontario Together Trade Fund, expanding the $1 billion Protect Ontario Financing Program, and allocating $228 million through the Canada–Ontario Workforce Tariff Response.

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• Premier Ford and Prime Minister Carney Launch New Action Plan to Protect Workers from Tariffs and Strengthen Ontario Industries

  Source: Ontario - Premier's Office
  Date: 2026-10-21 19:30:00.0
  Tags: [National, Ontario, Economy, Trade, Labour, Industry, Infrastructure, Mining, Energy]

  The Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada announced a combined $8.7 billion action plan to protect workers and industries from U.S. tariffs. The package includes the Joint Steel Action Fund with $3.55 billion from the federal government and $1.67 billion from Ontario, an additional $2.5 billion over two years for large-scale automotive capital projects (up to $1.5 billion federal and $1 billion provincial), and a federal commitment of up to $1 billion over three years for essential road infrastructure in Northern Ontario’s Ring of Fire region. Additionally, light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas regulations will be maintained at 2026 levels (172 grams per mile) through 2029 to provide trade-related relief to the automotive sector.

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• Premier Ford and Prime Minister Carney Launch New Action Plan to Protect Workers from Tariffs and Strengthen Ontario Industries

  Source: Ontario - Premier's Office
  Date: 2026-10-21 19:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Ontario, Economy, Trade, Labour, Industry, Mining, Infrastructure]

  Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Mark Carney announced an $8.7 billion joint action plan to protect workers and industries from U.S. tariffs and global uncertainty. The initiative establishes a $5.22 billion Joint Steel Action Fund ($3.55 billion federal, $1.67 billion provincial), a $2.5 billion automotive manufacturing capital upgrade fund ($1.5 billion federal, $1.0 billion provincial), and a $1 billion federal matching investment for road infrastructure in Northern Ontario's Ring of Fire region. Furthermore, the plan creates bilateral task forces for steel, automotive, and critical minerals, implements tighter trade remedies through the Canada Border Services Agency, and leverages Buy Canadian and Buy Ontario procurement policies.

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• Provincial Government Invests in Bluedrop ISM to Advance Workforce Development and Digital Credential Innovation

  Source: Newfoundland & Labrador - Government Releases
  Date: 2026-10-21 18:20:57.0
  Tags: [Newfoundland and Labrador, Labour, Technology, Economy]

  The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is investing $475,000 through the Labour Market Partnerships program to support SkillsPass NL 2.0, a one-year demonstration project led by Bluedrop ISM. Funded via the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Market Development Agreement, the project utilizes Bluedrop’s training delivery and credential management platform to expand access to online training, improve digital credentialing, and collaborate with employers, industry associations, regulators, and training institutions. Led by Bluedrop ISM Founder and CEO Emad Rizkalla and supported by Minister of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development Lin Paddock, the initiative aims to build a connected workforce talent pipeline and evaluate the impact of digital credentials on labour market outcomes across the province.

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• Carney and Ford set to announce support for workers amid trade war

  Source: Global News Politics
  Date: 2026-10-21 14:47:20.0
  Tags: [National, Ontario, Trade, Labour, Industry, Economy]

  Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford are set to announce joint support measures for workers and industries impacted by ongoing United States tariffs. The announcement follows imminent layoffs at Stelco's Hamilton plant after pressure from U.S. tariffs forced production to concentrate at the Lake Erie Works plant in Haldimand. Industry Minister Melanie Joly stated that the federal government is pursuing potential financial penalties and forced divestiture under the Investment Canada Act due to multiple breaches of commitments by Stelco. Additionally, Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne announced that the federal budget will be released on November 5, 2026, following lowered economic growth projections by the Parliamentary Budget Officer of 0.9 per cent for 2026 and 1.5 per cent for 2027.

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• Small Businesses are the Backbone of Saskatchewan's Economy

  Source: Saskatchewan - Government News
  Date: 2026-10-21 02:00:00.0
  Tags: [Saskatchewan, Economy, Taxation, Industry, Labour]

  The Government of Saskatchewan recognized Small Business Week for October 19 to 25, 2026, and released the Saskatchewan Small Business Profile by the Ministry of Trade and Export Development. The report notes that the province is home to 156,850 small businesses (defined federally as having fewer than 50 employees), which accounted for 98.8 percent of all businesses in 2025, employed approximately 30 percent of the provincial workforce, and provided over $8.3 billion in wages and salaries. The province maintains a permanent small business tax rate of 1 percent and has increased the small business income threshold from $500,000 to $600,000.

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• Ontario Investing More Than $390,000 to Protect Workers in Hamilton from U.S. Tariffs

  Source: Ontario - Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
  Date: 2026-10-20 20:00:00.0
  Tags: [Ontario, Municipal, Economy, Trade, Industry, Labour]

  The Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade is providing over $390,000 to the City of Hamilton through the $40 million Trade-Impacted Communities Program (TICP) to launch the $588,000 Hamilton Tariff Response Team (TRT). Administered by the City of Hamilton, the TRT will assist local steel and manufacturing businesses impacted by U.S. tariffs under Section 232 of the U.S. Trade Expansion Act of 1962 and Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930. The initiative operates through two streams: delivering operational support for supply chain diversification into new markets and job retention, and expanding municipal data resources to help businesses adapt to trade disruptions.

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• Provincial Government Celebrates Women Entrepreneurs at NLOWE Awards

  Source: Newfoundland & Labrador - Government Releases
  Date: 2026-10-20 14:30:28.0
  Tags: [Newfoundland and Labrador, Economy, Industry, Labour]

  Premier Tony Wakeham and Minister of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development Lin Paddock announced funding and recognized award winners at the Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs (NLOWE) Awards. The Provincial Government provides $568,206 annually to NLOWE for the Self-Employment Assistance Program via the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Market Development Agreement, alongside $100,000 in annual core funding through the Regional Development Program. Additionally, the government invested $215,000 in NLOWE’s Origin to Opportunity (O2O) Lab to support newcomer women and gender-diverse entrepreneurs with training, mentorship, and networking.

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• High Student Participation Highlights Growing Success of Youth Apprenticeship Summer Program

  Source: Newfoundland & Labrador - Government Releases
  Date: 2026-10-19 15:30:41.0
  Tags: [Newfoundland and Labrador, Education, Labour, Economy]

  The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced that 85 youth apprentices and 68 employers successfully participated in the 2026 Youth Apprenticeship Summer Program, administered by Skills Canada Newfoundland and Labrador and funded via the Canada-NL Workforce Development Agreement and the Canada-NL Labour Market Development Agreement. Participating employers have applied for the Youth Apprenticeship Summer Program Extended Subsidy to maintain youth apprentices through the fall and winter months. Additionally, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development introduced teaching units at 21 schools this September to provide scheduling flexibility for students pursuing skilled trades coursework.

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