Mandatory inclusion of salary in job advertisements in Ontario

Soon, Ontario employers will be required to include wage rates or salary ranges in job advertisements. This proposal is part of a new law aimed at increasing transparency for job seekers. The new law, called the "Jobs for Workers" Act, will be presented by members of the legislature in Queens Park by the week ending on November 14th. David Piccini, the Minister of Labour, stated last week, "When wage rates are not disclosed, there is only one beneficiary, and that's the employers. Many times, individuals have applied for a job, only to discover that the offered salary is nowhere near what they had in mind!"
The Minister also added that the government may start with wages below $100,000 per year. I believe people should know which jobs earn less than $100,000 annually. Working-class individuals do not receive six-figure salaries, so they need to be aware of the salary ranges. Ontario is not the only province that mandates the inclusion of wages and salaries in job postings. Earlier this year, British Columbia announced that employers must include wage or salary information in job advertisements.
A report by the International Labour Organization in 2022 showed that wage and salary transparency policies can help reveal wage disparities among different population groups. As a result, some cities in the United States have also asked employers to include salary ranges in their job listings. The Ontario law also requires employers to inform job applicants if they use artificial intelligence (AI) in the hiring process.

Sometimes companies and employers use artificial intelligence to screen and analyze resumes or job applications. Piccini pointed out that studies have shown that AI can help address issues such as wage equality in the hiring process. Ontario will be the first region in Canada to require employers to specify the use of AI in their job postings.

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