Canada: Contract of Employment

Bill C-31 proposes significant amendments to the Canada Labour Code that would prohibit non-compete clauses and other post-employment restrictions for federally regulated employers, with limited exemptions for senior executives and business sale transactions. The legislation includes anti-reprisal protections and places the burden of proof on employers, while existing non-compete clauses would remain valid for only one year after the law takes effect.

Le gouvernement fédéral a publié un projet de règlement (le « projet de règlement ») en vertu de la Loi sur l’usage du français au sein des entreprises privées de compétence fédérale (la « LUFEP »), lequel instaurerait un nouveau régime linguistique pour les entreprises sous réglementation fédérale.

The federal government has published proposed regulations (the "Proposed Regulations") under the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act (the "UFPBA"), establishing a new French-language regime for federally regulated private businesses. The Proposed Regulations address consumer-facing rights, internal workplace obligations, and governance requirements for federally regulated private businesses operating in Quebec and in regions with a strong Francophone presence.

In Ontario, employees with less than three (3) months of service typically do not qualify for statutory notice of termination under the Employment Standards Act, 2000.

Bill C-31 proposes significant reforms to Canada's Labour Code that would prohibit non-competition clauses for federally regulated employers, with limited exceptions for senior executives and business transfers.

Le projet de loi C-31 propose d'interdire les clauses de non-concurrence pour les employés des entreprises de compétence fédérale au Canada, soulevant des questions constitutionnelles importantes au Québec où le Code civil reconnaît expressément leur validité. Cette réforme transformerait considérablement l'usage de ces clauses restrictives et pourrait influencer la conception des restrictions liées à l'emploi pour ces entreprises.

The federal government has introduced Bill C-31, which proposes sweeping changes to non-compete agreements in federally regulated workplaces across Canada. These amendments to the Canada Labour Code would largely prohibit employers in industries like banking, telecommunications, and transportation from enforcing non-compete clauses, with limited exemptions for business sales and senior executives. Employers in federally regulated sectors should begin reviewing their employment agreements now to understand h

Today’s workplaces are under continuous pressure to evolve. Budget constraints, operational restructuring, service modernization (including the growing role of AI)...

The Ontario Court of Appeal recently released its decision in Nexus Solutions Inc. v. Krougly, addressing the ownership of copyright as between employer and employee and whether a work has been made “in the course of employment.”