On May 28, 2025, the Ontario government announced that it had tabled the Working for Workers Seven Act, 2025 (the “Act”) – the latest installment in its ongoing effort to reshape labour laws and workplace standards across the province. This legislation, if passed, will bring significant changes for employers, particularly in the realms of construction, human resources and talent acquisition. In tandem with proposed regulatory and policy changes, the Act signals a continued prioritization of worker protections, workplace safety and labour market modernization, in part motivated by recent economic instability.

Below, we break down the key components of the proposed legislation and what they could mean for your business.

Workplace health and safety

  • Projects with 20+ workers lasting three months or longer will be required to have an automated external defibrillator (AED) onsite. To offset the initial costs, a WSIB reimbursement program will be available to reimburse constructors. This appears to have been informed by data the Ontario government reviewed indicating that over 15% of inspection reports relating to cardiac or heart attack incidents were from inspections within the construction sector.
  • Creating the authority to require public infrastructure project owners, constructors and employers to treat Chief Prevention Officer-accredited health and safety management systems (HSMS) as equivalent in procurement processes. We believe this is meant to ensure fair competition and improve workplace safety on public constructions projects.
  • Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), a general administrative monetary penalty regime is proposed to enforce HSMS compliance and enhance workplace safety enforcement.

Enhanced worker protections

  • The government plans to scale up enforcement efforts against employers who hide payroll records, falsify data or skip payments to workers.
  • Job posting platforms will be required to implement mechanisms to report fraudulent job ads.
  • The government will conduct ongoing consultations to workshop solutions for regulating the activities of talent agents and managers and employers’ access to employees’ electronic information.

Supports for Ontario workers and jobseekers

  • New measures to assist workers and jobseekers include:
    • Up to three unpaid days for affected workers to seek new employment.
    • Mandatory employer-provided information on provincial training and job search services.
    • Greater flexibility in extending temporary layoffs beyond 35 weeks.
  • The government has committed to:
    • Enhancing collaboration with service providers and training organizations to ensure workers have access to the training they need.
    • Streamlining the construction of training centres through exempting projects from certain regulatory requirements.
    • Being more proactive in the institution of Action Centres for workers impacted by U.S. tariffs, to provide workers with access to provincial resources.
    • Expanding skilled trades training opportunities for youth.
    • Engaging in consultation on the prospect of prioritizing the hiring of apprentices on public infrastructure projects.

Updates to the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)

  • The government plans to:
    • Grant inspectors the authority and discretion to conduct in-person applicant interviews to stall fraud.
    • Create an online portal for the submission of OINP applications.
    • Provide the Lieutenant Governor in Council with the power to:
      • Create or discontinue immigration streams in response to labour market needs.
      • Return applications if they no longer align with evolving job market demands.

Key takeaways for employers

The Working for Workers Seven Act, 2025 introduces several measures to improve worker protections and recognize the near constant evolution of the modern workplace. Employers, particularly in construction, human resources and immigration, should begin preparing for:

  • Health and safety compliance reviews;
  • Adjustments to hiring and recordkeeping practices;
  • Monitoring of emerging consultations;
  • Adaptations to layoff procedures and job loss supports;
  • New procedures under the OINP.

Our firm is closely monitoring the legislative process and related regulatory developments. If your business requires assistance in preparing for compliance, navigating worker-related enforcement actions or responding to OINP changes, please do not hesitate to reach out to a member of our Employment, Labour and Equalities Group.