Pay transparency
Pay transparency laws make employers share pay information, such as a pay range in job postings, and some stop you asking applicants about past pay.
Also called: salary transparency, pay range in job postings, wage disclosure, pay history ban
What pay transparency means
Pay transparency means being open about pay. In Canadian law it usually covers two things: stating the pay or a pay range in public job postings, and not asking applicants what they were paid in past jobs (often called a pay history ban).
These rules are new and spreading quickly. British Columbia's posting rule has been in force since 1 November 2023, Ontario's since 1 January 2026, and Prince Edward Island's since 30 June 2026. New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador have passed laws that are not yet in force.
Even where no law applies yet, posting a clear pay range tends to save time for you and for applicants, because people who need more than you can pay can decide not to apply.
How it works
Where a posting rule applies, put the expected pay, or a range, in the posting itself. Vague wording does not meet the rule: British Columbia says "competitive" or "up to $30" is not enough. Ontario's rule has extra limits on how wide the range can be.
A pay history ban means you cannot ask an applicant what they earn now or earned before, whether on an application form, in a prescreen or in an interview. You can still ask what pay they expect, and you can tell them the range for the job.
Set the range before you post. Base it on what the job is worth to you and what you pay similar staff, and check that the bottom of the range is at least the minimum wage. If you hire in more than one province, follow the rule for the province where the job is located.
Pay transparency is related to, but different from, pay equity. Pay transparency is about sharing pay information; pay equity is about making sure jobs mainly done by women are paid fairly compared with jobs mainly done by men.
Pay transparency by province
Pay rules for job postings and pay history, checked against official government sources on 7 October 2026.
| Where the work is done | The rule |
|---|---|
| British Columbia | Employers must state the expected salary or wage, or a range, in publicly advertised jobs. In force since 1 November 2023. |
| Ontario | Employers with 25 or more employees must state the expected pay or a range, no wider than $50,000 a year, in public job postings; not required if pay is over $200,000. Postings must also say whether the job is an existing vacancy and whether AI is used to screen or select applicants. In force for postings from 1 January 2026. |
| New Brunswick | The Pay Transparency Act received Royal Assent on 12 June 2026. The posting rule has no start date in the Act. |
| Nova Scotia | Employers may not ask applicants or employees about wage history. No posting pay rule was found. |
| Prince Edward Island | Public postings must include the expected pay or range, and employers may not ask for pay history. In force from 30 June 2026 (Employment Standards Act s. 19). |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | The Pay Equity and Pay Transparency Act includes a posting rule that takes effect when proclaimed. Not yet in force. |
No posting pay rule was found for Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, the territories or federally regulated employers on the official pages checked.
Example: Posting a job in Ontario
Imani runs a 28-person home care agency in London, Ontario. She is hiring a scheduling coordinator and plans to pay between $48,000 and $56,000 a year.
Because she has 25 or more employees, her posting states the range of $48,000 to $56,000 (well within the $50,000 maximum width) and says the job is an existing vacancy. She does not use AI to screen applicants. In interviews she asks what pay each candidate expects, never what they earn now.
Free pay step builder
Staffkin's free pay step builder lets you set a pay range for a job and checks each step against the minimum wage, which gives you a range ready to put in the posting.
Build a pay rangeFree tools and guides for this
- Employment standards: pay in job postings by province
- Pay step builder
- Job posting template
- Job description templates
Questions about pay transparency
Do I have to put the salary in a job posting in Canada?
In British Columbia, Prince Edward Island and Ontario (25 or more employees), yes. New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador have passed laws that are not yet in force. Other provinces had no posting rule as of October 2026.
Can I ask a candidate what they make now?
Not in Nova Scotia or Prince Edward Island, which ban pay history questions. Asking what pay they expect is fine everywhere.
Is pay transparency the same as pay equity?
No. Pay transparency is about sharing pay information. Pay equity is about equal pay for work of equal value between jobs mainly done by women and by men.
Related terms
Official sources
- Ontario, Requirements related to publicly advertised job postings
- Government of British Columbia, employment standards
- Government of Prince Edward Island, employment standards
- Nova Scotia, Guide to the Labour Standards Code
- Government of New Brunswick, wages and pay
- Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Your Rights at Work
General information for Canadian employers, not legal advice. Rules differ by province and territory and change over time, so check with your provincial employment standards office (or the federal Labour Program if you are federally regulated) before you rely on it. See employment standards by province.
Checked against official sources on 4 November 2026.