It’s About Time: Ontario’s New Job Posting Rules Put Equity Back on the Table

Ontario is finally catching up. With the province introducing new requirements for salary transparency and reporting race-based and gender data in job postings, conversations about equity—real equity—are back where they belong: front and centre.

Starting January 1, 2026, major amendments to the Employment Standards Act (ESA) will change how job postings must be advertised — and it’s about time.

For those of us who have spent years advocating for inclusive workplaces, these policy changes don’t just signal compliance—they create momentum. They validate what many culture practitioners, including AFRODisiac leadership, have been saying for years: you cannot improve what you refuse to acknowledge.

What’s Changing — and Why It Matters

Ontario employers with 25+ employees will soon have new obligations whenever they publicly advertise a job. And for once, these changes directly challenge some of the biggest barriers job seekers face.

Here’s what’s coming:

1. Pay Transparency Is No Longer Optional

Every publicly advertised job posting must include either:

• the expected compensation, or

• a compensation range (capped at a $50,000 spread)

Unless the role pays over $200,000 — then you’re exempt.
(Which is… convenient.)

But for the vast majority of job postings, the era of “competitive salary” and “compensation commensurate with experience” is finally over.

2. Employers Must Disclose If They Use AI in Screening Applicants

Given how many candidates get filtered out by algorithms — often unfairly — this matters. Transparency is the first step toward accountability.

3. No More “Canadian Experience” Requirements

This one deserves applause.
Employers are now prohibited from asking for Canadian experience in job postings or application forms.

It’s discriminatory. It’s unnecessary. And now, it’s illegal.

4. Employers Must State Whether the Job Is an Actual Vacancy

No more phantom postings. No more “pipeline building” disguised as hiring. Candidates deserve to know if the role actually exists.

5. Employers Have to Close the Loop

If someone interviews for your publicly advertised job, you must inform them of the decision — within 45 days — in person, in writing, or electronically.

Imagine that: respectful communication as a legal requirement.

6. Employers Must Keep Copies of All Public Job Ads for Three Years

A simple rule with big compliance consequences.

From pay transparency to demographic reporting, these measures are more than checkboxes. They bring clarity to the hiring process—and accountability to employers. The numbers will force organizations to confront inequities they’d prefer to believe don’t exist.

And this is especially true in sectors where racialized, newcomer, disabled, and gender-diverse communities have historically faced barriers. As a Culture and Inclusion firm working  with employers to build equitable systems, AFROdisiac Consulting sees firsthand how transformative transparency can be when paired with action.

The Real Shift: From Performative to Measurable

For years, organizations have relied on values statements, diversity pledge banners, and feel-good campaigns. But without data, these commitments remain intangible. The new reporting requirements force employers to examine:

• Who they hire

• Who they promote

• Who they pay—and how much

This shift from narrative to numbers is a crucial step forward. When data exposes inequities, leaders must either respond or publicly protect the status quo.

What Employers Should Be Doing Now

Before panic sets in, organizations should view this as an opportunity—not a punishment. Forward-thinking employers are already taking proactive steps:

• Audit job descriptions for biased language

• Review pay bands for consistency and fairness

• Examine hiring pathways to identify bottlenecks and bias

• Invest in training on inclusive hiring practices

And if the process feels overwhelming? This is exactly where experienced culture consultants—like AFROdisiac —support teams with structure, coaching, and evidence-based strategies.

Equity Isn’t New—The Accountability Is

People have been calling for fair hiring practices for decades; equity conversations aren’t new. What’s new is the fact that equity can now be measured, tracked, and compared. Data forces a reckoning. It removes plausible deniability.

This is a chance for Ontario employers to demonstrate who they truly are—not just who they say they are.

Final Thoughts

The introduction of these job posting rules is long overdue. But it’s also energizing. Transparency builds trust—and trust builds the kind of workplaces where everyone can thrive.

Ontario didn’t just update a regulation. It gave organizations a blueprint for accountability, fairness, and progress. It’s about time.