Employment Attorney in Ontario, CA

NORTH BAY — The Ontario government is nearing completion of more than $100 million worth of investments in rail infrastructure to support the return of Northlander passenger rail service to northeastern Ontario. Work underway along the corridor, including joint elimination, curve adjustments and improvements at rail crossings, will deliver a smoother ride, enhance comfort and safety, and reduce travel times for passengers. The Northlander will span 740 kilometres between Toronto and Timmins, with a rail connection to Cochrane, for a total of 16 stops, and is part of the government’s work to protect Ontario’s economy by connecting northern communities, creating good-paying jobs, supporting local industries and driving economic growth across the north.

“Our government is protecting Ontario by bringing back the Northlander and connecting thousands of people in northeastern Ontario to health care, education and economic opportunities,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “The rail work underway will help reduce travel times and deliver a smoother and more comfortable ride for passengers.”

Additional work along the corridor, which includes adding warning systems, updating signage at rail crossings and adding gates to existing crossings, will continue to enhance safety across the network.

"The return of the Northlander marks an important milestone in our government's plan to deliver new economic opportunities and safe transportation to northern Ontario families," said Vic Fedeli, Member of Provincial Parliament for Nipissing. “With work underway to enhance the rail corridor and modernize the North Bay Station, we are one step closer to restoring this Ontario staple and helping connect the people of this province."

The Ontario government has also awarded a contract for renovations at North Bay Station, which will serve the Northlander, as well as Ontario Northland’s motor coach and Bus Parcel Express services. Construction is underway to modernize the station with new digital screens, seating and service counters, as well as washroom and lighting enhancements to improve accessibility and comfort. Similar work is underway at the Cochrane and Englehart stations, with construction expected to be completed in the spring.

“Our government’s investment in track upgrades is delivering safer, smoother travel while building momentum toward the Northlander’s return,” said George Pirie, Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth. “Today’s announced improvements will make it easier and safer to move students, workers, and tourists across the north, and with construction well underway at the station in Timmins, our community is ready to welcome the Northlander back.”

The Ontario government has recently marked several milestones to support the return of the Northlander, including completing construction of the North Bay Rail Bypass, getting shovels in the ground at Timmins-Porcupine Station, reconstructing platforms and installing shelters along the Northlander corridor and marking the arrival of the first of three Northlander trainsets.

Quick Facts

Quotes

"The Province of Ontario’s continued investment in rail infrastructure will have a measurable and lasting impact on our community. The Northlander’s return translates to a better connection to specialized healthcare, increased worker mobility, numerous economic benefits by way of tourism, and much more."

- Nancy AlcockMayor of Huntsville

"Investment in rail infrastructure will drive Timmins’ economic engine forward – market reach will be expanded and supply chains strengthened. With the return of rail service, Timmins will be positioned as a true multi-modal transportation hub, connecting northern Ontario to opportunity and long-term growth."

- Michelle BoileauMayor of Timmins

"North Bay looks forward to the return of the Northlander, which will help address long-standing transportation challenges and improve access to jobs, healthcare, and education for northern Ontario residents. Upgrades to the rail line and the modernization of the North Bay Station will strengthen the City’s role as a transportation hub, supporting future growth, tourism, and regional connections."

- Peter ChiricoMayor of North Bay

"Investments in passenger rail infrastructure play an important role in supporting northern Ontario communities, regional mobility, and economic activity. The Township of Black River-Matheson is pleased to see continued investment in the Northlander and looks forward to the long-term benefits this will bring to residents and businesses alike."

- Dave DymentMayor of the Township of Black River-Matheson

"As Mayor of Stouffville, I am thrilled to see the province of Ontario’s significant investment in the Northlander rail infrastructure. With a stop in nearby Gormley, this improved transit service will provide residents of Stouffville and surrounding areas with greater access to northern communities that were previously only reachable by car. This commitment to enhancing connectivity will benefit countless communities across Ontario, including ours, by offering safer, more comfortable travel options and supporting the growth and prosperity of our region."

- Iain LovattMayor of Stouffville

"The return of the Northlander is an important milestone for Bracebridge and communities across the region. Reliable passenger rail will strengthen connections between northern and southern Ontario, making it easier for residents, visitors and businesses to access jobs, education, healthcare and tourism opportunities. We appreciate the Province’s significant investment in this service and the long-term vision it represents for sustainable transportation and economic growth in our community."

- Rick MaloneyMayor of Bracebridge

"Englehart has been a proud railway town since 1906, when the Temiskaming & Northern Ontario Railway made the Town a key divisional point and sparked the growth of our community. The investment in rail infrastructure in support of the return of the Northlander continues that legacy—honouring our past while driving new opportunity and connection for years to come."

- Doug MetsonMayor of the Township of Englehart

"The Village of South River is excited about the Government of Ontario’s investment in northern Ontario’s infrastructure and economic vitality. The track improvements supporting the return of Ontario Northland’s passenger rail service—featuring a stop in South River—represent a meaningful step toward reconnecting our communities, strengthening regional transportation, and creating new opportunities for residents, visitors, and businesses alike."

- Bill O’HallarnDeputy Mayor of South River

"The return of the Northlander is an exciting step for Cochrane and all of northern Ontario. Reconnecting our region to Toronto and linking the Polar Bear Express back to the Northlander restores essential access to the people and critical natural resources that will reshape Canada’s new economy and national economic sovereignty. It also gives northerners, and those who will choose to make northern Ontario their new home, a modern, safe, environmentally responsible alternative to using our northern highways during severe weather."

- Peter PolitisMayor of Cochrane

"The Province’s investment in restoring rail service to the north is more than a transportation project; it’s a promise to strengthen our communities, support local industry, and reconnect people across northern Ontario. This is a vital step forward for not only Kirkland Lake, but our region’s future."

- Stacy WightMayor of the Township of Kirkland Lake

"The return of the Northlander is an important step in reconnecting northern Ontario communities to each other and to the rest of the province. Investments in rail infrastructure strengthen access to health care, education, employment, and economic opportunity—especially for communities that rely on reliable, affordable transportation options. As work moves forward, NOMA looks forward to continued collaboration with the Province to ensure transportation investments across northern Ontario are coordinated, resilient, and responsive to the needs of our communities and regional economies."

- Rick DurmasPresident, Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association

"TRACCS Transit and Rail is delighted and encouraged to see the Government of Ontario's strong and continued support of passenger rail across this great Province. The Northlander is a game changer for our region connecting communities from the north to our cities and regions in the south. This will be an extremely important economic investment for our Province and country that will have a lasting impact for generations of Canadians to come. We look forward to enjoying the new trains, and having a more sustainable and resilient way to explore, work, and live in this beautiful and wonderful area!"

- Mark SalsbergChairperson, TRACCS Transit and Rail

"FONOM welcomes this significant investment in rail infrastructure and the continued progress toward the return of the Northlander. Reliable passenger rail is critical for northern communities, but these upgrades also strengthen freight reliability, support local industry, and improve the overall resilience of our transportation network. This is the kind of long-term infrastructure investment the north needs to stay connected, competitive, and safe."

- Dave PlourdePresident, Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities

"Ontario Northland is pleased to share that rail infrastructure work supporting the Northlander service continues to progress. The enhancements to safety, comfort and overall travel time will directly benefit passengers using this service for years to come."

- Chad EvansChief Executive Officer, Ontario Northland

"This government’s ongoing support of the Northlander has been unwavering. Sustained investment in rail infrastructure is turning momentum into service by modernizing the corridor, improving accessibility and safety, and reconnecting northern communities with reliable passenger rail."

- Alan SpacekChair of the Board, Ontario Northland

Driving and road safety

Information about road conditions and safety, driver’s licences, vehicle registration, commercial vehicles, transit and transportation infrastructure. Learn more

Jobs and employment

Find resources and supports for job seekers and employers. Learn more

Recreation and tourism

Learn about hunting and fishing, provincial parks, festivals and events, and visiting Ontario. Learn more

TORONTO – As part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario and strengthen its economic resilience, on January 1, the province is bringing into force historic labour mobility and free-trade regulations that break down interprovincial barriers for workers and businesses and help employers access the skilled Canadian workers they need sooner. These historic changes are part of the government’s plan to support Ontario and Canadian workers and build a unified Canadian workforce that can stand up to U.S. tariffs and economic uncertainty.

Starting January 1, 2026, new “As of Right” labour mobility regulations will allow in-demand certified professionals such as architects, engineers, geoscientists, land surveyors and electricians to begin working in Ontario within 10 business days, once credentials and requirements are confirmed by the applicable Ontario regulator. The historic implementation of this “As of Right” rule will apply across professions covered by more than 50 regulatory authorities and 300 certifications, helping employers fill critical roles faster, support workers moving between provinces and strengthen Ontario’s economic competitiveness.

“By streamlining the process for certified professionals from other Canadian jurisdictions to work in Ontario, we’re opening doors for talent and driving economic growth,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. "These changes create new opportunities for workers and businesses, strengthen our province’s competitiveness and use a Canada-first approach to take on global economic uncertainty.”

These changes are part of the suite of regulatory changesacross government that are coming into effect January 1, 2026.

Ontario is also strengthening access to health care talent by expanding labour mobility for regulated health professionals. As part of this approach, the government is extending “As of Right” rules to 16 additional regulated health professions, further strengthening Ontario’s health-care workforce while maintaining regulatory oversight. These expanded reforms also include taking the next step toward automatic recognition of physicians and nurses who are registered and in good standing in other provinces and territories, making it faster and easier for them to continue their practice in Ontario.

"Our government is cutting red tape so physicians, nurses, and other regulated health professionals from across Canada can start working in Ontario sooner,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By strengthening labour mobility, we’re making it easier for qualified professionals to practise here and helping people get the right care, in the right place, where and when they need it.”

Ontario’s leadership on labour mobility is part of a broader plan to unlock free trade within Canada. Since April 2025, Ontario has signed economic cooperation memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with 10 provinces and territories to strengthen interprovincial trade, enhance economic resilience and reduce costly regulatory barriers.

Building on Ontario’s national leadership in supporting free trade and labour mobility across Canada, the government recently took the next steps to unlock free trade within Canada by publishing a draft regulation under the Ontario Free Trade and Mobility Act, 2025 (OFTMA). The mutual recognition of goods and services from other reciprocating Canadian jurisdictions will reduce red tape and accelerate market access by eliminating the need for businesses to meet multiple sets of regulatory requirements. Mutual recognition of goods and services will play a substantial role in supporting economic integration across Canada and removing internal trade barriers that cost the economy up to $200 billion every year.

“In the face of uncertainty, our government has taken unprecedented action to break down internal trade barriers and address the burdensome regulations that have restricted our domestic and national economies,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “By advancing the mutual recognition of goods and services and making it easier for workers to expand their trades into other provinces and territories, we are laying the foundation for a secure, competitive and prosperous future.”

As Canada's largest interprovincial trader, Ontario’s initiatives are creating pan-Canadian momentum to tear down barriers and unlock access to new internal markets and customers in the face of global market instability and volatility. By reducing barriers and streamlining labour mobility, Ontario is enabling workers and businesses to seize opportunities across provinces and drive economic growth.

Quick Facts

Business and economy

Information about Ontario’s economy and how to do business here. Includes economic development opportunities, research funding, tax credits for business and the Ontario Budget. Learn more

Government

Learn about the government services available to you and how government works. Learn more

Jobs and employment

Find resources and supports for job seekers and employers. Learn more

Homelessness is getting worse across Ontario with an estimated 85,000 people who were without a home in 2025 and nearly 2,000 encampments across the province, a new report from Ontario's municipalities shows.

More than half of those people are experiencing prolonged periods of homelessness of six months or longer, the report by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association and the Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association found.

About 20,000 children and youth are homeless in the province. The data shows northern and rural regions are driving the growth in homelessness.

"Something's clearly broken," said Lindsay Jones, executive director of AMO.

"I think we're seeing, again, the impact of pretty significant under-investments over years in the social systems that provide support, like income security, like mental health and addictions and affordable housing."

Number of homeless could hit 300K by 2035: report

Homelessness will continue to get worse under steady economic conditions until 2035, when 177,000 people are projected to be without a home, the report said.

Should the economy take a nosedive, which Jones said is quite plausible given its current state and the ongoing trade war with the United States, there could be nearly 300,000 homeless people by then.

The AMO followed up one year after it released a groundbreaking report that painstakingly collected data from the province's 47 service managers to get a grasp on the provincewide picture of homelessness.

It estimated that 84,973 people experienced homelessness in the province last year, an increase of 7.8 per cent from 2024.

Homelessness has spiked since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

WATCH | Toronto's unhoused population more than doubles in 3 years:

Between 2016 and 2020, homelessness increased by 6.3 per cent. From 2021 to 2025, it increased by 49.1 per cent.

"Homelessness has not returned to pre-2020 levels, even as housing and homelessness funding increased and services expanded," the report said.

"This indicates that the availability of housing and supports has not kept pace with the scale or persistence of homelessness following the pandemic."

Northern and rural Ontario are seeing the biggest increases in homelessness. In the last year alone, homelessness increased by 37 per cent in northern Ontario and by 31 per cent in mostly rural communities. Homelessness in the north has increased by a staggering 117 per cent since 2021.

"I do think that a big part of the story is Indigenous homelessness," Jones said. "This year we're seeing around a 25 per cent increase in what we're measuring in terms of Indigenous homelessness. So it's a really significant problem."

The number of Indigenous people without a home has increased to 11,000 in 2025, up from 6,100 in 2021, the data shows.

Public funding has not kept pace with issue: report

Encampments also continue to grow in number, with nearly 2,000 such spots across Ontario. The nature of encampments has changed, the report noted, with fewer large clusters and now smaller ones where six to 10 people live, Jones said.

"It really speaks to the response that has been taken at the provincial level to encampments, which is much more of an enforcement approach, which really doesn't get at the root causes," Jones said. "It just kind of disperses the problem and moves it somewhere else."

The problem is that more people are becoming homeless than those who get off the streets or out of shelters into homes.

"In 2025, the community housing wait list reached an estimated 301,340 households, with an average wait time of 65 months and some households waiting more than 16 years," the report said.

"As a result, more people remain homeless for longer periods."

WATCH | What it's like to live in a Toronto encampment:

While public funding for housing and homelessness supports has increased significantly, it has not kept pace with the issue, the report said. Combined government funding on homelessness came in at around $4 billion in 2025.

The researchers say that $11 billion more over 10 years is needed to get rid of homelessness, which would mean significantly more investment in rent-geared-to-income housing, affordable housing options, emergency shelters and mental health and addictions support.

Funding for community housing, for example, has declined by 0.6 per cent since 2021, the report found, while emergency shelter funding has increased by more than 50 per cent.

"We see a lot of money put into the most expensive parts of the system because that's where the need is most acute, but that's ultimately not going to get us to solving the challenge," Jones said.

KINGSTON — The Ontario government is preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow by investing $242 million to upgrade learning facilities at publicly funded colleges and universities across the province. As part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario, this investment will strengthen the province’s pipeline of highly skilled workers by ensuring students have access to the latest equipment and state-of-the-art learning spaces to learn the skills they need for good-paying jobs after graduation.

“In the face of economic uncertainty, Ontario’s world-class colleges and universities are integral to building and protecting Ontario’s future workforce,” said Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. “Through this investment, our government is ensuring that students have the modern tools and facilities they need to stay on the cutting edge of our critical industries in their future careers.”

Today’s investment includes:

As a shared responsibility, part of the capital infrastructure program requires colleges and universities to make matching contributions. Ontario’s colleges and universities can use the funding for major building systems upgrades, heating and ventilating system upgrades, as well as mechanical and electrical system upgrades. The funds can also be used to buy educational tools, such as modernized computers and software for teaching purposes, specialized equipment, or machinery for use in labs, shops and classrooms.

Minister Quinn made the announcement at Queen’s University which is using a portion of their funding to purchase immersive simulation equipment and infrastructure that will provide experiential, collaborative learning opportunities for future health care professionals such as family physicians, nurses and paramedics. Equipment includes high-fidelity mannikins, task trainers (e.g. IV arms), and upgraded AV systems to enhance remote access and asynchronous delivery of course content. These new learning tools will equip health care students with the skills they need to deliver excellent care in eastern Ontario and beyond after finishing their studies.

This investment is building off the record setting funding from the province for the publicly assisted postsecondary sector, including nearly $1 billion to fund over 100,000 more seats in economy-driving programs such as construction, teaching, nursing, and STEM. By expanding key programs and modernizing learning tools, the government is equipping students to lead, innovate and drive in a rapidly evolving economy.

Quick Facts

Quotes

"We are grateful to the government for its increased investment in medical research and training, as this allows universities to drive innovation and respond to changing health-care demands. At Queen’s, this funding will further strengthen our leadership in experiential learning, medical simulation, and AI-enabled education, equipping students and researchers with the skills, technologies, and insight needed to collaborate effectively and ultimately deliver better patient care."

- Patrick DeanePrincipal and Vice-Chancellor, Queen’s University

"This investment will support colleges as they modernize facilities and equip labour-market aligned programs and further enhance high-priority programs, giving students the skills Ontario’s economy needs."

- Maureen AdamsonPresident and CEO, Colleges Ontario

"This investment will help Ontario’s universities provide students with modern, high-quality learning environments aligned with high-demand careers. It will support critical facility upgrades to ensure students have access to state-of-the-art industry-standard, in-person and virtual training that prepares them for the jobs Ontario needs."

- Steve OrsiniPresident and CEO, Council of Ontario Universities

Education and apprenticeship

Learn about Ontario’s early years, education and training systems. Includes information on child care, elementary schools, secondary schools, colleges, universities, skills training and financial aid. Learn more

Government

Learn about the government services available to you and how government works. Learn more

TORONTO — Olivia and Noah continue to top the charts as Ontario's most popular baby names in 2024. Olivia has clinched the number one spot as the top girl name in Ontario for the 16th consecutive year, while Noah took the top spot as the most popular name for boys for the sixth year in a row.

The top 10 names for girls and boys in 2024 were:

“Welcoming a new baby and choosing a name are joyful milestones, and we want parents to spend that time making memories, not worrying about paperwork,” said Stephen Crawford, Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement. “ServiceOntario’s 5-in-1 Newborn Bundle makes life easier for Ontario parents, saving them time so they can cherish those first precious moments, while registering their newborn and applying for essential documents from the comfort of their home.”

ServiceOntario's 5-in-1 Newborn Bundle allows parents to quickly apply for their child's birth certificate, Social Insurance Number, Canada Child Benefits (including the Ontario Child Benefit) and Education Savings Referral service all through one application.

Parents must register their child’s birth within 30 days to ensure they receive essential documents.

Quick Facts

Family and social services

Services for children, youth, families and individuals who need support, and advancing the interests of women across Ontario. Includes information on major life events and care options, including marriage, births and child care. Learn more

Government

Learn about the government services available to you and how government works. Learn more

Health and wellness

Get help navigating Ontario’s health care system and connecting with the programs or services you’re looking for. Learn more