Canada HR News Elena Bobyreva, MBA, CPHR

In this episode: mental health supports for Ontario farmers, crab fishers in Newfoundland and Labrador refusing work because of low pay, robots coming to Walmart warehouses, the role of HR in AI use at work and other topics. Stay with us to get the latest HR updates.

Follow us on: X @cadHRnews; LinkedIn @ Canada HR News Podcast. 


Unifor has filed two applications to the B.C. Labour Relations Board (BCLRB) to represent Amazon warehouses in New Westminster and in Delta | Unifor files applications to represent workers at two Amazon fulfilment centres | Unifor Farmers in Ontario, are advocating for enhanced mental health services as they grapple with isolation, stigma, and occupational stressors | Ontario Farmers Demand Improved Mental Health Support Amidst Unique Challenges (yahoo.com) The crab fishing season started on April 6, yet all harvesters in Newfoundland and Labrador stayed tied up demanding their fair share | Harvesters refusing to fish crab in Newfoundland and Labrador, saying price too low - Talent Canada Walmart Canada says robots are coming to two Ontario warehouses, but jobs are not at risk | Walmart Canada says robots are coming to two Ontario warehouses, but jobs not at risk (msn.com) Alberta's universities are expected to welcome more international students to campus | Alberta expected to welcome more international students, as other provinces see cuts | CBC News HR plays a critical role in helping organizations implement responsible artificial intelligence (AI) guiding principles and McLean has published a toolkit for it | Develop Responsible AI Guiding Principles | McLean & Company (mcleanco.com) 

In this episode: current state of the labour market, a recent cyber attack at the University of Winnipeg, a job fair for people on the autism spectrum and other topics. Stay with us to get the latest HR updates.

Follow us on: X @cadHRnews; LinkedIn @ Canada HR News Podcast. 


In March employment level was flat, even as population kept growing, pushing the unemployment rate above 6% for the first time in over two years | March Labour Force Survey: Soft Landing Gets Bumpier - Indeed Hiring Lab Canada Robert Half reports that professionals newly joining the workforce in 2024 can anticipate an active hiring market | Survey: Entry-Level Hiring Will Hold Steady During 2024 Graduation Season - Apr 4, 2024 (roberthalf.ca) Canada’s largest job fair for people on the autism spectrum is taking place today, April 8 | Spectrum Works – Job Fair for people on the spectrum The University of Winnipeg says that personal data from possibly thousands of students and staff was stolen in a cyberattack late March | Cyber attack updates and support | Incident Updates | The University of Winnipeg (uwinnipeg.ca) Strike vote scheduled for over 9 thousand Canada border officers | Strike votes for over 9,000 workers at Canada Border Services Agency begin April 10 | Public Service Alliance of Canada (psacunion.ca) Apple lays off more than 600 workers in California in its first major round of post-pandemic cut | Apple lays off more than 600 workers in California in its first major round of post-pandemic cuts - Talent Canada 

In this episode: employees’ views on artificial intelligence, companies’ approach to increasing cyber security risks, union updates , the latest world happiness report and other topics. Stay with us to get the latest HR updates.

Follow us on: X @cadHRnews; LinkedIn @ Canada HR News Podcast. 


Canadian employees cautious and optimistic about adoption of artificial intelligence | Canadian employees cautious and optimistic about adoption of artificial intelligence (newswire.ca)With changing labour market conditions and declining job vacancies, the Government of Canada is adjusting the Temporary Foreign Worker Program | Government of Canada to adjust temporary measures under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program Workforce Solutions Road Map - Canada.ca The Canada Revenue Agency has now fired more than 200 people for falsely claiming a federal income benefit during the COVID-19 pandemic | CRA fires 232 people for falsely claiming $2,000 monthly pandemic benefit (msn.com) 1600 teaching assistants at MGill University began their eight-week strike last week, putting the end-of-term in peril | 1600 McGill TAs on strike this Monday (newswire.ca) More than 400 Art Gallery of Ontario employees are on strike, after union members voted to reject the museum's latest contract offer | Hundreds of Art Gallery of Ontario workers on strike after rejecting contract offer (msn.com) Almost half (49%) of Canadian job postings on Indeed in February 2024 featured pay information, up from 22% in early 2019 | Salary Transparency Increasingly the Norm in Canadian Job Postings - Indeed Hiring Lab Canada Cisco’s second annual Cybersecurity Readiness Index assesses how ready organizations are globally to face today’s cybersecurity risks | Cisco’s 2024 Cybersecurity Readiness Index – Canada Canadians are experiencing a decline in overall well-being and are expecting their employers to provide key benefits to support them in 2024 | 47% of working Canadians rely on employer benefits to improve well-being (newswire.ca)The latest edition of the World Happiness report shows people in Finland are first in overall happiness | World Happiness Report 2024 | The World Happiness Report 

In this episode: union updates from the City of Edmonton and Airbus, minimum wage increases, the best countries for work life balance, provincial employment updates and other topics. Stay with us to get the latest HR updates.

Follow us on: X @cadHRnews; LinkedIn @ Canada HR News Podcast. 


The City of Edmonton averted a strike by 5,000 city workers | City, union agree on 6.25% increase, $1k payout in tentative agreement | CTV News Airbus SE employees in Canada rejected a contract offer from Airbus, threatening to go on strike | Airbus Workers in Canada Reject Contract Offer, Threaten Strike | Financial Post Canada will be increasing the federal minimum wage by 65 cents on April 1, from $16.65 to $17.30 per hour | Federal minimum wage set to increase April 1. Who gets the pay bump? - National | Globalnews.ca Manitoba’s minimum-wage is going up by 50 cents an hour as of Oct. 1  to $15.80. Living wage in the province is much higher | Manitoba plans regular hike to minimum wage, labour group wants more (msn.com). Manitoba's Living Wage Update 2023 | Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Fourteen new physicians are now practicing in rural communities across Saskatchewan after completing the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA) | More Doctors Recruited to Rural Communities | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan $5,000 retention bonus as part of the Alberta is Calling Attraction Bonus are aimed at bringing skilled tradespeople from elsewhere in Canada | Alberta introduces legislation to offer $5,000 incentive to out-of-province workers | Globalnews.ca Ontario has to pay public sector workers $6B and counting in Bill 124 compensation | Ontario has to pay public sector workers $6B and counting in Bill 124 compensation | CBC News What is the country with the best work life balance? | Global Life-Work Balance Index | Best Work-Life Balance Countries | Remote

In this episode: the current state of labour market, a slow progress for women achieving full equality, an audit of psychological safety in the workplace, provincial employment news and other topics. Stay with us to get the latest HR updates.

Follow us on: X @cadHRnews; LinkedIn @ Canada HR News Podcast. 


The Canadian economy added 41,000 jobs in February. However, labour force growth outpaced job growth. The unemployment rate rose to 5.8% | Mild Conditions Prevail in February’s Labour Market - The Conference Board of Canada Report from Canadian Chamber of Commerce highlights the persistent barriers for women in management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. In 2023, women earned less than men—88 cents to the dollar in management occupations | Glacial progress means women in business unlikely to achieve full equality this century - Canadian Chamber of Commerce Teachers in Saskatchewan are giving notice of a three-day, provincewide withdrawal of extracurricular activities on March 11-13 and a one-day, rotating withdrawal of noon-hour supervision on March 11 | Provincewide Withdrawal of Extracurricular and Rotating Withdrawal of Noon-Hour Supervision - Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (stf.sk.ca) The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) will develop a Psychological Health and Safety Audit Program | Mental Health Commission of Canada leads development of new program to support employers with psychological health and safety audits - Opening Minds The Manitoba government is introducing amendments to the Employment Standards Code that would extend long-term leave for serious injury or illness from 17  to 27 weeks | Province of Manitoba | News Releases | Manitoba Government Introduces Legislation to Protect Workers Recovering from Illness or Injury WorkSafeBC bringing industry and labour stakeholders together to discuss crane safety. From 2019 to  2023 there were 22 incidents involving tower cranes | WorkSafeBC bringing industry and labour stakeholders together to discuss crane safety | WorkSafeBC 

In this episode: The Body Shop closing 33 stores in Canada, ADPs latest work happiness index, training for employees with ADHD, and other topics. Stay with us to get the latest HR updates.

Follow us on: X @cadHRnews; LinkedIn @ Canada HR News Podcast. 


The Body Shop Canada will close nearly a third of its stores and end online sales as it seeks creditor protection | The Body Shop Canada to close 33 stores, end online sales | CBC News It’s been a challenging year for journalism in Canada with many layoffs happening in the industry | Vice, Bell, CBC: A look at recent media layoffs in Canada (thestar.com) ADP's National Work Happiness Score for February 2024 is 6.7/10, same as in January | ADP Canada Happiness@Work Index: Workers' Happiness Levels Remain Flat in February - Feb 28, 2024 The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is concerned about changes to work permits | Limiting foreign labour could make staffing challenges even worse for small businesses (cfib-fcei.ca) Employees of Public Health Ontario labs are set to receive an additional 5.25 per cent in pay increases to compensate for Bill 124 | Public Health Ontario staff latest workers to be awarded retroactive pay as Bill 124 compensation | CBC News Bambooza.ca is creating inclusive work skills training for Canadians living with ADHD | Organization in Saguenay creating inclusive skills training for Canadians living with ADHD (newswire.ca)