Published plans and annual reports 2023–2024: Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development

Ministry overview

Ministry’s Vision

The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) leads Ontario’s effort to be the best jurisdiction in North America to recruit, train, retain, protect, and reward workers for the jobs of today and tomorrow. The ministry’s work creates dynamic and equitable labour markets, safe and harmonious workplaces, and competitive labour and employment regulations. It is the ministry’s job to support the people of Ontario in all aspects and phases of employment:

The labour market

• Identifying jobs of the future and related skills.
• Nominating workers for permanent residence that have the right skills, experience and education to support the economy.
• Connecting job seekers with training and skills development opportunities.
• Promoting apprenticeships in skilled trades and developing programs and incentives to support increased uptake.

In the workplace

• Developing policy to promote safe, fair and harmonious workplaces.
• Helping parties resolve disputes quickly and providing collective bargaining data, research and trend analysis to inform decision‐making.
• Enforcing the laws and providing information and education.
• Working with partners to prevent workplace injuries, illness and fatalities.

Post employment

• Setting rules around termination, layoff and severance.
• Supporting workers who lose their jobs and need to transition to a new career.
• Sending rapid response teams in cases of mass layoffs.
• Ensuring compensation and supports in place for injured workers.

MLITSD supports a number of key government priorities for strengthening Ontario’s economy, such as:

• Promoting a competitive economy that creates good jobs and attracts investments.
• Keeping Ontario workers safe.
• Supporting a harmonious and stable labour relations environment that minimizes the number and duration of work stoppages.
• Ensuring fair workplaces that increase productivity.
• Ensuring employment and training sectors are efficient and aligned with Ontario’s labour market needs.
• Making Ontario’s skilled trades and apprenticeship system more client-focused, flexible, and accessible.
• Transforming and integrating Ontario’s employment services to help job seekers, including those on social assistance, find and keep good jobs.
• Nominating skilled immigrants for permanent residence that help fill Ontario’s labour market gaps and grow the province’s economy.
• Supporting newcomers with settlement services and language training programs to set them up for economic success in the province.

Ministry programs

MLITSD contributes to government priorities through the delivery of public services in five primary areas of responsibility:

• Employment Ontario
• Occupational Health and Safety
• Employment Standards
• Labour Relations
• Global Talent and Settlement Services

Employment Ontario (EO) aims to address labour market and skills gaps and enhance employment opportunities for all Ontarians. The objective of the suite of programs and services is to support job seekers in connecting with opportunities to find and keep good jobs, ensure employers can hire the skilled workers they need, and make sure the province has the best possible employment services. EO aims to achieve this by equipping more people with valuable skills through apprenticeships and transforming employment and training services to improve labour market outcomes for job seekers.

EO programs and services are funded in part through two federal transfer agreements: The Canada-Ontario Labour Market Development Agreement (LMDA) and the Canada-Ontario Workforce Development Agreement (WDA).

The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Program aims to prevent fatalities, illness, and injuries across Ontario workplaces. The OHS program has two major streams — OHS Enforcement and OHS Prevention.

OHS Enforcement activities are focused on ensuring compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and its regulations, particularly in workplaces with higher risk of injury. OHS Prevention activities are delivered in collaboration with system partners such as the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), Research Centres (RCs), Health and Safety Associations (HSAs) and private training providers (PTPs). Through these OHS activities, the ministry ensures business stability by creating safe and healthy workplaces.

Costs associated with both OHS programs are fully recovered from the WSIB.

The Employment Standards (ES) Program helps create fair workplaces, and a level playing field for employers, thereby reinforcing a competitive business environment that also attracts jobs and investment to Ontario. The program achieves this through educational and outreach activities, and with enforcement of the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), the Employment Protection of Foreign Nationals Act, 2009 (EPFNA), and the Protecting Child Performers Act, 2015 (PCPA).

The Labour Relations (LR) Program supports a stable and constructive labour relations environment and promotes productive workplace relationships in Ontario by facilitating labour relations, dispute resolution and providing collective bargaining information, research, and analysis to bargaining parties.

The Global Talent and Settlement Services (GTSS) Program, through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program,nominates foreign workers, international students and others with the right education, skills and experience for permanent residence based on Ontario’s economic needs. The Immigration and Settlement Program helps newcomers access the support and training needed for effective integration through a range of programs and services. Programs include settlement services, adult language training program, and the Bridge Training program. GTSS also develops initiatives that help remove foreign qualification recognition barriers for internationally trained immigrants.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program is fully cost recovered through fees.

Additional internal program: anti-racism team

The Anti-Racism Action Plan is a key commitment of the OPS Anti-Racism Policy and is an internal ministry initiative focusing on ministry staff. The plan is focused on three main objectives: building anti-racism competency and capacity, diversifying talent pathways, fostering accountable, anti-racist and inclusive workplaces. The overarching goal is to enable the ministry, in partnership with key OPS stakeholders, to collectively build a diverse, inclusive, accessible, and respectful workplace where every employee has a voice and the opportunity to fully contribute.

MLITSD’s anti-racism action plan lays the groundwork for how the ministry will transform organizational, workforce and workplace practices and processes, create a racially equitable organizational culture, provide equitable access to career development and investment opportunities, address and resolve issues of workplace discrimination and harassment, and provide equitable programs and services in Black, Indigenous and Racialized communities.

In 2022–23, efforts were focused on (1) enhancing capacity, competency and knowledge of Anti-Racism, Diversity, Inclusion and Equity; and (2) development and implementation of career development programs focused on creating the foundation for racial equity in employment. These efforts were internal to ministry staff.

In 2023–24, the ministry will continue to identify and remove systemic racism barriers within policies, processes and practices that lead to disproportionate outcomes for employees and Ontarians from equity-deserving groups.

2023–24 Strategic plan

Employment Ontario (EO)

Employment Ontario’s employment and training system (EO system)is a centralized system that helps people prepare for, find, and keep full-time jobs. The EO system is composed of Ontario’s community-based network including employment service providers, literacy providers, public colleges, direct delivery apprenticeship offices, training delivery agents, and social assistance employment services. The EO system is responsive to local conditions and creates better outcomes for jobseekers and supports for employers.

In 2023–24, the ministry plans to deliver on the following key priorities of through the EO program:

• Providing better training through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) and other programs that targets specific populations.
• Transforming Employment Services to help transition people from social assistance programs to meaningful jobs.
• Growing the Skilled Trades, to modernize the skilled trades and apprenticeship system.

Providing better training

The ministry aims to provide better training in 2023–24 through the following programs:

• SDF, which supports market-driven projects that unlock the economic potential of skilled trades, support workforce development initiatives, and grow the province’s economy.
• Better Jobs Ontario (BJO), a demand-driven program which supports unemployed individuals in need of skills training to help them find employment in occupations with demonstrated labour market prospects in Ontario. 

There are also four policy initiatives that the government is taking on to provide better training in 2023–24:

• Strengthening Labour Market Information (LMI) utility, by streamlining data collection, analysis, and dissemination of labour market information.
• Exploring roles and responsibilities of Local Workforce Planning Boards, to better support the work of Service System Managers (SSMs) and Employment Services Transformation (EST).
• Program Streamlining and Enhancements, to simplify skills training pathways and developing digital navigation tool to support jobseekers in navigating the labour market.
• Planning for Workforce Development, to align government responses to cross-sector, economy-wide labour challenges.

Transforming employment services

To support Employment Services Transformation (EST), the ministry is continuing to expand the Service System Managers (SSMs) network in 15 catchment areas across Ontario. SSMs are organizations that will work with local partners to design, plan, and deliver employment services that are flexible and responsive to community needs.

In addition to expanding the network of SSMs, the ministry will continue Indigenous Engagement and collaboration in 2023–24, to support the Employment Services Transformation (EST). Input and recommendations on employment and training initiatives for Indigenous populations will be done through two distinct engagement tables:

• The Urban Indigenous Engagement Table (UIET), which will identify opportunities to ensure the reformed system best supports Indigenous clients, and enables improved employment outcomes working within the Service System Manager (SSM) model.
• The Chiefs of Ontario (COO) and the establishment of the Employment Table Working Group, which will move First Nations engagement forward and co-develop a First Nations model for employment service delivery in First Nation communities.

Growing the skilled trades

MLITSD will continue supporting, modernizing, and growing apprenticeship and the skilled trades in Ontario. Apprenticeships help businesses harness new talent, while equipping workers with the practical skills and qualifications that the economy needs now and in the future. The modernization of Ontario’s skilled trades and apprenticeship system focuses on the following elements:

• Breaking the stigma and attracting more youth by promoting the skilled trades as high-profile and desirable first choice careers in elementary and secondary schools.
• Simplifying the delivery of services provided to apprentices, skilled trades workers and their employers by providing secure and convenient access to online information and services, and delivering high quality training
• Leading the ongoing implementation of the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021 (BOSTA), which enabled the creation of a new Crown agency, Skilled Trades Ontario (STO)
• Providing new and enhanced funding programs to support apprentices in progressing and completing their programs
• Encouraging skilled trades employers to train apprentices toward trade program progression, completion, and certification
• Facilitating access for underrepresented and equity deserving groups

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)

The goal of the ministry’s OHS program is to prevent workplace fatalities, injuries, and illnesses. It is guided by the province-wide OHS strategy, Prevention Works. The legislative foundation of the OHS program is the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and its regulations, which establish the rights and duties of all workplace parties. The OHSA requires compliance with minimum standards to protect the health and safety of Ontario workers. The program also undertakes activities such as policy development, legislative/regulatory reform, implementation of the Prevention Works strategy, establishment of health and safety standards, information and knowledge management, performance measurement and evaluation, and training and education to improve OHS knowledge and practices.

The OHS program delivers its services through two major streams — Prevention and Enforcement.

OHS prevention

Prevention activities are guided by the province-wide occupational health and safety strategy. Under this strategy, MLITSD works with businesses, worker groups and provincial health and safety system partners to create a culture where occupational health and safety is at the centre of the workplace. A key component of implementing the Prevention Works strategy is the partnership MLITSD has with Health and Safety Associations (HSAs), OHS Research Centres (RCs) and other key stakeholders.

MLITSD is working with HSAs and RCs to improve current data collection, to ensure the delivery of accessible programs and services to Ontarians. In 2023–24, the ministry will begin tracking Prevention Works KPIs and reporting in subsequent Occupational Health and Safety Annual Reports.

In 2023–24, OHS Prevention activities include implementing new training, awareness, and review programs with a focus on small business, occupational illness, work-related mental health, and workplace violence and harassment. Programs include:

• The Workplace Naloxone Program, which provides workplaces with free training for over 45,000 workers and over 22,000 free nasal spray naloxone kits
• The Small Business Health and Safety Training Program, which provides free occupational health and safety training for health and safety representatives at up to 60,000 small businesses

To further support small businesses, and to build on the initial success of the online COVID‑19 Workplace Safety Plan Builder tool, the ministry will continue working on the expansion of the Builder to help employers identify and manage other workplace hazards and risks in order to prevent occupational injuries and illnesses.

OHS enforcement

OHS Enforcement activities are focused on ensuring compliance with the OHSA and its regulations, particularly in high hazard workplaces to reduce workplace fatalities, injuries, and illness, and promote safe and healthy workplaces in the province. The ministry’s strategy for enforcing the OHSA is based on core enforcement activities through ministry’s OHS inspectors. These inspectors have broad powers to enforce the OHSA and to support compliance through the provision of information, resources, and tools to assist workplaces in meeting legislative requirements.

The ministry will continue to run proactive campaigns where inspectors visit workplaces to raise awareness of, and ensure compliance with, OHSA. The campaigns use a two phased approach:

• Phase 1: Education, outreach, and awareness: The ministry works with health and safety associations to raise awareness and to educate, train and provide resources to workplaces on hazards the blitz is focused on. Workplaces then have the tools and knowledge to comply before the inspections start.
• Phase 2: Enforcement: Inspectors conduct field visits to check that workplace parties are complying with OHSA and its regulations, and to raise awareness about specific issues in those workplaces.

In 2023–24, the ministry will conduct seven province-wide campaigns in the following OHS program areas:

• Construction: Falls from Heights and Struck by Materials and Equipment
• Industrial: Material Handling
• Health Care: Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)
• Mining: Training (Common Core)
• Specialized Professional Services: Respiratory Protection and Asbestos in Buildings

Employment Standards (ES)

MLITSD plays a vital role in promoting the awareness of employment standards, such as minimum wage, hours of work, public holidays, and other standards through the ES Program. The program administers and enforces the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), and its regulations along with the Employment Protection of Foreign Nationals Act, 2009 (EPFNA), and the Protecting Child Performers Act, 2015 (PCPA). The ES Program also develops and updates policies and procedures in response to legislative amendments or regulatory changes.

Ontario’s general minimum wage rates are set to increase from $15.50 to $16.55 on October 1, 2023, along with specific wage increases for students, homeworkers, and wilderness guides. These rate increases have been published on the government’s website.

For 2023–24 the ES program will focus on: 

• Combatting Labour Exploitation, by detecting and investigating businesses suspected of labour violations, trafficking, or exploitation, through the implementation of a new Temporary Help Agencies (THAs) and recruiters licensing framework, and ongoing activities from a dedicated Intelligence Team.
• Increasing employer and employee understanding of the ESA and related legislation, by providing accurate, prompt, and straightforward information and compliance assistance through education resources and stakeholder outreach initiatives.
• Increasing compliance with the ESA, by applying a flexible, measured, and progressive enforcement approach to non-compliance, in line with modern regulator principles. 
• Addressing violations of the ESA and related legislation by conducting timely investigations and inspections that adhere to legislative, policy and administrative obligations, and that use enforcement tools and penalties appropriate to the situation.

Labour Relations (LR)

The objective of the LR program is to create a stable labour relations climate and harmonious workplace relationships needed to foster productive, supportive, and dynamic workplaces in Ontario. LR provides services to the Ontario Public Service, the broader public sector and private sector, and is the central source of neutral labour relations information, policy, and research in Ontario. Through the LR program, MLITSD administers and supports key legislation, including the Labour Relations Act, 1995. In addition, the program also undertakes activities such as policy development, legislative/regulatory reform and supports other ministries’ LR policy initiatives.

In 2023–24 the LR priorities in MLITSD are:

• Mediation Services, which facilitates and monitors the collective bargaining process in the province and assists employers and trade unions to resolve outstanding issues through conciliation and mediation.
• Arbitration Services, which facilitates the arbitration process, identifies, and appoints experienced individuals as arbitrators and nominees of arbitration cases, and catalogues arbitration awards for public availability.
• Labour Relations Information Bureau (LRIB) and Collective Bargaining Program Administration (CBPA), which serves as the data collection and analysis centre for all of Ontario’s public and private sector collective agreements and provides digital solutions to support businesses and Ontarians with neutral collective bargaining information.

Global Talent and Settlement Services (GTSS)

The there are two streams of GTSSD program and service delivery.

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)

Through the OINP, the ministry delivers on its mandate to support a dynamic labour market, in partnership with the Government of Canada. The OINP recognizes and nominates those who have the skills and experience that the Ontario economy needs, for permanent residence in Canada. This includes foreign entrepreneurs who have demonstrated a commitment to establish or purchase and grow durable and long-lasting businesses in communities across the province. The Government of Canada makes the final decision to approve all applications for permanent residence.

The federal government has provided the OINP with a 2023 nomination allocation of 16,500, which represents a 70% increase from the prior year allocation. Additionally, the nomination allocation is set to reach 18,000 by 2025. A higher allocation will allow the program to meet overlapping priorities such as leveraging Francophone immigration to address needs in priority sectors and support rural and northern communities. 

In 2023–24, MLITSD is investing in a modern and secure online OINP application system, as well as in processing capacity. These investments will allow the program to handle the increase in application volume, while maintaining a robust and rigorous review process to detect and deter fraud.

Immigration and Settlement Program

The Immigration and Settlement Program supports the delivery of a range of services and initiatives to help newcomers overcome barriers, and integrate into communities and the labour market. This is done through the provision of settlement, adult language training and bridge training programming delivered by community organizations, school boards and post-secondary institutions.

Detailed financial information

Table 2: Combined operating and capital summary by Vote

Historic trend

Further information on the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development’s programs and initiatives please visit our webiste.

For additional financial information, see:

• Expenditure Estimates
• Public Accounts of Ontario: past editions
• 2023 Ontario Budget: Building a Strong Ontario

Agencies, boards and commissions

The work of the ministry is supported by several agencies, boards and commissions.

Office of the Worker Adviser (OWA): The OWA provides advisory, representation, and educational services to non-unionized injured workers and survivors, and represents them before the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal. The OWA also provides support to non-unionized workers in Section 50 (Occupational Health and Safety Act) reprisal cases being heard at the Ontario Labour Relations Board.

Office of the Employer Adviser (OEA): The OEA provides advisory and educational services to all Ontario employers and representation services primarily to smaller employers, with fewer than 100 employees, with regard to workplace safety and insurance matters before the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal. The OEA also provides support to employers with fewer than 50 employees in Section 50 (Occupational Health and Safety Act) reprisal cases being heard at the Ontario Labour Relations Board.

Pay Equity Office (PEO): The PEO administers Ontario’s Pay Equity Act, which is intended to redress systemic gender discrimination in the compensation of work historically stereotyped as female work. The PEO provides education and advice to employers, employees, and bargaining agents in the public and private sectors to achieve and maintain pay equity in their workplaces. The PEO also investigates complaints, conducts monitoring programs, attempts to effect settlements of pay equity issues between the parties and issues orders for compliance where necessary.

Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal (PEHT): The PEHT, a quasi-judicial tri-partite administrative tribunal, is responsible for adjudicating disputes arising under the Pay Equity Act.

Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB): The OLRB is an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal that mediates and adjudicates a variety of employment and labour relations-related matters under various Ontario statutes, including bad faith bargaining complaints, strikes and lockouts, school board collective bargaining disputes, appeals of decisions of employment standards officers and occupational health and safety inspectors including those related to the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021

Crown Employees Grievance Settlement Board (GSB): The GSB is an independent quasi-judicial tribunal that mediates and adjudicates labour relations rights disputes of Ontario Crown Employees.

Public Service Grievance Board (PSGB): The PSGB is an independent, adjudicative tribunal that provides dispute resolution services to certain management and excluded members of Ontario’s public service.

Office of the Fairness Commissioner (OFC): The OFC supports the Fairness Commissioner in acting on the mandate set out in the Fair Access to Regulated Professions and Compulsory Trades Act, 2006 (FARPACTA) and the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA). The Fairness Commissioner assesses the registration practices of certain regulated professions and trades to make sure they are transparent, objective, impartial, and fair for anyone applying to practice his or her profession in Ontario.

Agencies not Part of ministry estimates

Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB): The WSIB promotes health and safety in workplaces; facilitates the return to work and recovery of workers who sustain personal injury arising out of, and in the course of, employment or who suffer from an occupational disease; facilitates the re-entry into the labour market of workers and spouses of deceased workers; and provides compensation and other benefits to workers and to the survivors of deceased workers.

Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal (WSIAT): The WSIAT is an adjudicative tribunal which may confirm or vary a WSIB decision, and hears and decides appeals of final decisions of the WSIB.

Prevention Council: The Prevention Council provides advice to the Minister on the appointment of a Chief Prevention Officer and any other matters as specified by the Minister. Further, the Prevention Council provides advice to the Chief Prevention Officer on the prevention of workplace injuries and occupational diseases, for the purposes of the provincial occupational health and safety strategy, and the annual report under section 22.3 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and on any significant proposed changes to the funding and delivery of services for the prevention of workplace injuries and occupational diseases.

Labour-Management Advisory Committee: The Labour-Management Advisory Committee advises on grievance arbitration matters and on individuals qualified to act as grievance arbitrators under the Labour Relations Act, 1995.

Skilled Trades Ontario (STO): At maturity, STO will be responsible for a “one-window” delivery model for apprentice registration and certification of skilled tradespeople, in addition to maintaining and updating apprenticeship programs (including training standards, curriculum standards, and examinations).

Summary of expenditures: Agencies, boards and commissions

Notes:

1. All costs of the Grievance Settlement Board are fully recovered from government Ministries as expenditure recoveries and from crown employers and trade unions as revenue:

2. The amounts shown are gross amounts and are fully recoverable from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal report to the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development but are not included in the ministry's Expenditure Estimates because they are not funded through the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).

Ministry organization chart

• Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development
  • Deputy Minister
    • Ministry Agencies
      • Office of the Employer Adviser
      • Office of the Worker Adviser
      • Ontario Labour Relations Board
      • Grievance Settlement Board
      • Public Service Grievance Board
      • Pay Equity Commission
      • Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal
      • Office of the Fairness Commissioner
      • Workplace Safety & Insurance Board
      • Workplace Safety & Insurance Appeals Tribunal
      • Prevention Council
      • Skilled Trades Ontario
    • Central Areas
      • Communications Branch
      • Labour & Transportation I&IT Cluster (Ministry of Transportation)
      • Legal Services Branch (Ministry of the Attorney General)
      • Internal Audit Services (Treasury Board Secretariat)
      • Executive Advisor
    • Corporate Management & Services Division CAO/ADM
      • Strategic Human Resources Branch
      • Corporate Services Branch
      • Finance & Administration Branch
    • Employment & Training Division ADM
      • Transformation Secretariat
      • Program Delivery Support
      • Finance, Analysis and Systems Support
      • Organizational and Business Excellence
      • Northern Region
      • Central East Region
      • Central West Region
      • Eastern Region
      • Western Region
    • Fair, Safe & Healthy Workplaces Division ADM
      • Occupational Health & Safety Branch
      • Employment Practices Branch
      • Operations Integration Unit
      • Northern Region
      • Eastern Region
      • Central East Region
      • Western Region
      • Central West Region
      • South Western Region
      • Agency & Recruiter Licensing Project
    • Global Talent & Settlement Services Division ADM
      • Ontario Immigration Nominee Program
      • Immigration Policy & Strategic Initiatives
      • Settlement Services
    • Prevention Division CPO/ADM
      • Strategy & Integration Branch
      • Training & Awareness Branch
      • Pandemic Workplace Safety Branch
    • Workforce Policy & Innovation ADM
      • Strategic Partnerships & Evaluation
      • Strategic Workforce Policy & Programs
      • Apprenticeship Branch
    • Strategic Policy Division ADM
      • Health, Safety & Insurance Policy Branch
      • Employment, Labour & Corporate Policy Branch
      • Data Analytics & Research Branch
    • Labour Relations Solutions Division ADM
      • Dispute Resolution Services
      • Strategic Initiatives

Annual report

In 2022–23 the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) supported the government’s focus of making Ontario more competitive by preparing people for jobs, supporting employers in meeting their labour needs, creating safe and fair workplaces, and building a smarter government through key investments.

Employment Ontario

Employment Ontario (EO) is the province’s network of employment and training programs that supports job seekers find and keep good jobs, and helps employers recruit the skilled workers they need.

In 2022–23, PEO programs accomplished the following (as of end of February 2023 unless otherwise indicated):

• Employment Service: Provided over 384,000 clients with resources, supports, and services to respond to their career and employment needs (as of December 31, 2022).
• Better Jobs Ontario: Provided over 2,600 laid off, unemployed workers with an opportunity to gain new skills for jobs that are in demand in Ontario.
• Canada-Ontario Job Grant: Provided grant funding to businesses to train over 7,000 new or current employees (as of December 31, 2022).
• SkillsAdvance Ontario: Supported partnerships between over 1,000 employers and over 80 training providers (as of January 31, 2023).
• Literacy and Basic Skills Program: Helped over 33,000 adult learners build critical foundational skills such as reading, writing, numeracy, and digital skills (as of December 31, 2022).
• Youth Job Connection/ Youth Job Connection Summer: Helped more than 10,400 youth to either access programs that make them more job-ready, or to be matched with a job and offered employment.
• Supported Employment: Provided over 400 individuals, who face complex barriers to employment as a result of a disability, with the services and opportunities they need to prepare for and secure employment.
• Ontario Bridge Training Program: Provided more than 2,400 highly-skilled internationally trained immigrants with the supports and services to achieve licensure and obtain commensurate employment in their respective field of training/expertise or a related field, in a timely manner.
• Rapid Re-employment and Training Service: Connected nearly 4,900 workers affected by layoffs with the relevant support programs (as of December 31, 2022).
• Integrated Employment Services: Provided over 68,800 clients (including over 24,700 clients referred by Social Assistance) with employment services, training and supports to gain sustainable employment in prototype communities.
• Ontario Job Creation Partnerships: Had over 40 new clients employed (as of December 31, 2022)

EO continued to provide employment and training supports for jobseekers, workers, and employers in 2022–23, to address labour shortages in key sectors, through three elements of the Workers’ Strategy: Skills Development Fund, Employment Services Transformation, and the Skilled Trades Strategy.

Skills Development Fund

The Skills Development Fund (SDF) enables project-based, partnership-driven solutions that stimulate economic growth in emerging and key-growth sectors of the economy. It also enhances competitive advantage, through workforce development strategies that support workforce sustainability and resiliency.

In 2022–23, the government invested $305.6M in the SDF, and supported 250 projects which helped over 75,000 workers and job seekers. Examples of SDF projects and achievements in 2022–23 include:

• Digital-Age Project Management Skills for Newcomer Women project, which prepared recent newcomer women job seekers, and incumbent workers to enter, or re-enter, the Canadian workforce.
  • 68 participants successfully met all course requirements, graduated, and received a digital certificate. 
• GROW Program, which provided landscape and horticulture training to support new workers wishing to begin their careers, current professionals seeking to expand their skills, and employers striving to enhance their ability to attract and retain the best possible teams.
  • The program had 348 participants including over 50% from underrepresented groups, and 42 organizational partners that were actively engaged in the project.
• Évoluti'ON program, which supported workers from underrepresented Francophone groups through a five phase pathway, with the goal of training and developing those seeking career advancement in a lucrative field in Ontario.
  • Tools and training were provided to 148 participants who were looking to develop their skills, and acquire the supports needed to secure a job.

Employment services transformation

As part of its transformation of employment services, the ministry continued to implement Service System Managers (SSMs), to work with local partners in designing, planning, and delivering employment services. In 2022–23, additional SSMs were selected across 9 provincial catchment areas. SSMs in these catchments have undertaken detailed planning and transition activities, in collaboration with local partners, to integrate and improve employment service delivery.

The ministry conducted early engagement with partners, stakeholders, and potential vendors to gather feedback on how to improve integrated employment services in the complex catchment areas of Toronto, Northeast, and Northwest. Findings from this engagement will inform the final phase of SSMs selection, expected to launch early in 2023–24.

The ministry also continued engagement activities with urban Indigenous partners and First Nation communities including providing capacity funding to the Indigenous partners to support ongoing engagement activities. The following activities were done through two distinct engagement tables:

• Urban Indigenous Engagement (UIET) — Received feedback from partners to better support Indigenous clients, including the need for Indigenous Cultural Competency Training from an Ontario context, relationship building between SSMs and Indigenous community organizations, and a referral processes to ensure Indigenous clients can access the full range of available employment services to ensure successful employment outcomes long term.
• First Nations Engagement — Engaged with First Nations communities, through partnership with Chiefs of Ontario (COO), as First Nation Communities are exempt from the SSMs model for employment services. Engagement resulted in the planned establishment of the Employment Table Working Group in early 2023, which will lead the First Nations engagement and co-design a First Nations (on-reserve) employment services and delivery model with the ministry.

Skilled trades strategy

In 2022–23, the ministry built on the Ontario’s Skilled Trades Strategy, designed to modernize the provincial skilled trades and apprenticeship system through the following initiatives and investments:

Breaking the Stigma

• $28.3M for new projects under the Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program, which helps people, who face barriers in gaining meaningful work experience and training, develop their job skills and readiness for high demand trades in their area.
• $22.0M for the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program, which helps secondary school students gain exposure to work in the skilled trades while completing their Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
• $2.3M for Skills Ontario to build awareness of the great opportunities available in the skilled trades.
• Created the annual provincial LevelUp! Skilled Trades Fairs, to introduce youth to new opportunities in the skilled trades.

Simplifying the System

• $18.0M for the Apprenticeship Development Benefit, to streamline financial supports for apprentices, and expand eligibility so that all apprentices attending full time training can apply to the same program.
• $125.3M for the In-Class Enhancement Fund, to support Training Delivery Agents in delivering higher quality apprenticeship in-class training.
• $24.0M for the Apprenticeship Capital Grant, to help Training Delivery Agents upgrade their facilities with state-of-the-art equipment.
• $3.8M for development of a client-facing digital system, to support the skilled trades and apprenticeship system in Ontario.
• $5.5M towards the Tools Grant, to support apprentices with the cost of tools and equipment for their trade.

Encouraging employer participation

• $49.0M for the Achievement Incentive program, which encourages skilled trades employers to hire and train apprentices through milestone payments, with enhanced financial incentives for hires under the age of 25, and who identify as Indigenous, female, transgender, newcomer, a person with a disability or as being from a racialized group.

The Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021

• Enforced the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021 (BOSTA) and provided education, awareness, and information about the ministry’s role in enforcement of the BOSTA, during health and safety field visits.

Occupational Health and Safety — Prevention

Guided by the Prevention Works strategy, in 2022–23 the ministry continued to prevent workplace fatalities, injuries, and illness province-wide through several steering committees, activities, training, and programs including:

• The System Small Business Study (SBS), where OHS system partners continued to hear from small businesses directly about the best ways to deliver OHS services in relevant and cost-effective ways.
• The Addressing Workplace Risk Factors for Opioid-related Harms program, which helped prevent opioid-related deaths among Ontario workers in high-risk sectors. 
• The Workplace Naloxone Program (WNP) which provides workplaces with free training for over 45,000 workers and over 22,000 free nasal spray naloxone kits
• The Silica Control Tool, which helps workplaces assess risk and implement effective controls and safe work practices where silica dust may be an occupational hazard.
• The Small Business Health and Safety Training Program, which provides free occupational health and safety training for health and safety representatives at up to 60,000 small businesses.
• The Supporting Ontario’s Safety Employers (SOSE) program, which supported employers in maintaining effective occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS), through $720,000 in financial incentive support and non-financial incentives to help offset the cost of implementing control measures.
• Leveraged the Workplace Safety Plan Builder (WSPB) to continue as an essential OHS resource for businesses, and determined how the tool could support employers in making plans to address other workplace risks and hazards. 
• Worked with partner ministries to produce, update and release workplace health and safety guidance resources, and to support the use of strategies to prevent respiratory virus transmission in workplaces in key sectors such as farming, construction, and education and childcare.

The ministry also made progress in performance measurement planning for the Prevention Works strategy. By working with Health and Safety Associations (HSAs), MLITSD collected new data to better understand the clients HSAs serve, and ensure programs and services are delivered in an accessible manner. System-wide key performance indicators (KPIs) are on track to be fully implemented by 2023–24.

Occupational Health and Safety — enforcement

The ministry is committed to making Ontario workplaces safer and healthier through its regionally based, frontline Health and Safety (OHS) program. 2022–23 program achievements include:

• 74,688 field visits carried out by OHS Inspectors to 34,482 workplaces across Ontario, with 95,801 orders and requirements issued (as of March 22, 2023).
• A WSIB reported Lost-Time Injury (LTI) rate of 1.30 for Schedule 1 employers in 2022 (Figure 1)^{footnote 7[7]}.
  • Note: the LTI rate has increased by about 13% from 2020 to 2021 and an additional 6% from 2021 to 2022. However, COVID‑19 related schedule 1 claims accounted for almost 23% of claims made in 2021 and over 30% of claims made in 2022. If these claims were removed from the statistical method, the LTI rate would be 0.97 in 2021 and 0.91 in 2022, both of which are in line with rates in 2016–2017.

Source: Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Annual Data, Schedule 1

• 542 samples tested by The Materials Testing Laboratory (MTL), in accordance with the CSA G-4 standard (figures as of March 13, 2023).
• 12 audits/inspections completed by the Radiation Protection Services (RPS), with 1,865 samples collected.
• 2,369 sample analyses performed in support of the Ontario Reactor Surveillance Program (ORSP) and the Ontario Drinking Water Surveillance Program (DWSP).
• 790 x-ray registration and x-ray installation reviews completed by RPS (as of January 31, 2023).

In addition to its frontline OHS services, MLITSD is also responsible for key OHS related legislation. In March 2023, the ministry received approval of its proposal to amend various provisions in Regulation 854 (Mines and Mining Plants) under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The amendments reflect current practices and technology, keep the regulation up-to-date and increase flexibility, and reduce regulatory burden while maintaining worker health and safety. These amendments will come into force in 2023–24, and include:

• Clarifications of requirements related to ventilation, conveyances, equipment, explosives, emergency wash facilities, and the use of electronic devices to conduct examinations;
• Implementation of several recommendations from the Mining Health, Safety and Prevention Review and Coroner's Juries, including those relating to management of change, airborne hazard management, ground control and seismic monitoring, and;
• Modernization of regulatory requirements by revoking redundant or duplicative requirements, updating references to industry standards, and amending provisions to update terminology.

The government also proposed changes to the Construction Projects regulations O. Reg. 213/91 under OHSA, which will explicitly require personal protective clothing and equipment be properly fitted and will improve hygiene/toilet facilities on construction projects. These changes will help to remove barriers for women in the construction industry, and will make the skilled trades more accessible to women. The Ontario government will also be making it easier for firefighters, fire investigators and their families to get access to Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) compensation by proposing to expand presumptive cancer coverage for firefighters to include thyroid and pancreatic cancers. These amendments will come into force on July 1, 2023.

Employment Standards

In 2022–23 the Employment Standards (ES) program continued to be focused on claim resolution to create fair workplaces, and a level playing field for employers. The program also saw some recovery of claim intake in comparison to the previous two years.

On April 29, 2021, the Government passed the Putting Workers First Act, 2021, which required employers to provide up to three paid leave days for COVID-related reasons at an employee’s current rate of pay or $200/day, whichever is lower. Through the provincially funded Worker Income Protection Benefit (WIPB), employers received reimbursements for the cost of these paid leave days. In 2022–23, the ministry extended the program to March 31, 2023.

The ES program continued its efforts to support compliance modernization by:

• Collaborating with other regulators such as the Ministry of Finance and police agencies, to address concerns such as the underground economy and human trafficking;
• Implementing legislative changes to the ESA and its regulations such as amendments through Working for Workers Act; and
• Supporting employers in complying with the ESA through updated educational presentations, which included explanatory information on new rights and requirements established through Working for Workers Act, 2021 and Working for Workers Act, 2022.

In April 2022 the Legislature passed the Working for Workers Act, 2022. Led by MLITSD, the act included various ES-related amendments, such as:

• Foundational rights and protections for people who provide ride-share, delivery, or courier services through digital platforms;
• A requirement for larger employers to have policies on how they are monitoring their workers electronically;
• Improved job protection leaves for military reservists, to ensure their day jobs will be waiting for them when they return home; and
• Provisions for a licensing framework for temporary help agencies and recruiters.

The government introduced Working for Workers, 2023 bill in March 2023, which also includes ES-related amendments. If passed, this bill would:

• Expand reasons for military reservists leave and reduce eligibility requirements;
• Update how an establishment is defined under the Act, which would extend mass termination notice, and/or pay in lieu, and provide severance pay to eligible employees who work exclusively from home;
• Provide regulation making authority that would ensure new workers are provided certain basic information about their job before their first shift; and
• Increase maximum fines that may be imposed upon conviction of an employer or recruiter who takes or retains a foreign national’s passport or work permit.

Other employment standards in the province include minimum wage rates, which  increased on October 1, 2022. The new minimum wage rates were published on the government’s website increased the general minimum wage from $15.00 to $15.50 per hour. At the end of March 2023, the government announced an additional increase to the general minimum wage of $16.65, effective October 1, 2023.

Labour Relations

Through the Labour Relations (LR) program, the ministry provided neutral, evidence-based, collective bargaining analytics and informed labour relations policy support to the government and other ministries on labour issues. Stakeholders included hospitals, long-term care homes, retirement homes, other congregate care settings, municipalities, the construction industry, and additional private sector manufacturing and service industries.

By resolving disputes in the labour community, the LR program facilitated a stable and harmonious labour environment. 2022–23 achievement statistics included:

• Approximately 3,200 conciliation and mediation files appointed by the ministry.
• Exceeding its 95% target rate, having 99% of all settlements being achieved without a work disruption (see Figure 2 below).

• 13% decrease in the incidence of strikes and lock-outs when compared year-over-year.^{footnote 8[8]}
• Approximately 1,600 collective agreements ratified in the construction, education, health and social services, public administration, trade and finance, and manufacturing sectors.
• Approximately 440 appointments made by the ministry, settling grievance and interest arbitration disputes where the parties were unable to agree on an arbitrator on their own.
• Increase in access to Collective Bargaining Ontario reports, with the Collective Bargaining Highlights report being accessed over 4,700 times and the Collective Bargaining Expiries report being accessed over 850 times.

In Fall 2022, the LR program conducted several focus group sessions with the labour relations community to understand client sentiment on the current Collective Bargaining Ontario (CBO) site, and to gather insights on how to better provide data to foster harmonious labour relations. CBO is the program’s public website, which provides simple and fast delivery of dispute resolution services and collective bargaining data, from application intake, to reporting and analytics.

Global Talent and Settlement Services (GTSS)

Through GTSS, the ministry addresses two key government priorities:

• Nominating skilled immigrants, and
• Supporting social and economic integration of newcomers

Nominating skilled immigrants

In 2022–23, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) met its 2022 nomination allocation by nominating skilled immigrants for permanent residence to help fill Ontario’s labour gaps.

In 2022–23 OINP achievements include:

• 9,750 nominations issued for permanent residence to successful applicants across 9 program streams.
• Surpassing its 5% target for Francophone immigration.
• Nominating applicants from over 120 different countries.

2022–23 OINP statistics included:

• 19% of applicants already had a job offer in Ontario before nomination
• 81% of nominees held a postsecondary degree or diploma
• 45% had high language skills (Canadian Language Benchmark 7 or above) in at least one of Canada’s official languages.

In April 2022, the ministry selected the Toronto Business Development Centre (TBDC) to be the administrator of the Entrepreneur Pilot, an initiative to support prospective immigrant entrepreneurs find a business opportunity in Ontario and apply to the OINP Entrepreneur Stream for a nomination for permanent residence. In November 2022, TBDC launched the pilot, and has been working with communities across Ontario to identify business creation and succession opportunities, marketing to target audiences abroad, and supporting prospective immigrant entrepreneurs who are interested in establishing or purchasing a business in Ontario.

OINP Entrepreneur Stream now has 24 applicants operating their businesses in Ontario. As of May 2023, the OINP Entrepreneur Stream nominated 8 more entrepreneurs for permanent residence. There are another 129 applications that are being evaluated, which includes 87 applicants who could soon be arriving to Ontario. The 24 Entrepreneur Stream applicants operating their business in Ontario have invested over $8 million and created 66 permanent full-time jobs for Ontarians across the province. These businesses are operating within various industries, including manufacturing, medical equipment and supplies, retail, information and culture, accommodation and food services, and professional/scientific/technical services.

Supporting social and economic integration of newcomers

Through the Immigration and Settlement Program, the ministry provided settlement and language training services to nearly 120,000 newcomers in 2022–23. This includes the delivery of:

• Settlement services including service navigation, information, orientation and referrals to community and government services such as education, health, housing, and employment assistance to over 75,000 newcomers;
• Language training classes to approximately 47,000 newcomers to help them develop language skills needed to settle and find employment in Ontario; and
• Language interpretation services to help 8,850 victims of domestic or sexual violence with language barriers access social, healthcare, and legal supports.

Additionally, on April 4, 2022, the government filed a new regulation, O. Reg. 261/22, under Fair Access to Regulated Professions and Compulsory Trades Act (FARPACTA), building upon the amendments made through the Working for Workers Act, 2021. The regulation establishes maximum time frames for certain regulated professions to make and communicate decisions regarding the registration of internationally trained individuals, streamlines language proficiency testing requirements, and ensures continuity of registration processes during emergencies.

Acts administered by the ministry: 2022–23

• Ambulance Services Collective Bargaining Act, 2001
• Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021
• Crown Employees Collective Bargaining Act, 1993
• Digital Platform Workers’ Rights Act, 2022
• Employment Protection for Foreign Nationals Act, 2009
• Employment Standards Act, 2000
• Fair Access to Regulated Professions and Compulsory Trades Act, 2006
• Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997, Part IX (Firefighters: Employment and Labour Relations)
• Front-line and Essential Service Worker Week Act, 2021
• Government Contract Wages Act, 2018
• Hospital Labour Disputes Arbitration Act
• Labour Relations Act, 1995
• Ministry of Labour Act
• Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Act, in respect of training and skills development
• Occupational Health and Safety Act
• Occupational Safety and Health Day Act, 2021
• Ontario Immigration Act, 2015
• Ontario Labour Mobility Act, 2009
• Pay Equity Act
• Pay Transparency Act, 2018
• Protecting Child Performers Act, 2015
• Public Sector Dispute Resolution Act, 1997
• Public Sector Labour Relations Transition Act, 1997
• Public Service of Ontario Act, 2006 in respect of sections 21 to 27 and clause 31(1)(b) [only in respect of the Public Service Grievance Board]
• Registered Human Resources Professionals Act, 2013
• Regulatory Modernization Act, 2007
• Rights of Labour Act
• Toronto Transit Commission Labour Disputes Resolution Act, 2011
• Workers Day of Mourning Act, 2016
• Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997

The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development also has responsibilities under the following Act administered by another ministry:

• Colleges Collective Bargaining Act, 2008
  • Administered by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities. However, the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development has a role in the conciliation process, and the Ontario Labour Relations Board also has functions and responsibilities under this Act.

"Back to work" Acts administered by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development

• Back to Class Act (York University), 2018
• Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Labour Dispute Resolution Act, 2017
• Protecting the School Year Act, 2015