Pay transparency grows in Canada, but exact salary details remain scarce
Job seekers in Canada are gradually seeing more salary transparency in job postings, but it remains inconsistent across sectors, and exact figures are still rare. According to a report from Indeed, listings that provide salary information have more than doubled over the last five years, reaching 49% in early 2024 compared to just 22% in 2019. This growth can be attributed to job market pressures during the pandemic, where transparency helped attract more applicants and improve employee retention, as well as new salary disclosure legislation introduced in provinces like British Columbia and Ontario.
Some of the push for transparency came from job seekers demanding more openness during the pandemic labour market, where record vacancies and rising resignations drove companies to reveal salary information. This shift allowed employers to fill roles more quickly and foster trust among current employees, with research indicating that salary transparency improves engagement and addresses pay equity issues.
Legislation has also played a crucial role in boosting these numbers. In May 2023, British Columbia passed a law requiring salary details in job ads, pushing listings with such information from 49% to 76% by February 2024. Ontario is expected to follow suit, with Labour Minister David Piccini noting that transparency is particularly important as companies post record profits. These changes aim to promote fairness and ensure that workers have access to clear information about pay in the job market.