Update – Ontario’s Fifth Working for Workers Act Receives Royal Assent

In Provincial

Changes will open pathways into the skilled trades, remove barriers to employment, support frontline heroes, protect workers and support women at work

David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, issued the following statement after the Working for Workers Five Act, 2024 received Royal Assent.

“With our fifth Working for Workers Act now law, our government continues to lead Canada by strengthening supports for frontline heroes, growing Ontario’s workforce, and cutting red tape to help more workers get better training, for better jobs, with bigger paychecks. The legislative and regulatory changes in the Working for Workers Five package will:

  • Support frontline heroes by implementing the lowest required duration of service in Canada for firefighters, investigators and volunteers to be eligible for presumptive WSIB coverage for primary-site skin cancer, from 20 years to 10 years, and ensuring wildland firefighters and wildland fire investigators have the same coverage for occupational cancers, heart injuries, and PTSD as municipal firefighters do.
  • Encourage and enable more women to start a career in the trades by requiring menstrual products be made available on larger construction sites, cracking down on virtual harassment, and requiring all workplaces to have clean and sanitary washrooms and records of cleaning – a first-in-Canada measure that is bringing clean washrooms from Bay Street to Main Street

These changes expand on groundbreaking measures included in our four previous Working for Workers Acts since 2021, which are already helping millions of people.

By putting workers first, we can and will bring the Ontario dream within reach of more people, and ensure Ontario remains the very best place to live, work and raise a family.”

Video – Hamilton Township Firefighter Was the Spark for Change

Pete Fisher
Author: Pete Fisher

Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love

Join Our Newsletter!

Want to keep up to date on news and events in Northumberland? Subscribe to newsletter!

You may also read!

Quinte West OPP – “Routine” Traffic Stop Discovers 14 People in Van

A routine traffic stop in Quinte West has led to the disruption of a potential human trafficking operation. On Friday,

Read More...

Queenies Bake Shop in Port Hope Prepares for 14th Annual Free Thanksgiving Meal

Adam Pearson from Queenies Bake Shop on Walton Street spent Saturday, October 11, 2025 preparing for his stores annual

Read More...

Breaking News – Three Toronto Area Women Taken into Custody by Port Hope Police

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGVbASDm8L8 Three women from the Toronto area were taken into custody by Port Hope Police on Saturday, October 11, 2025. At

Read More...

Mobile Sliding Menu