Termination

Ending an employment relationship in Canada involves three separate layers that get mixed together in conversation as “severance”: statutory notice or pay in lieu (the floor set by employment standards law), statutory severance where it exists as its own entitlement, and common-law reasonable notice (set by courts, often much larger, unless a valid contract clause limits it). Which statute sets the floor depends on jurisdiction, and the differences are material.

The statutory floor, by jurisdiction

The scales differ enough that reading the wrong province’s table produces a wrong answer; use the jurisdiction-specific articles below for the exact ladder.

Start with these answers

• The comparison: how much termination notice is required, federal vs Ontario vs Alberta.
• By jurisdiction: notice requirements in Alberta, in Ontario, and federally.
• The letter itself: termination letter requirements compared, and for Alberta, Ontario, and federal employers.
• Severance: entitlements compared across jurisdictions, and for Alberta, Ontario, and federal workplaces.
• Disputes: how wrongful dismissal claims work in Alberta, in Ontario, and federally, plus firing without cause.

Mistakes on both sides of a termination

1. Employers paying only the statutory minimum without checking the contract. If the termination clause is invalid, common-law notice applies, and it is usually larger.
2. Employees signing a release on the spot. The first offer typically reflects the statutory floor, not the common-law entitlement.
3. Missing the group-termination overlay. Larger layoffs trigger separate government notice requirements on top of individual entitlements.

Official starting points

• Alberta: termination and lay-off
• Ontario: guide to the Employment Standards Act
• Canada Labour Code

Guide last updated August 8, 2026.