Benchmark Bulletin

The COIRI Blog

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Your Compensation Data is now Public-Facing. Here’s how Ontario HR Leaders get it Right

Talk to any HR professional in Ontario right now and ask where all their time is going. The answer will be pay-related. Getting compensation right has always been a challenge. But the conversation was internal. You’d benchmark every couple of years, set your ranges, defend a few offers, sign off on the merit cycle, and…

Pay Transparency Done Right: How to Explain Pay Differences to Employees (Without Losing Their Trust)

Ontario’s pay transparency rules took effect January 1, 2026. Compliance, while arduous for some, is straightforward. The conversations it triggers, however, are not. Some of the difficult conversations happening right now aren’t caused by new legislation. They’re caused by years of inconsistent hiring and unchecked compression. Here’s how to get it right. Prepare Managers &…

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Ontario Manufacturers: Are you Using a SUB Plan to Protect your Workforce?

If you’re an HR professional in Ontario manufacturing and you don’t have a SUB plan in place, it’s worth asking why not. More Ontario businesses are making them a core part of their workforce strategy, and for good reason. Replacing a skilled worker is expensive — recruiting fees, lost productivity, onboarding time, and the loss…

A modern office desk displays documents, coins in a glass jar, a pen, and a sign reading "EMPLOYER GUIDE to Ontario Pay Transparency 2026" with guidelines on compensation benchmarking for Ontario employers. City buildings are visible through the window.

The Pay Transparency Wake-Up Call: What Ontario Employers Need to Know About Compensation Benchmarking in 2026

Posted salary ranges have turned compensation into a public conversation. Ontario employers who rely on outdated or off-market benchmarks are paying the price in turnover, declined offers, and shrinking talent pipelines. Here’s how to get ahead of it.

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Ontario Salary Increase Trends in 2026 – Here’s What HR Needs to Know

Ontario salary increases are stabilizing around 3% for 2026. HR teams must balance cost-of-living pressures, talent shortages, and pay transparency by targeting increases strategically, maintaining internal equity, and relying on strong market data to stay competitive without overspending.

A man wearing safety glasses and work clothes closely inspects or operates industrial machinery—showcasing the hands-on skills valued in Ontario manufacturing jobs projected to be in-demand by 2026.

The Most In-Demand Jobs in Ontario Manufacturing in 2026 (and What They’re Actually Paying)

The skilled trades shortage in Ontario manufacturing isn’t a blip — it’s structural. This article breaks down the roles under the most hiring pressure in 2026, the wage dynamics behind them, and what HR leaders can do right now to ensure their compensation stays competitive in a market that isn’t waiting around.

Four professionals in business attire sit at a table during a meeting; one woman stands and shakes hands with a smiling woman across the table, while two men watch. Ontario employers discuss competitive pay, with a laptop and documents on the table.

Is Your Pay Competitive? How Ontario Employers can Align Compensation with Market Rates in 2026

Losing candidates over pay or battling counter-offers? Your compensation may be out of step with the market. Learn what market-aligned pay really means for Ontario employers and three practical steps to get back on track in 2026.

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Introducing COIRI Clarity

For more than eight decades, COIRI has stood at the frontier of compensation, benefits and human-resources benchmark data in Ontario. Today, as we mark the launch of our redesigned brand and website, we’re also opening an exciting new chapter in our story.