RESOURCES & INSIGHTS
What we’re reading — and recommending.
Current research, guidance, and legislative updates from the HR profession — curated for Ontario SMEs.
This page is our short list — HR reading that’s genuinely useful for running a growing company in Ontario. Research from the major associations, Canadian HR trade press, Ontario employment-law commentary, and a handful of broader voices worth following. We update it regularly. If you’re a client on retainer, we’ll flag the ones that matter most for your business specifically.
From HRPA
The Human Resources Professionals Association is Ontario’s regulatory body for HR — their HR Insights stream is where new legislation and practice guidance lands first.
HRPA · COMPLIANCE
Ontario pay transparency + AI disclosure: what HR teams must know in 2026
New ESA rules in effect January 1, 2026. Mandatory salary ranges on job postings, AI-use disclosure, and three-year posting retention — the employer checklist.
HRPA · LEGISLATION
Navigating Ontario’s new employment regulations
Plain-English walkthrough of O. Reg. 476/24 — the policy and practice updates every Ontario employer needs on file.
HRPA · RESEARCH
HRPA Surveys — Ontario HR Trends
Annual surveys covering compensation, retention, and workforce trends — benchmarking data that’s actually Ontario-specific.
HRPA · LEADERSHIP
HRPA Summit Reflections — Insights to shape 2025
Takeaways from HRPA’s annual Summit on culture, employee experience, and what’s ahead for Ontario employers.
HRPA · HUB
HRPA HR Insights — full hub
The full HRPA insights library. Worth bookmarking — new articles appear regularly on legislation, DEI, workplace mental health, and emerging practice.
From McLean & Company
McLean & Company’s HR research is broad, data-backed, and more practical than most. Their trends reports and retention research shape how senior HR teams think about priorities.
McLEAN & CO · TRENDS
HR Trends Report 2026
Leadership development stays #1; innovation rises to #2. The shift every HR strategy should be aware of going into the year, based on 1,600+ respondents.
McLEAN & CO · ENGAGEMENT
Employee Engagement Trends Report 2025
Five-year view on what’s driving engagement — and where it’s slipping. Benchmarks your engagement scores actually deserve to be compared against.
McLEAN & CO · RETENTION
Develop an Effective Talent Retention Plan
A structured, SME-friendly blueprint for retention — the diagnostic questions to ask before throwing money at the problem.
McLEAN & CO · BENCHMARKS
New Hire & Exit Survey Benchmark Reports
What new hires actually think at 30/60/90 — and what leavers say when they finally feel safe enough to tell you. Both are more uncomfortable than you’d expect.
McLEAN & CO · HUB
HR Trends Resource Center
McLean’s trends library — the aggregator page where new research lands as it’s published.
Canadian HR news & research
The Canadian HR trade press — where new legislation, workplace trends, and case studies land first. These are the publications we read weekly.
TRADE PRESS · NATIONAL
Canadian HR Reporter
Canada’s leading HR trade publication — legislation, workplace trends, compliance, and people strategy. High credibility with Canadian HR leaders and very Ontario-relevant.
HRPA · MAGAZINE
HR Professional Magazine
HRPA’s practitioner magazine — Canadian HR editorial written by and for working HR pros. A natural companion to the HRPA Insights hub.
TRADE PRESS · CASE STUDIES
HRD Canada
Case studies, interviews with HR leaders, and expert commentary — the more narrative, story-driven end of Canadian HR journalism.
Employment law — Ontario
We’re senior HR practitioners, not employment lawyers — but keeping current on Ontario’s employment law landscape is non-negotiable. These are the blogs we check when legislation moves.
RUDNER LAW · PLAIN-ENGLISH
Rudner Law Blog
Stuart Rudner is one of Ontario’s most prominent employment lawyers — and unusual in writing for a non-lawyer audience. Clear, current, and practical.
BAKER McKENZIE · LEGISLATIVE TRACKING
Canadian Labour & Employment Law Blog
Baker McKenzie’s tracker for Canadian employment-law changes in real time. Strong on the Working for Workers Act series and the compliance detail behind each wave.
Broader people & culture
Two additional sources that round out the view — one for depth and global benchmarks, the other for day-to-day SME practicality.
SHRM · GLOBAL RESEARCH
SHRM
The world’s largest HR association. US-based but widely read in Canada — strong on research, toolkits, and best practices. Use it for depth and global benchmarks, not Ontario compliance.
PENINSULA CANADA · SME PRACTICE
Peninsula Canada Blog
HR, Health & Safety, and Employment Law written specifically for Canadian SMEs — exactly the audience AncHR serves. Very practical and accessible.
Want the short list in your inbox?
A monthly email with two or three items worth reading — and a one-line AncHR take on each. No spam. Unsubscribe any time.