Termination notice · Canada
Notice of termination by province.
The statutory MINIMUM notice period (or pay in lieu) each Canadian jurisdiction requires before ending employment without cause — distinct from severance pay, and from common-law "reasonable notice".
Every jurisdiction grows notice with length of service. Most cap at 8 weeks; Newfoundland and Labrador caps at 6 and New Brunswick caps at 4 (using only two tiers, not a year-by-year scale). Qualifying periods range from 30 days (Manitoba) to 6 months (New Brunswick, Yukon).
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Minimum notice owed
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Qualifying period and maximum, by jurisdiction
| Jurisdiction | Qualifying period | Maximum notice |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | more than 90 days (about 3 months) | 8 weeks |
| British Columbia | more than 3 consecutive months | 8 weeks |
| Federal (Canada Labour Code) | 3 consecutive months | 8 weeks |
| Manitoba | 30 days (about 1 month) | 8 weeks |
| Nova Scotia | 3 consecutive months | 8 weeks |
| Northwest Territories | 90 days (about 3 months) | 8 weeks |
| Nunavut | 90 days (about 3 months), averaging at least 25 hours a week | 8 weeks |
| Ontario | 3 consecutive months | 8 weeks |
| Prince Edward Island | 90 days (about 3 months) | 8 weeks |
| Quebec | 3 consecutive months (3 mois de service continu) | 8 weeks |
| Saskatchewan | 13 consecutive weeks (about 3 months) | 8 weeks |
| Yukon | 6 consecutive months | 8 weeks |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 3 consecutive months | 6 weeks |
| New Brunswick | 6 consecutive months | 4 weeks |
Sources, last verified 26 September 2026: each jurisdiction links to its own page above, which cites the employment-standards authority that sets it. This covers NOTICE PERIOD LENGTH only, not severance pay (see Ontario severance pay and federal severance pay) and not common-law reasonable notice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between notice and severance pay?
Notice of termination (or pay in lieu) is what nearly every Canadian employee is owed when let go without cause. Severance pay is a SEPARATE, additional entitlement that exists as its own statutory category only federally and in Ontario, and only above a service-length and (in Ontario) employer-payroll-size threshold. Most employees across Canada are owed notice but not statutory severance pay.
Which province has the longest statutory notice?
Most provinces and territories cap at 8 weeks for long-tenured employees. Newfoundland and Labrador is the outlier on the low side, capping at 6 weeks. New Brunswick caps at just 4 weeks, using a simple two-tier scale rather than a year-by-year one.
Is this the most I could be entitled to?
No — this is only the legislated FLOOR. A written contract can specify more, and without one, courts can award longer common-law (or in Quebec, civil-law) "reasonable notice" for a wrongful dismissal, which is fact-specific and often substantially more than the statutory minimum for longer-tenured employees.
Estimate only — not legal advice
This calculator produces an estimate of the statutory MINIMUM notice period only. It is not legal advice and it is not a determination of what you are owed. For a binding answer, contact the employment-standards office named above or a lawyer.