NEWS REFERENCE
According to a report by The Canadian Press, published by CTV News on May 12, 2026, Postmedia Network Canada Corp. is exiting its flyer distribution business, resulting in the loss of 50 full-time and 200 part-time jobs. The phase-out begins June 8 and is expected to be completed by the end of August 2026. Postmedia stated the decision was made to “keep pace with industry change and respond to consumer preferences.”
What Postmedia Is Saying — And What It Means For You Legally
Postmedia has framed this as a business adaptation — a response to shifting consumer behaviour and a changing media landscape. That framing is understandable. But under Ontario employment law, the reason behind your termination does not reduce what you are owed.
A business decision to exit a division is still a termination without cause. You are entitled to proper notice and compensation — full stop.
What You Are Legally Entitled To
ESA termination pay
Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 entitles you to one week of notice or pay in lieu for each year of service, up to a maximum of eight weeks. This applies to both full-time and part-time employees.
ESA severance pay
If you have worked for five or more years and Postmedia’s Ontario payroll exceeds $2.5 million — which, as one of Canada’s largest media companies, it almost certainly does — you are entitled to an additional one week’s pay per year of service, up to 26 weeks. This is on top of your termination notice, not instead of it.
Common law reasonable notice
Beyond the ESA, Ontario courts regularly award significantly more based on your age, length of service, seniority, and how difficult it will be to find comparable work. For long-service employees in a contracting industry like print media, that difficulty is real — and courts factor it in.
Part-time employees — you have rights too
Part-time status does not eliminate your entitlements. If you have worked for Postmedia for three months or more, you are entitled to ESA notice. If you have worked five or more years, severance pay applies to you as well. Do not assume otherwise.
Vacation pay and benefits
Any earned but unused vacation must be paid out in full. Benefits must continue throughout any working notice period. If these are missing from your final pay, that is a violation.
The Timing Matters — Mass Termination Rules Apply Here
Because Postmedia is eliminating more than 50 employees, Ontario’s mass termination provisions under Part XV of the ESA are triggered. This means:
|
Number Terminated
|
Minimum Notice
|
|---|---|
|
50 – 199 employees
|
8 weeks
|
|
200 – 499 employees
|
12 weeks
|
|
500 or more employees
|
16 weeks
|
With 250 jobs being cut in total, the 12-week mass termination notice requirement likely applies — on top of your individual entitlements. Postmedia is also required to file a notice with the Director of Employment Standards. If that was not done properly, additional claims may be available.
What To Do Right Now
1/ Do not sign anything yet — any separation package will include a release that ends all future claims. Do not sign before getting legal advice.
2/ Check your start date — your length of service determines your ESA entitlement. Every year counts.
3/ Part-time workers — read your offer carefully — part-time employees are frequently offered less than they are legally owed. Know your baseline.
4/ Note the phase-out timeline — the shutdown runs from June 8 to end of August. If you were not given adequate notice before that process began, that is legally relevant.
5/ Apply for EI immediately — apply at Service Canada as soon as possible. Do not wait for severance negotiations to conclude.
6/ Speak to an employment lawyer — especially if you are a long-service employee, were given no written notice, or have been handed a release to sign.
The bottom line: Postmedia is moving on from this business. You deserve to move on too — with everything you are legally owed. Whether you are full-time or part-time, whether you worked there two years or twenty, your rights are real and they are enforceable.
Do not sign anything until you know what those rights are worth.
