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New Rights for Digital Platform Workers in Ontario
If you drive for Uber, deliver for DoorDash or SkipTheDishes, or work through any other digital platform in Ontario, you now have legal rights that did not exist before. Ontario's Digital Platform Workers' Rights Act, 2022 came into force on July 1, 2025, making Ontario the first jurisdiction in Canada to give gig workers statutory protections including minimum pay, pay transparency, tip protection, and the right to notice before being deactivated. Understanding what you are owed is the first step to making sure you receive it.
This is significant. Many digital platform workers have historically been classified as independent contractors and excluded from Employment Standards Act protections. The Digital Platform Workers' Rights Act, 2022 creates a separate set of rights that apply regardless of how the platform classifies you.
Is your platform not paying you minimum wage per assignment, withholding tips, or deactivating you without notice?
These are violations of Ontario law that came into force on July 1, 2025. You have the right to raise complaints and seek remedies. Get advice to understand your options.
Call: 1-800-771-7882 Speak With an Employment LawyerYour rights under the Digital Platform Workers' Rights Act
Minimum wage per assignment
Platform operators must pay you at least Ontario's general minimum wage for each work assignment, calculated from the time you accept the task to the time it is completed. This directly addresses the widespread problem of workers earning below minimum wage due to unpaid wait time between assignments.
Pay transparency
You are entitled to information about how your pay is calculated, including the formulas or variables used to determine what you receive for each assignment. Platforms can no longer obscure pay calculations behind opaque algorithms without giving workers the information they need to understand and verify their earnings.
Recurring pay periods and pay statements
Operators must establish a regular pay cycle and provide you with a pay statement for each period. This brings digital platform work in line with standard employment practices and gives you a documented record of what you have been paid.
Tip protection
Operators are prohibited from withholding or making unauthorized deductions from tips or gratuities left by customers. You must receive the full benefit of any tip, subject only to lawful deductions such as taxes. A platform cannot skim tips or reduce your pay to offset tip amounts.
Written notice before deactivation
You cannot be removed from the platform deactivated without written notice except in limited circumstances involving public safety, fraud, or other specified legal issues. You are entitled to be told the reason for your removal and may request additional information in writing. Sudden, unexplained deactivation is no longer permitted.
Right to information and dispute resolution
The DPWRA creates mechanisms for workers to access information about their rights, raise concerns about non-compliance, and seek remedies for violations. Workers whose rights under the Act are not respected have recourse through Ontario's enforcement framework.
Signs your platform may not be complying with the DPWRA
What to do if your rights under the DPWRA are not being respected
Document the violation
Keep records of your completed assignments, the pay you received, any tips paid by customers, your deactivation notice if you received one, and any communications with the platform about your pay or account status. This documentation is the foundation of any complaint or claim.
Request information in writing
The DPWRA gives you the right to request information about how your pay is calculated and the reasons for a deactivation. Put your request in writing and keep a copy. A platform that refuses or fails to respond to a written request is itself a compliance issue.
File a complaint with the Ministry of Labour
Violations of the DPWRA can be reported to Ontario's Ministry of Labour through the employment standards complaint process. The Ministry can investigate complaints and order operators to comply and compensate workers for amounts owed. Limitation periods apply so act promptly.
Get legal advice
The DPWRA is new legislation and the enforcement framework is still developing. An employment lawyer can help you assess whether your rights have been violated, how to document and present your complaint most effectively, and whether additional claims may be available to you depending on the circumstances of your situation.
Is a digital platform not paying you correctly, withholding tips, or deactivating you without notice in Ontario?
The Digital Platform Workers' Rights Act gives you statutory rights that came into force on July 1, 2025. Get advice to understand what you are owed and how to enforce it.
Get Legal Advice Or call us: 1-800-771-7882Frequently asked questions about the Digital Platform Workers' Rights Act in Ontario
Does the DPWRA apply to me if I am classified as an independent contractor?
Yes. The Digital Platform Workers' Rights Act, 2022 applies to workers who perform digital platform work regardless of how the operator classifies them. The Act was specifically designed to extend protections to gig workers who would not otherwise qualify as employees under Ontario's Employment Standards Act, 2000. Being called an independent contractor or gig worker does not remove the rights the DPWRA provides.
What platforms does the DPWRA cover?
The Act covers digital platforms that arrange ride-share, delivery, and similar services through an online interface. This includes platforms like Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, SkipTheDishes, and similar operators. The Act applies to the digital platform operator, which is the company or organization that facilitates the work through the platform.
How is minimum wage calculated under the DPWRA?
Operators must pay at least Ontario's general minimum wage for each assignment, calculated from the time you accept the task to the time it is completed. The Act addresses the problem of workers earning below minimum wage because wait time between assignments was previously unpaid. If your effective rate across accepted assignments regularly falls below minimum wage, the platform may not be complying.
Can a platform deactivate me without notice in Ontario?
Not under the DPWRA as of July 1, 2025. Operators must provide written notice before deactivating a worker, with limited exceptions for public safety, fraud, or other specified issues. You are entitled to be told the reason for your removal and may request additional information in writing. A sudden unexplained deactivation without written notice is a violation of the Act.
What can I do if my tips are being withheld by the platform?
The DPWRA prohibits operators from withholding or making unauthorized deductions from tips or gratuities. Where you have evidence that tips paid by customers are not being passed on in full, document the discrepancy and consider filing a complaint with Ontario's Ministry of Labour. A limitation period applies so act promptly once you identify the issue.
When did the Digital Platform Workers' Rights Act come into force?
The Digital Platform Workers' Rights Act, 2022 received Royal Assent in 2022 and came into force on July 1, 2025. All covered platform operators in Ontario were required to comply with its provisions from that date. If you experienced violations after July 1, 2025, you may have grounds to file a complaint or seek remedies under the Act.
Are your rights as a digital platform worker in Ontario not being respected?
The Digital Platform Workers' Rights Act gives gig workers in Ontario statutory rights to minimum pay, pay transparency, tip protection, and notice before deactivation. Our team advises employees and workers across Ontario on employment standards disputes and workplace rights. Contact us for a confidential consultation.
Call us at 1-800-771-7882 or fill out the form below and we will be in touch.
The article in this client update provides general information and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. This publication is copyrighted by Achkar Law Professional Corporation and may not be photocopied or reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without the express permission of Achkar Law Professional Corporation. ©