Non-compete ban could shift focus to hiring and onboarding in insurance, say KPMG experts

The federal government’s plan to prohibit non-compete agreements in federally regulated workplaces, including insurers, may not cause an immediate shakeup in employee mobility – but it could change how employers handle contracts from the outset, according to Richelle Pollard (pictured right), partner in employment and labour law at KPMG Law LLP.

Pollard said the move mirrors steps already taken at the provincial level. Ontario banned most non-compete clauses in 2021 under the Working for Workers Act, which she described as part of a broader push toward greater employee protection, transparency, and mobility.

She said the federal proposal follows the same logic – but because federally regulated employers tend to be larger and more complex, the operational impact could be broader. “Given