A Canadian Resignation Letter is a formal written document by which an employee voluntarily terminates the employment relationship with their employer. Under Canadian law, a resignation must be clear and unequivocal — the Supreme Court of Canada has held that an employer is entitled to take a clear statement of resignation at face value, and a resignation that is clear on its face is generally irrevocable unless the employee retracts it before the employer relies upon it.

Canadian employment law treats employee resignations differently from employer-initiated terminations. While employers must provide notice (or pay in lieu) and potentially severance under provincial Employment Standards Acts, employee notice obligations are more limited and vary significantly by province. Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 (S.O. 2000, c. 41, s. 63) requires employees who have been employed for three or more months to give at least one week of written notice, or two weeks for employees with contracts specifying a longer period. British Columbia’s Employment Standards Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 113, s. 63) requires employees to give at least two weeks’ written notice (one week if employed for less than one year, and no notice if employed for less than three months). Alberta’s Employment Standards Code (R.S.A. 2000, c. E-9) does not impose any statutory notice requirement on employees, though the employment contract or common law may create such an obligation.

The resignation letter serves several practical and legal purposes beyond formal notification. It creates a written record of the employee’s voluntary departure, which is important for the employer’s Record of Employment (ROE) reporting to Service Canada. The ROE must be issued within five calendar days of the last day of work under the Employment Insurance Act (S.C. 1996, c. 23, s. 19). The resignation letter also triggers the employer’s obligation to pay all outstanding wages and accrued vacation pay within the statutory timeline — seven days or the next regular pay date in Ontario (ESA s. 11(5)), 48 hours in British Columbia (ESA s. 18), and three consecutive pay periods in Alberta (ESC s. 8). The letter may also acknowledge ongoing obligations such as non-solicitation covenants, confidentiality agreements, or intellectual property assignments that survive the employment relationship.

A Canadian Resignation Letter is needed whenever an employee decides to voluntarily leave their current employment. The letter should be submitted before the employee’s intended last day of work, providing at least the minimum notice period required by the applicable provincial Employment Standards Act and the employment contract. Employees should always check their employment agreement for any contractual notice period that exceeds the statutory minimum — courts have upheld reasonable contractual notice provisions requiring employees to provide longer notice, and failing to honour such a provision could expose the employee to a claim for damages.

The resignation letter is particularly important when the employee holds a senior or specialized position where the employer will need time to recruit a replacement or redistribute responsibilities. Courts have recognized that reasonable notice at common law applies to employee resignations as well — while there are fewer cases on point than for employer terminations, an employee who resigns without adequate notice may be liable for damages if the employer can demonstrate actual losses caused by the insufficient notice. In GasTOPS Ltd. v. Forsyth (2012 ONCA 134), the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld a damages award against employees who resigned without providing reasonable notice and immediately joined a competitor.

A resignation letter is also essential when the employee wants to preserve their entitlements to final pay, vacation pay, and any contractual bonuses or commissions. Clear documentation of the resignation date and last working day prevents disputes about the employee’s final pay calculation. If the employee has restrictive covenants in their employment agreement — non-solicitation clauses, non-compete clauses (where enforceable), or confidentiality obligations — the resignation letter creates a clear record of the termination date from which any post-employment restriction periods begin to run.

An effective Canadian Resignation Letter must clearly identify the employee by full legal name, job title, and department, and must be addressed to the appropriate recipient — typically the employee’s direct supervisor, manager, or human resources department. The letter must contain an unequivocal statement of resignation that leaves no ambiguity about the employee’s intention to terminate the employment relationship.

The notice period and last day of work must be clearly stated. The employee should verify that the notice period meets or exceeds both the statutory minimum under the applicable provincial Employment Standards Act and any contractual notice requirement. In Ontario, one week is the statutory minimum for employees with three or more months of service. In British Columbia, two weeks is required for employees with one or more years of service. Alberta has no statutory minimum, but the employment contract or common law may impose an obligation of reasonable notice. If the employment contract specifies a notice period, the employee should honour it to avoid potential liability.

The letter should include an offer to assist with the transition during the notice period — training a replacement, completing outstanding projects, and preparing handover documentation. This demonstrates good faith and professionalism. A request for final pay entitlements should reference the applicable ESA provisions: all outstanding wages, accrued vacation pay (minimum 4% of gross wages in most provinces, 6% after five years in Ontario), any earned but unpaid bonuses or commissions, and a Record of Employment. The employee should confirm their commitment to return all company property and acknowledge any surviving obligations such as confidentiality, non-solicitation, or intellectual property provisions. The letter should be signed, dated, and delivered in a manner that creates proof of delivery — hand delivery with acknowledgment, registered mail, or email with read receipt.