Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development news and events | | |
Construction health and safety program report
The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development (MLITSD) puts together a report for the Provincial Labour-Management Health and Safety Committee every month with an overview of events, court bulletins, and statistics. This report is generally available the first week of the month and is posted on the IHSA website. Please note that there is no report for August.
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2025–2026 compliance campaigns
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Construction
From April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, MLITSD construction inspectors will focus on health and safety hazards related to residential construction. This includes single-family residential construction, including residential re-roofing, and multi-family residential.
Inspectors will focus on all activities of the residential project, with a particular focus on the issues that have been leading to more events and injuries, such as:
IHSA will work closely with the MLITSD to provide resources and expert advice throughout the campaign.
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Mining
From April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, MLITSD mining inspectors will focus on identifying health and safety hazards associated with slips, trips, and falls. To support this initiative, IHSA, Workplace Safety North (WSN), and the MLITSD collaborated to produce a webinar outlining the campaign’s industry focus and key areas of inspection. Additionally, IHSA and WSN highlighted available resources to assist employers in achieving compliance.
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Specialized professional service
There are two specialized professional service campaigns in 2025–2026: worker exposure to chemical agents in the workplace and WHMIS training based on the amended Hazardous Products Regulations. Both the education, outreach, and awareness efforts and the focused inspections will occur from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026.
To help stakeholders achieve compliance during the year-long campaigns, IHSA is highlighting the following resources:
| | | Legislative updates and alerts | |
Read recent court bulletins related to health and safety
The MLITSD regularly releases court bulletins relating to health and safety issues, injuries, and fatalities. Visit the MLITSD website to read these bulletins, along with other news and information.
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Read the decision on Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) on Construction Projects
The Lieutenant Governor in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development, is amending the Regulation for Constructions Projects (O. Reg. 213/91), made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, to require automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) on construction projects with 20 or more regularly employed workers that are expected to last at least three months.
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Ontario’s Chief Coroner releases the first annual report of the Construction Death Review
This milestone report reviews the tragic deaths of 26 workers who fell from a height between 2017 and 2023. It provides important insights and actionable recommendations aimed at preventing future fatalities in Ontario’s construction sector. The report was released by the Office of the Chief Coroner on July 18.
The Construction Death Review represents a shift from the previous mandatory inquest process to a collaborative, timely, and system-focused review. For the first time, government, labour, employer, and safety partners have come together in a structured process to examine these tragedies and issue recommendations grounded in practical experience.
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Blueprint for Change: Building Community, Changing the Narrative to Save
Join IHSA at noon on September 10 in a national industry roundtable focused on suicide prevention. This event, coinciding with World Suicide Prevention Day, will bring together leaders from the construction industry, safety organizations, and mental health advocates. The goal is to drive coordinated, evidence-based action across the sector.
Join us for several key learning experiences:
- Listen to speakers from Mates in Construction (North America), Institute for Work & Health (IWH), Multiplex, and IHSA.
- Learn more about the history of Mates in Construction and their plans for North America.
- Discover data based on research from IWH.
- Participate in the launch of an industry-wide pledge to prioritize mental health and suicide prevention.
For more information on this event or the industry roundtable, contact IHSA's mental health and wellness specialist, Kathy Martin.
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Hamilton committee hosts Health and Safety Day
The Hamilton Labour-Management Health and Safety Committee is hosting its first ever Health and Safety Day on September 11 at the C Hotel in Hamilton.
Join us for a half-day session featuring a dynamic lineup of speakers focused on the latest innovations in personal protective equipment, mental health, and updates from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development.
Seats are limited! Register now to secure your spot.
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NCSO®/NHSA™ seminar registration now open
Effective communication is a critical skill for NCSOs and NHSAs in ensuring safety and collaboration on worksites. This one-hour seminar on September 26 will explore the fundamentals of communication and provide practical tools to enhance your skills.
Join IHSA to refine your communication abilities and learn how to convey safety-critical information with confidence and clarity.
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Guideline for mast climber best practices (W054)
This guideline outlines best practices for safely using mast climbing work platforms. It will help workers understand how to set up, operate, and maintain mast climbers to reduce the risk of falls and other hazards.
IHSA created this document with the help of the Masonry Trade Labour-Management Committee.
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Heat stress resources and toolkit
When it is this hot, it is important to keep in mind the hazards workers can face when working outdoors. While hot weather is great when you are relaxing at home, it can become a serious health hazard at work.
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New issue of IHSA Health and Safety Magazine now available
Download a copy of Volume 25, Issue 1 of IHSA Health and Safety Magazine to read the latest safety-focused articles:
- Vehicle safety inspections: a step-by-step guide
- Get to know the internal responsibility system
- Understanding the role of confined space attendants in worker health and safety
- Line Crew Ground Support training in Mississauga
- Learning from near-miss incidents
- First aid kit essentials
- How trench collapses happen
- Improving aggregates sector health and safety
- Air quality testing helps workers breathe safe
- Installing long-span roof trusses
- How to conduct workplace inspections and investigations
- 60 years of the Fleet Safety Council
- Powerlines at homebuilding sites and observing the limits of approach
- What to put on a construction workplace health and safety board
- Words of wisdom from a health and safety leader
- What is the Canadian Federation of Construction Safety Associations?
- Your free guide to Ontario’s construction health and safety laws
- Safety Talk: Lyme disease
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Latest podcast episodes available
The IHSA Safety Podcast is a free podcast that seeks to improve the lives of workers in Ontario. Listen to the latest episode now:
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ESA releases critical bulletin
The Electrical Safety Authority provided a set of best practices for the connection and reconnection of power related to grounding with a meter base on the supply side of services boxes.
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Updated training from
Ontario One Call for infrastructure owners and excavators
Ontario One Call has relaunched its GroundWork and KnowR!sk training programs—which are now more streamlined, targeted, and built for busy professionals in the field.
Developed using insights from 2024 industry research and stakeholder feedback, each course is delivered in concise 15-minute modules designed for real-world application. Whether you are submitting locate requests or managing on-site risks, these training programs help promote safer and more efficient digging practices.
Both courses are accredited by the Canadian Construction Association Gold Seal Certification and include certificates of completion that are valid for three years. They also include built-in feedback opportunities to ensure content remains relevant and effective.
Access the updated courses today and help build a stronger culture of safety and compliance across Ontario’s underground infrastructure industry.
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Ontario One Call Conference and Trade Show
Learn about innovations in excavation safety, damage prevention, compliance requirements, regulatory updates, and more at the Ontario One Call Conference and Trade Show. The event will take place from October 22 to 24 at the Blue Mountain Village Conference Centre.
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Dresden 1957 | Pitch Trailer – The Untold Story of Ontario’s Worst Workplace Tragedy
On August 14, 1957, six Dutch immigrant workers were killed when an excavation collapsed. The site engineer—filmmaker Eric Philpott’s father—tried to prevent the disaster, but his warnings were ignored. There were no consequences. A story that had made national headlines quickly disappeared from public memory.
This film will change that. It is not just about honouring the past—it is about learning from it. Because the same issues that led to this tragedy are still with us today.
The film is halfway through production and the creators are now raising $200,000 to finish it. You can help by spreading the word.
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Safety news from here and abroad
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What's new
Stay updated on current news from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development.
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Fleet Safety Council and transportation-related news
Access monthly updates, news, and events from the Fleet Safety Council and the transportation industry that IHSA supports.
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WSIB@WORK newsletter
Access the WSIB's quarterly email newsletter to get the latest information or visit the archive page to read past issues.
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