This strategy is designed to help achieve the vision of healthy and safe Ontario workplaces. It is a catalyst to transform the way the system works.

Over the next five years, all organizations will need to align their efforts – to focus on the six strategic priorities and to achieve the two strategic goals: target the areas of greatest need and enhance service delivery.

The Ministry of Labour is calling on all workplaces to recognize the importance of occupational health and safety, and to act through their own programs, policies and initiatives to support the goals and six priorities.

The Integrated Occupational Health and Safety Strategy: Healthy and safe Ontario workplaces

Goal: Target the areas of greatest need

Priorities:

  • Assist the most vulnerable workers
  • Support occupational health and safety improvements in small businesses
  • Address the highest hazards that result in occupational injuries, illnesses or diseases

Goal: Enhance service delivery

Priorities:

  • Build collaborative partnerships
  • Integrate service delivery and system-wide planning
  • Promote a culture of health and safety

System partners, supporting organizations and workplaces

Develop operational plans aligned to priorities through their activities/programs/policies

  • Ministry of Labour
  • Employers in all sectors
  • Workplace Safety and Insurance Board
  • Non-governmental organizations
  • Health and safety associations
  • Government

Going forward, the Chief Prevention Officer, with the advice of the Prevention Council, will contribute to achieving these strategic priorities by:

  • working with the ministry to align its operational plans, programs and policies with the strategy
  • working with the Health and Safety Associations and the WSIB to align their operational plans with the strategy
  • motivating workplace parties and the private training community to participate in the strategy
  • collaborating with all levels of government, other ministries and non-governmental organizations to achieve common goals

The Chief Prevention Officer will also issue annual reports that will describe progress in implementing the strategy and its impact, and hold all system partners accountable.

This diagram represents how the strategy will guide implementation activities in Ontario. There are four levels through which the influence of the strategy cascades down to the workplace. Each level funnels into the level below it.

The Ministry of Labour will play a strong leadership role in the strategy. All organizations and individuals in Ontario are encouraged to be part of the success that is possible through our combined efforts. While the ministry can use its enforcement and prevention tools to have considerable influence over occupational health and safety, much broader support and action are needed to fully achieve the vision. To have the desired impacts – to reduce occupational illnesses and injuries, and save lives - the support of the entire occupational health and safety community is needed. Only by working together can every workplace in the province be healthy and safe.

Please contact the Ministry of Labour for questions related to the strategy:

  • Online
  • By mail:
    400 University Avenue, 14th Floor
    Toronto ON M7A  1T7

Contact the system partners with questions related to compensation, health and safety training / advisory services or workplace clinical services through the contact information available on our website.