Workplace Safety & Prevention Services©

The Ontario government has announced a new 3 step plan to reopen the province and gradually lift public health measures. Ontario enters Step One of the plan on June 11, 2021 at 12:01 a.m.

Employers should understand the restrictions that apply to their workplace under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act (ROA), as described in the Roadmap to Reopen, and regularly check for region specific requirements, such as municipal by-laws and orders from their local public health unit.

We are updating our COVID-19 resources appropriately.

On April 29, Ontario passed Bill 284, COVID-19 Putting Workers First Act, 2021 amending the Employment Standards Act to require employers to provide employees with up to three days of paid leave if they miss work for reasons related to COVID-19. This Bill is now in effect.

Find out more

"Don't wait for the availability of COVID-19 vaccines to figure out how they may affect your workplace," advises Wagish Yajaman, WSPS' Manager, Specialty Services. "While vaccines are widely seen as our best chance to end the pandemic and revitalize the economy, they may present challenges that workplaces need to prepare for."

As the pandemic evolves, so does the province's response. Lockdowns, public health orders, and inspection blitzes are just some of the initiatives in play against the pandemic. They all share the same goal: keeping Ontarians healthy and safe. But how is a workplace to keep up?

The province is stepping up enforcement of COVID-19 requirements in Ontario's workplaces with the training of 100 new occupational health and safety inspectors, says Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. "will be in the field in the weeks ahead."

This course describes the steps workplaces can take to plan for employee absences and business continuity.