Ontario Taking Workplace Safety Training Online

Online training will save Ontario businesses approximately $5,000,000

Ontario’s government is working for the people to reduce burdens on job creators, as well as workers by improving training programs that certify those who promote health and safety at workplaces. Today, Minister Laurie Scott brought Ontario’s health & safety training into the 21st century. These changes mean 50,000 Ontario workplaces no longer need to send workers for a five-day classroom course. By cutting red tape, Minister Scott is providing flexibility by making online courses fully available to Ontario businesses, reducing the time needed to take the first part of the course.

Spending up to five days away from family was unfair to Ontario workers and was a major cost to Ontario job creators. Minister Scott is reducing red tape, helping workers and moving Ontario training standards into the 21st century. These changes will save Ontario businesses and other organizations an estimated $5 million per year.

The changes include:

• promoting flexibility by allowing training to take place solely online for the first part of the learning, in addition to classroom, blended and distance learning
• simplifying the requirements by removing complicated rules and red tape
• extending the time to complete the second part of training to within a year of completing the first part, providing more time for employers to schedule training

“I am committed to creating fair and competitive processes for business, dynamic labour markets and safe workplaces for every worker in Ontario,” said Laurie Scott, Minister of Labour. “Our government will make Ontario Open for Business and Open for Jobs by making our province the best jurisdiction in North America to recruit, retain and reward the workers of today and tomorrow.”

Allowing the option of training to take place solely online – in addition to the existing options of classroom, distance and blended learning – reduces travel and accommodation costs for businesses. Businesses will no longer have to pay for travel and accommodation costs for employees to travel for up to five days to take in-person training. These changes will reduce burdens and costs to businesses, while ensuring standardized high-quality training is accessible to all workers across Ontario.

“Joint health and safety committees are a cornerstone of a well-functioning workplace internal responsibility system. These improvements will help workplaces promote a strong health and safety culture by meeting the needs of both employers and workers,” said Ron Kelusky, Ontario’s Chief Prevention Officer.