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April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) is a federal departmental corporation reporting to the Parliament of Canada through the Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, and is governed by a Council of Governors representing governments (federal, provincial and territorial), employers, and labour. This structure ensures a balanced, impartial approach.
*term expired/resigned
We are pleased to present the 2024-2025 Annual Report of the Council, which highlights the work and achievements of CCOHS over the past year.
Workplaces in Canada are facing significant challenges and health and safety issues that affect both employees and the work environment. As the world of work evolves, we remain committed to supporting workplaces in adapting and addressing these challenges. Our goal is to help create safer, healthier environments for everyone through proactive measures and continuous improvement.
Our strategic plan continued to guide us this year, paving the way forward in our pursuit to advance workplace health and safety in Canada. We focused our efforts on serving key sectors, including small and medium-sized businesses, federal government and jurisdictional partners, departments, and agencies, and those who may be at higher risk of disease, injuries and death because of their work. Additionally, we continued to show national leadership in promoting plain language and addressing emerging health and safety issues including proper fitting personal protective equipment for women and all body types, psychological health, climate change impacts, chemical safety, and the need for training and education.
We released the CCOHS Business Safety Portal, a new tool designed to help organizations understand their occupational health and safety responsibilities. We also partnered with Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) to provide all WSIB-registered businesses with free access to the portal.
We value the partnerships we’ve built with like-minded health and safety organizations and welcomed new opportunities for collaboration. With their support, we developed mobile apps, web tools and online courses.
Over the past five years, our partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada has evolved as we shifted focus from COVID-19 to respiratory infectious diseases, travel health and safety, and mental health. This year, we welcomed a partnership with the Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (CFEZID) branch of the agency to create resources related to zoonotic diseases.
The Council of Governors plays an integral role in the success of CCOHS by providing strategic direction as well as guidance, leadership and advice. During the year we had several changes to the Council. We welcomed new appointees: Giselle Lue (Jazz Aviation LP), Dan Campbell (Prince Edward Island), Rick Hunt (Nunavut), Todd McDonald (British Columbia), and Kevin Mooney (Saskatchewan). We said farewell and thanked our outgoing Council members for their commitment and service: Kurt Dieckmann (Yukon), and Scott Nauss (Nova Scotia).
We would like to express our gratitude to our Council of Governors for their dedication to health and safety and for their ongoing support of the Centre. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone at CCOHS for their exceptional work and commitment to providing quality services, information, and guidance to help ensure that workplaces are healthy and safe for everyone.
Since its opening in 1978, the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) has remained dedicated to advancing workplace health and safety across Canada, with a vision to eliminate work-related injuries and illnesses.
We provide workplaces with credible information and resources to help them foster safe work environments and protect workers. From our wide range of relevant products and services and our extensive engagement activities throughout the country to our multimedia communications efforts, we continue to make meaningful progress toward our vision.
Here are some highlights of how we are supporting workplaces and workers to address their health and safety needs, plus a snapshot of our team size and funding.
In 2023, after extensive consultations with stakeholders, users, and our staff to gain a clearer understanding of the role CCOHS could play and the services we could offer workplaces in Canada, we developed a new four-year strategic plan.
Our strategic plan has helped guide us to serve key sectors, including small businesses and federally regulated organizations. We have also taken steps to address critical health and safety concerns, focusing on education, the impacts of climate change, psychological health and safety, chemical safety, and musculoskeletal injuries and disorders.
Small and medium-sized businesses face unique challenges, particularly when it comes to meeting their health and safety responsibilities. We also know these businesses account for 97.8% of all businesses and 54% of all workers in Canada, according to the latest report by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. We continue to prioritize supporting this sector to create safe work environments, protect their workers, and develop new resources tailored to their needs.
The Business Safety Portal offers an accessible and low-cost solution for business owners to understand and help meet their occupational health and safety responsibilities to protect workers from injuries and illness. Business owners can access health and safety guidance specific to their industry and location, templates and checklists to help identify hazards, assess the risks to their workers, and develop policies and programs to help protect them. The portal also includes access to online courses, practical manuals, fact sheets, and a digital file cabinet to store, update and share important documentation, such as health and safety plans, training certificates and inspection records.
Since launching the portal nationally in November 2024, we have partnered with Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) to provide WSIB-registered businesses with access to the portal. We are working with other jurisdictions who have expressed interest in a similar arrangement.
The Health and Safety Foundations handbook provides a basic understanding of occupational health and safety. It explains how workplaces can identify, assess, and control hazards, plus implement the required hazard control measures to protect workers. While the handbook is suitable for any organization, small to medium-sized businesses will find it particularly helpful in getting started on a health and safety program.
In July 2024, we released a new Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, Hazard Control, and Evaluation handbook, which builds on the information provided in Health and Safety Foundations. This handbook provides workplaces with guidance on how to identify hazards that may potentially cause harm, assess their risk, determine control measures, and evaluate the effectiveness of controls.
The Health and Safety for Small Business course introduces owners and managers to health and safety issues that can occur in small businesses. It offers practical information and strategies to identify hazards, manage risks, and plan for emergencies as part of an overall health and safety program. The course is available on our website and as part of the Business Safety Portal. This year the course was updated with new images and an improved user interface. The course was accessed 119,249 times through our website and the Business Safety Portal.
To help federally regulated employers understand their occupational health and safety responsibilities and duties, we offer courses related to the Canada Labour Code and resources on workplace safety topics like harassment and violence prevention.
The Registry of Investigators, a list of qualified, professional investigators, was established by the Labour Program in consultation with a tripartite group of federally regulated employers and labour representatives to support the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations. The registry is available on the CCOHS website to organizations who need to investigate harassment and violence occurrences in their workplace. The free tool has maintained a registry of 74 investigators across Canada.
Since 2021, we have provided three online courses to help employers, managers, and employees in federally regulated work places understand their specific roles and responsibilities in accordance with the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations. 9,300 course seats were accessed this year (up 45% from last year).
The Canada Labour Code, Part II: An Overview online course helps federally regulated employers understand the requirements of the Code and how it should be applied. The updated course features a refreshed Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) section and expands on the duties of health and safety representatives, workplace health and safety committee members, and policy health and safety committee members. 3,418 course seats were taken this year.
In May 2020, we partnered with the Public Health Agency of Canada to develop workplace-related guidance for all workers in Canada. While the partnership initially helped workplaces navigate COVID-19 protocols, it has since expanded to include travel health and safety, workplace mental health, and respiratory infectious disease resources. Most recently, we partnered with their Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (CFEZID) branch to develop zoonotic disease resources. More information can be found in the “Partnering for Impact” section of this report.
A healthy workplace considers both the physical and mental well-being of its workers. With an estimated one in five people experiencing a mental illness each year in Canada, according to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, the need for support is great. We are committed to developing resources to help workplaces protect and promote mental health. This year we created a mental health toolkit, wrote articles and produced podcasts on mental health-related topics, including the intersectionality of psychological health and safety and human rights, gender, and diversity.
The free Workplace Mental Health Toolkit (www.ccohs.ca/workplace-mental-health-toolkit) aims to help organizations build a workplace culture where employees feel safe, respected, and valued. The toolkit includes informative videos, practical checklists, infographics, posters, and podcasts to help develop a strong mental health program, address hazards and risks, and hold meaningful conversations about mental health with colleagues. It also makes the connection between mental health and other human rights issues. Together, the resources in the toolkit can help organizations create a psychologically safe and healthy workplace for all employees. Since launching in January 2025, the toolkit has had 7,969 page views.
To help employers understand how courageous conversations in the workplace can help to advance equity, diversity and inclusion, this episode shared tips on how to spark these discussions and how to broach sensitive topics like discrimination and bias to help foster greater understanding, connection, growth and healing. The episode was released in August 2024 and has had over 430 listens.
Dr. Marie-Hélène Pelletier, a psychologist and business leader, discussed how embracing neurodiverse conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, and autism spectrum disorder can help create a psychologically safe and nurturing work environment where all workers feel respected and valued. The episode was released in May 2024 and has had over 580 listens.
In 2023, we partnered with Workplace Strategies for Mental Health, compliments of Canada Life, and researchers from Queen's University to create the Psychologically Safe Team Assessment tool (www.psychologicallysafeteam.com). The free online resource helps team leaders gather information from their team members to help with continual improvement. The tool was updated in May 2024 to enhance the user experience, add more resources, and provide guidance on how to implement strategies for improvement.
To help employers take a psychologically safe approach to supporting the development of their employees, including those returning to work or needing accommodation, we partnered with Workplace Strategies for Mental Health, compliments of Canada Life, to develop Supporting Employee Success. This free online tool will launch in the spring of 2025.
The Healthy Minds at Work website (www.ccohs.ca/healthyminds) shares resources from CCOHS and other credible organizations to help employers and workers improve mental health at work. The site also hosts and serves as a gateway to all our mental health-related tools created in partnership with Canadian organizations: Guarding Minds at Work, Caring for Healthcare Workers, Psychologically Safe Team Assessment, Psychologically Safe Leader Assessment, Caring for the Paramedic Community, and StressAssess.
To help employers understand how to make the workplace safer and more inclusive for trans and non-binary workers, we interviewed diversity and inclusion champion Dani Gomez-Ortega for a podcast episode. From educating workers on trans issues and human rights, to ensuring access to gender neutral washrooms, the episode discussed why inclusive workplaces matter, roles and responsibilities, and the huge impact kindness can make. Since its release in 2023, the episode has had over 700 listens.
In Canada, many young, new, aging, gig, and guest (temporary international) workers are employed in physically demanding, precarious, or hazardous jobs, which puts them at higher risk for injuries and illnesses. By expanding and updating our suite of resources, we’re committed to supporting workplaces to create safe work environments and protect these workers.
The Young Workers Zone website (www.ccohs.ca/youngworkers) provides employers, parents, guardians, and teachers with information to help support the health and safety of young workers. It also aims to raise awareness of their rights and responsibilities on the job. This year, in partnership with provincial and territorial departments of labour and occupational safety and health agencies, we created the Stay Focused at Work resource and infographic with tips to reduce distractions in the workplace.
New workers are most vulnerable to getting sick or injured during their first month on the job. A comprehensive safety orientation can help set workers up for success right from the start. This year, we updated our free New Worker Orientation infographic to provide tips, reminders, safety questions to ask, as well as a checklist to help workers stay safe on the job. The infographic also outlines basic health and safety rights as workers in Canada. Since its relaunch, the infographic has been accessed close to 5,000 times.
The Spell It Out Plain Language Toolkit (www.ccohs.ca/spell-it-out) is a free resource to help workplaces create safer and more inclusive workplaces using plain language. In today's diverse work environments, using acronyms, jargon, and complex words can create barriers and make it hard for everyone to understand important health and safety guidance, including people who are new to the workforce or speak a different first language. These misunderstandings may lead to confusion, errors, injuries and feelings of exclusion among employees. The toolkit provides practical tips and many free resources including videos, infographics, posters and shareable social media images on how to use plain language. Since launching in February 2025, the toolkit has had 3,225 page views.
Everyone in the workplace shares a responsibility for health and safety. The Introduction to Health and Safety for Workers online course was launched in February 2025 to help workers gain a deeper awareness of their rights and the role they play in health and safety. The course also outlines how to support workplace health and safety activities, including incident reporting, investigation, and emergency preparedness and response.
When it comes to communicating workplace health and safety guidance, being clear is essential. Unclear messaging and instructions can put workers at risk of harm to themselves and to others. That's where plain language can help. Plain language writer and editor Jocelyn Pletz discussed how clear and simple communication can improve workplace health and safety. Released in June 2024, this episode has had over 630 listens.
An essential part of the Canadian economy, international workers face several unique factors that put them at higher risk for injury. These include language barriers and fears around work permits and job security that may prevent them from speaking up about unsafe conditions. We produced a podcast with Francy Munoz, Community Legal Worker at the Windsor Essex Bilingual Legal Clinic, and leader of the C.A.R.E. for International Workers program, to discuss how to improve workplace safety for international guest workers. The episode has had over 720 listens since it was released in August 2023.
Workers and workplaces across all industries can be affected by climate change. Due to its northerly location, Canada experiences climate change at twice the rate of the world’s average, according to Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy. To be prepared, it’s essential for workplaces to anticipate and plan for potential impacts. We continue to raise awareness of this increasingly important topic and support workplaces to take action on building climate resilience with our handbooks, courses, fact sheets and infographics.
The Climate Change: Workplace Impacts handbook helps workplaces prepare for potential challenges and impacts from climate change. The free publication outlines how to identify, assess, control and monitor climate-related hazards. It provides guidance for taking climate-related events into account when establishing policies and programs. It also addresses how to consider the impacts of climate change when completing workplace hazard identification and risk assessments.
The Climate Change: Workplace Impacts course explains the impacts of climate change on both workplaces and the psychological well-being of workers. It also explores ways to address these effects and how to navigate climate-related challenges. Within the first year of its release, more than 3,060 people took the course.
Workplaces play a critical role in supporting workers amidst the challenges posed by climate change. These challenges can include operational disruptions, increased physical health risks such as heat stress, and mental health concerns like eco-anxiety, which can lead to depression and insomnia. The Climate Change Impacts on Work infographic outlines steps to identify hazards and assess risks through a climate change lens, the impacts on workers and workplaces, and practical support measures. The infographic was accessed more than 4,000 times this year.
Musculoskeletal injuries are painful disorders of muscles, tendons and nerves that develop over time from tasks that repeatedly cause stress and injury to tissues. They are the most frequent type of lost-time injury and the single largest source of lost-time costs in Canada. Musculoskeletal injuries don't discriminate – anyone can suffer from one. That's why we remain committed to promoting awareness and sharing information and resources on prevention.
As one of the leading causes of workplace injuries in Canada, repetitive strain injuries are a major cause for concern. International Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Awareness Day (February 29 or February 28 in non-leap years) is devoted to raising awareness of these injuries, also known as musculoskeletal disorders. Every year, in an effort to inspire workplaces to focus on prevention, we run organic marketing and social media campaigns highlighting free resources to help them take action. The social media campaign resulted in 18,564 impressions. Additionally, the RSI Awareness Day web page had 7,857 page views.
Outlining common causes and symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders and actions employers can take to address these issues, our updated Musculoskeletal Disorders infographic shares quick tips on how to develop a prevention program and encourages early reporting from workers. The infographic was accessed more than 6,700 times this year.
Dr. Heather O'Reilly, Assistant Professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Science at McMaster University, talked to CCOHS about the connection between physical and mental injuries, and how workplaces can take steps towards assessment and prevention. This podcast episode had 759 listens this year, bringing the total number to more than 1,250 listens since its release in February 2024.
Chemicals are in every workplace, ranging from cleaning products to chemicals produced on site. Exposure to chemicals can cause occupational disease and injury and can present physical hazards such as fires or explosions. There are also legislative requirements for the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS). To help keep everyone safe, it's critical to understand and address risks, and ensure workers know how to work safely with hazardous products and other chemicals.
CANManage is our online service designed to help workplaces manage and maintain their safety data sheets. The service supports small and medium-sized organizations in meeting their regulated WHMIS compliance obligations by keeping their safety data sheet collections current, complete and accessible to those who need them. This year, we made enhancements to improve the user experience and provide a more intuitive and effective service. Future updates to the service include the development of a mobile app which is scheduled for release in the spring of 2025.
The International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) INCHEM database is a collection of international peer-reviewed information on chemicals commonly used throughout the world, which may also occur as contaminants in the environment and food. The collection of 8,540 documents received 955,738 views and 522,671 website visits this year.
Used by chemical manufacturers, labour, provincial regulators and enforcement staff, the CHEMINFO database provides chemical health and safety information for more than 1,840 important workplace chemicals to help identify hazards, control exposures, and prevent incidents in the workplace. This year, CHEMINFO users accessed 4,861 online records.
WHMIS.org is an online information and resource hub for suppliers, trainers, supervisors and workers in Canada. The website is a collaborative project between CCOHS and the Workplace Hazardous Materials Bureau of Health Canada, as well as each federal, provincial, and territorial occupational health and safety regulatory jurisdiction across Canada.
WHMIS.org houses online courses, links to legislation, acts and regulations, compliance tools, posters, fact sheets and other resources to help users access credible information they need about WHMIS in their jurisdiction. The website was updated to include changes to WHMIS legislation in Nova Scotia, with additional website updates planned for next year.
Overall, the website had 699,928 visits this year. The top three provinces with visitors to the English site were Ontario (44%), Alberta (11%) and British Columbia (10%), while the top three provinces to visit the French site were Quebec (69%), Ontario (23%) and New Brunswick (2.5%).
To help Canadians work safely with hazardous products, we partnered with the Workplace Hazardous Materials Bureau of Health Canada to create the WHMIS for Workers online course. Overall, 42,412 course seats were taken this year, bringing the total amount sold since its inception to over 740,000. The top three provinces with users accessing the course were Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta.
Although offices are not always thought of as hazardous places to work, injuries and illnesses that happen in an office can be just as serious and costly as those that occur in any other workplace. This two-part course helps workers, supervisors and managers recognize potential hazards in an office environment, identify the key components of a health and safety program, and learn the basics of WHMIS.
For many years, we have participated in three Health Canada WHMIS committees. The WHMIS Current Issues Committee (CIC) facilitates information sharing between government regulators and stakeholders (workers, employers, and suppliers). We are also observers on the Intergovernmental WHMIS Co-ordinating Committee (IWCC), a forum for regulators from federal, provincial and territorial governments along with Health Canada to exchange information and ideas related to the implementation of the Hazardous Products Act and Regulations. CCOHS is also an observer on the Canadian WHMIS Coordinators Committee (CWC), a forum for regulators from federal, provincial, and territorial governments to exchange information and ideas on the implementation of WHMIS in their individual jurisdictions.
Everyone has a role to play in workplace health and safety. We provide easy access to a wide range of credible information, tools and services to help keep everyone engaged in creating healthier workplaces for all.
Our collection of 733 OSH Answers fact sheets features credible information in an easy-to-read format. Written by our team of health and safety specialists, the fact sheets cover a wide range of workplace health and safety topics including chemicals, injuries, diseases, safety hazards, health promotion and wellness, and the prevention and control of hazards. Our fact sheets are free, available on our website and can be accessed anytime, from anywhere.
This year new fact sheets were added on hazards for personal trainers and casino industry workers, working safely with cleaning products, chemical safety, health and safety programs, and working with wildlife. Our focus on core health and safety principles continued this year, resulting in new fact sheets on leading and lagging indicators, fall protection plans, safety for small and micro-sized businesses, cleaning products, and the transportation of dangerous goods. In addition, we covered emerging health and safety issues including engineered stone countertops and their silica hazards, measles, menstrual health in the workplace, and dementia in the workplace.
Our fact sheets are heavily promoted and shared in our social media posts, articles and email campaigns and are frequently referenced in news articles. This year alone, over 470 news articles (an increase of 11.7% from the previous year) shared information from our fact sheets on topics such as health and safety programs, workplace stress, harassment and violence, health promotion and wellness, working in the heat, ergonomics, chemical safety, hantavirus, silicosis and influenza.
These resources are also available on the free CCOHS Safe Work mobile app which hosts our full collection of fact sheets, along with infographics, videos, tip sheets and more. Users can download the app to their mobile device or tablet, and the resources can be accessed in places with limited or no internet connection. The app was downloaded 5,867 times this year (up 31%) bringing the total number of downloads since its launch to more than 16,000.
Most Popular Fact Sheets
English: WHMIS Pictograms, WHMIS Safety Data Sheets, WHMIS Hazard Classes
French: Phénomène de Raynaud, Syndrome du canal carpien, SIMDUT Pictogrammes
Our bilingual Safety InfoLine service connects individuals in Canada directly to our health and safety specialists. The service is free and confidential, providing credible information related to workplace health and safety questions and concerns. This year, Safety InfoLine received 7,608 inquiries. Similar to previous years, the top areas of concern were general health and safety topics, including administration, policies, and programs, as well as legislation and chemicals in the workplace.
Overall, users continue to value the service. According to survey results, 86% of users were very satisfied with the information they received, 90% were satisfied with the timeliness of their response, and 69% indicated the information received would lead to current or future changes to their workplace. Employers remained the largest user group, accounting for 38.9% of inquiries.
Testimonials
“I absolutely appreciate the service CCOHS provides. I've been asking questions for close to 25 years and never once been disappointed with the response or the information provided. Please keep up the excellent work. What CCOHS provides is invaluable.”
“I deeply appreciate the response that I received. I have asked many agencies for help, guidance and support and this is the most comprehensive response I received. Thank you.”
Our bilingual website (ccohs-cchst.ca) is the central hub where we host every workplace health and safety-related product, service, database, resource and microsite that we develop. It is constantly being updated with new content and referenced in almost all our social media posts, newsletter articles, media releases and marketing campaigns. This year, our outreach efforts resulted in 7.9 million visits by 5.4 million users to the website. Of these visits, 52.5% of users were in Canada (80% accessed the English website, and 20% accessed the French website). Overall website traffic was 23% lower than the previous year.
To help measure the effectiveness and impact of the website, we deploy pop-up web surveys throughout the year. More than 16,000 people responded to the survey. 90% of respondents said the information was easy to access, and 94% will use information from the website to make changes to their workplace (up from 82.4% last year). The survey also includes Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) questions to help us understand the diversity of the users we serve and how we can fulfill our responsibilities to serve their needs. Survey results revealed 47.8% of users were male, 50% were female and 3.8% were non-binary. We also learned over 14% of users identify as Indigenous, 18% identified as 2SLGBTQI+, and 44% live with a disability.
Testimonial
“CCOHS is a part of my workday. It is a very useful tool, and the website is easy to navigate.”
Our posters and infographics offer health and safety guidance in a visually appealing way and are easily printed and shared electronically.
Posters and infographics are undergoing streamlining and revitalization to update content, meet accessibility standards, and help users to promote awareness of current health and safety messages. This year, we created a new Day of Mourning poster and developed three new infographics in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada. These infographics covered zoonotic diseases when working with or near cats and dogs, avian influenza and personal protective equipment, and avian influenza in dairy cattle. Overall posters and infographics were downloaded 76,600 times from our website.
Postcard-sized fast fact cards provide another way for workplaces to download and hand out key health and safety tips. The cards were accessed 17,331 times, up almost 20% from last year.
Most Popular Infographics: Mental Health in the Workplace, Cannabis and Impairment in the Workplace, Civility and Respect in the Workplace
Most Popular Posters: WHMIS Pictograms, WHMIS Labels, Scent-Free Zone
Most Popular Fast Fact Cards: Psychologically Healthy and Safe Workplaces, Mental Health Tips for Employers, Pick Up Tips on How to Lift Safely
The monthly Health and Safety Report email newsletter provides information to 34,743 subscribers on current workplace health and safety issues, tools and resources. Along with the 16.9% increase in subscribers, the newsletter was refreshed with a modern, accessible design in May 2024.
According to its annual readership survey, 98% were satisfied with the content and format of the newsletter. 76% indicated that they use information from the newsletter to help with changes that might improve health and safety. In the coming year, the newsletter will focus on providing a greater ratio of useful health and safety information and insights.
Testimonials
“The report provides useful information that can be leveraged to enhance existing safety protocols.”
“The Health and Safety Report is a valuable resource that keeps me informed about current trends, regulatory updates, and practical safety tips. I appreciate the clear and concise format.”
“I love the report and find it very informative. Often, it provides me with a resource to support a conversation or investigation.”
Now in its 15th year, the podcast program saw the release of 15 new episodes (10 English, 5 French). The team conducted 11 interviews, speaking with experts on embracing neurodiversity, plain language, courageous conversations, avian flu, inequities in personal protective equipment, the health impacts of physically demanding work, and supporting men in the trades who may be struggling with substance use. The most popular episode was an interview with a Threads of Life ambassador, Melanie Kowalski-Fleming, who shared her family’s story about overcoming a workplace fatality. Total podcast listens were 27,247 and in the coming year, we plan to post episodes on YouTube, determine methods to garner listener feedback, and review our visibility on streaming services to boost listener numbers.
Most Popular Episodes: Day of Mourning – Melanie Kowalski-Fleming’s Story, How Plain Language Improves Workplace Health and Safety, Embracing Neurodiversity in the Workplace
To better understand the health and safety needs of different workplaces and foster safer work environments, we make it a priority to engage with the people we serve in multiple ways throughout the year. We participate in conferences, speak at events, host webinars, and actively share health and safety guidance on social media. By actively listening and connecting with people nationwide, we gather valuable insights into their challenges and priorities.
To spread awareness about health and safety and connect with employers and workers, we exhibited at and participated in 35 virtual and in-person events, conferences and tradeshows across Canada. We also had 25 speaking engagements throughout the year, presenting on a variety of topics, including hazard and risk prevention programs, mental health, and harassment and violence. Through these events, we reached more than 11,000 people (up 61% from last year).
We engaged with diverse audiences at the regional and national levels through events led by employers, unions, government and Indigenous communities. We connected with representatives from federal unions and departments, such as the Canadian Border Security Agency and the Union of Taxation Employees, as well as industry-specific audiences such as the Canadian Institute for Mining.
In addition, we will continue to actively pursue virtual and in-person opportunities to directly engage with stakeholders in the northern territories.
Approximately every two years, CCOHS hosts a national forum that explores the changing world of work. The event brings leaders, changemakers and health and safety professionals together from labour, government and employer groups to discuss and learn more about emerging topics that affect the health, safety and well-being of workers. The forum aims to provide opportunities for engagement, participation and relationship building, and to foster connection within the health and safety community. We hope to inspire positive change that could create healthy and safe workplaces.
The next forum will take place on May 27-28, 2025, in Calgary, Alberta. Most of the planning and promotion was done this fiscal year. For the very first time, the event sold out more than two months in advance, with 230 delegates registered and every province and territory represented. The program will feature three keynote speakers, six presentations and five micro talks on a range of topics, as well as a showcase of innovative programs, tools and resources.
Sponsorship of the event was strong with UNIFOR returning as a platinum-level sponsor; three silver-level with Ministry of Jobs, Economy, Trade, and Immigration, Government of Alberta, STP ComplianceEHS, and the Alberta Municipal Health and Safety Association (AMHSA); and four bronze-level sponsors with Workplace Strategies for Mental Health, compliments of Canada Life, United Food and Commercial Workers Union – UFCW, VIDPro Inc, and Health and Safety Professionals Canada (HSPC) and two Friends of Forum-level from Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) and Energy Safety Canada.
We are expecting the forum to be a positive, productive and engaging experience for all attendees.
Social media is a key vehicle through which we share valuable health and safety information that drives users to our website, tools, and resources. Our social media audience increased to a total of 75,035 followers but the growth has slowed from 7% to 4% year over year. In contrast to gaining 2,281 followers on LinkedIn, we lost 206 followers on X (formerly Twitter) – not surprising as the ongoing instability of the channel continues to lose users overall.
In total 2,023 organic posts were made across all channels, generating 863,269 impressions. Overall, we garnered more than 2.9 million impressions (including paid) across LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
LinkedIn continues to be our strongest channel, and we will continue to look for additional ways to create content that resonates with our audiences, along with establishing presences on Bluesky and Threads.
Journalists and editors around the world come to CCOHS when they need a credible source or articles for their publication. Our team of health and safety specialists was interviewed on risk mitigation, rescues from heights, workplace violence, silicosis, workplace wellness, stress, fatigue, small business safety and much more.
We continued our editorial agreements with industry and trade publications and added new ones. Our articles were regularly featured in OHS Canada, MRO, Canadian Metalworking, Turf and Rec and Roadrunner magazine. We also partnered with Media Planet to provide articles in the National Post and Maclean's about the importance of workplace wellness programs and creating a culture of safety. Additionally, we provided articles to Canadian Finishing & Coatings Manufacturing and Trenchless Technology. We continue to look for opportunities for editorial placement and media interviews to provide credible workplace safety guidance and elevate the profile of the Centre.
This year, CCOHS was mentioned in the media 1,167 times (a 2.9% increase from the previous year) which generated more than 1.9 billion impressions (up 17.4% from the previous year), once again breaking our record for the highest number of media impressions for a third year in a row. The increase in impressions is a result of the media's role in amplifying our health and safety guidance.
Our Council of Governors established two scholarship awards to honour the memory of past governors and health and safety advocates Dick Martin and Chad Bradley. Both scholarships are open to students pursuing careers in the field of occupational health and safety.
This award is offered annually to two post-secondary students pursuing a career in the field of occupational health and safety. To qualify, applicants must be enrolled in a degree or diploma-granting occupational health and safety-related program at an accredited college or university in Canada. Winners receive $3,000 each and $500 is granted to each winner's institution. This year, the winning students were Narciso Jr. Canete (University of British Columbia) and Lynne Champoux-Williams (Cégep De Sherbrooke).
This scholarship is offered annually to women pursuing careers in the field of occupational health and safety. Each year, the $3,000 scholarship is offered to one student enrolled either full-time or part-time in an occupational health and safety-related course or program leading to an occupational health and safety certificate, diploma or degree at an accredited college or university in Canada. This year, the winning student was Stephanie Wu (University of British Columbia).
Employers in Canada have a duty to ensure all workers are informed about and educated on potential hazards in the workplace. To support organizations in fostering a positive safety culture and promoting prevention practices, we offer a comprehensive lineup of online courses and publications.
Accessible on desktops, tablets and mobile phones, our collection of 182 online courses provides safety training and education to employers and workers on demand, whenever they need it. With subjects ranging from chemical safety and confined spaces to mental health, climate change and workplace harassment and bullying, each course is developed by subject specialists and reviewed by representatives from labour, employers, and governments to ensure the content is unbiased and credible. This year, we released five new courses focusing on fire safety, avian influenza, and overall health and safety for workers.
While courses on WHMIS and harassment and violence prevention continue to be the most popular, the Fatigue Management at Sea course ranked fourth in enrollment of all English courses and second in French courses.
This year, we put an emphasis on creating foundational health and safety courses, including awareness training for workers and supervisors in Ontario and across Canada. These introductory courses were completed by nearly 1,200 learners this year. Another new course, Fire Safety: The Basics, has been taken by over 1,000 learners and is our first course created almost entirely based on animations.
In partnership with the Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, we launched two courses, Avian Influenza and Working Safely with or Near Wildlife and Insects, in March 2025.
Many other courses were updated with multimedia, interactive activities and videos, and more stories, scenarios and case studies to ensure content is clear, innovative, user-friendly and relatable.
Overall, our courses were taken 264,424 times. From course feedback surveys, 83% of learners indicated they would recommend the course to others. Additionally, 97% said the information they learned would be used to make changes in the workplace to improve health and safety.
Testimonials
“Workplace safety is far from a thrilling subject. However, of all the certifications that I have earned through other organizations, this was certainly the most engaging.”
“It has helped me to be more aware of the products in use in my workplace and the importance of being knowledgeable of the risks and proper use of these products.”
“The training material was clear and informative, making it easy to understand.”
“The course provided a comprehensive overview of safety procedures making me feel much more prepared to identify potential hazards in my workplace.”
Most Popular Courses
English: WHMIS for Workers, Harassment and Violence Prevention for Employees, Harassment and Violence Prevention for Managers and Committees/Representatives
French: SIMDUT pour les travailleurs, Gestion de la fatigue en mer, Prévention du harcèlement et de la violence pour les employés
Most Popular Free Courses
Violence in the Workplace: Awareness, Assembling the Pieces Toolkit, Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs): Awareness
For more in-depth health and safety information and guidance, we produce publications in various formats such as pocket guides, handbooks, manuals and training guides for different jobs and industries. This year, we released two new titles: Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, Hazard Control, and Evaluation, and Risk Assessments: Foundations and Practical Applications.
Our publications are available in both print and PDF formats in English and French. Each publication is reviewed by representatives from government, employers and labour organizations for technical accuracy and readability.
Our publication program was revitalized this year, with updated content and an improved reader experience. Additionally, several titles have returned to print to better meet user demand. Sales of our publication program exceeded expectations by 57%.
Most Popular Publications: Implementing an Occupational Health and Safety Program, Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, Hazard Control, and Evaluation, WHMIS Instructor’s Toolkit
We have a legacy of working together with like-minded partners to make a greater impact in advancing workplace health and safety. We share information, good practices and tools from credible organizations around the world with workplaces in Canada, through our websites, courses, apps, special projects and more.
Through an ongoing partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada, we continued to develop respiratory infectious disease-related resources for workplaces. These resources are available on the dedicated Respiratory Infectious Diseases: Health and Safety Resources web page which received 32,345 page views this year (up 24% from last year).
Our partnership with the Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (CFEZID) branch of the Public Health Agency of Canada has produced tip sheets, infographics, videos, checklists and online courses on zoonotic diseases such as A(H5N1) avian influenza. The resources are available on the Zoonotic Diseases topic page, which received 15,395 page views this year. These resources are also available on the free CCOHS Safe Work mobile app.
For several years, we have been supporting Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) in their efforts to raise awareness of occupational diseases.
The Prevent Occupational Disease website features links to current and credible occupational disease resources from Canada and around the world and includes links to key tools designed to help address three specific occupational hazards: heat stress, occupational disease and silica exposure.
The Heat Stress Toolkit helps employers, managers, supervisors, workers, committee members, and others to support and protect heat exposed workers. It includes heat stress awareness and prevention guides, a physiological monitoring guide, posters, infographics, videos, and an updated Heat Stress Calculator.
The Physician/Clinician’s Toolkit provides health care professionals with a centralized connection to resources and information about occupational disease.
The Silica Control Tool, originally developed by the British Columbia Construction Safety Alliance, was adapted by OHCOW and other partners to help reduce the risks of silica exposure in Ontario workplaces where the mineral is a common hazard found in construction, mining, oil and gas, manufacturing, agriculture and metalworking sites. The free mobile-friendly tool helps identify processes that may lead to potentially hazardous exposures and provides a control plan to bring exposure levels under the allowable limit.
Over the past few years, we have collaborated with provincial and territorial health and safety agencies to develop web tools and mobile apps to help workers access health and safety legislation. The apps provide users with easy-to-access information about their legislative authority as well as resources to address specific safety hazards to which their workforce is exposed. This year we continued to collaborate with the Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, WorkSafeNB, and the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association to host, maintain and update these tools.
In partnership with Transport Canada, the Fatigue Management at Sea online course was developed to help those who work in the marine industry mitigate the risks associated with fatigue at sea. The course explains what fatigue is, how to avoid it, how to reduce its effects and covers the regulations governing fatigue management. The course is available for free to registered seafarers in Canada with a valid Candidate Document Number (CDN). Enrollment in this course ranked fourth among all our English courses and second in French courses.
Ill-fitting personal protective equipment for women and workers of all body types presents serious dangers on worksites and creates barriers for workers in the trades and other sectors.
At the April 2024 Meeting of Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Ministers Responsible for Labour, the Ministers discussed the challenges workers face and the critical importance of addressing personal protective equipment in the workplace for women across various sectors. They emphasized the need to raise awareness among stakeholders and take concrete actions to advance this important issue and asked CCOHS to host a meeting of these stakeholders. The meeting aimed to help promote collaboration, raise awareness and sensitize participants to the market need for body type appropriate workplace personal protective equipment.
We invited stakeholders from manufacturers, construction companies, employer and labour groups, researchers and representatives from federal, provincial and territorial governments to a virtual meeting on November 27, 2024. The purpose was to discuss personal protective equipment strategies in Canada and a way forward, ensuring safety for workers of all ages, body types, sizes, and genders.
The meeting was attended by 103 people from 10 provinces, three territories and two federal government departments. The agenda featured expert-led presentations on current issues and innovations, breakout group discussions, and remarks from the Deputy Minister of Labour and Associate Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada, Sandra Hassan.
We surveyed the meeting attendees to rank the findings that arose from the discussion and prepared a summary report of the stakeholder meeting including the recommendations and the survey results.
After tabling the summary with the Ministers in 2025, we will post the report on our website to raise awareness of this important issue.
Held annually on April 28, the National Day of Mourning is a day to honour workers who were injured or lost their lives due to a workplace tragedy. It's also a time for workplaces to renew their commitment to prevent further injuries, illnesses and deaths. To commemorate the day and spread awareness about prevention, workplaces were encouraged to use our free resources and to observe one minute of silence at 11 a.m. on April 28.
Uptake of our resources including our new Day of Mourning poster, podcasts and social media cards remained strong, garnering 39,190 Day of Mourning webpage visits. The media also promoted our messaging with readers across Canada. For the third year in a row, more than 90 media mentions were recorded, resulting in just over 125 million impressions in national news outlets such as CBC News, Canadian Occupational Safety magazine, OHS Canada, CTV, and City News.
Taking place annually during the first week of May, Safety and Health Week is a time for employers, workers, partners and the public to focus on the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace, at home, and in the community.
Together with our national partners, Health and Safety Professionals Canada (HSPC) and Threads of Life, we hosted the national launch event that included a short video from the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Labour and Seniors, and featured inspiring stories from special guests and the much-anticipated announcement of the 2024 Youth Video Contest winners. We continued the week with free health and safety webinars on trans inclusion in the workplace and using plain language to improve workplace health and safety.
All events were well-attended and highly rated by participants. Each session attracted an average of 683 attendees (up from 470 in 2023). Overall, 98.2% of attendees were from Canada, spanning all provinces and territories, with Ontario, Nova Scotia and Alberta having the highest attendance. Many different industries were also represented, with the highest proportion of attendees coming from government, healthcare, manufacturing and education.
According to survey results, 97.8% of respondents found the sessions valuable, and 86.1% reported they would make changes in their workplace based on the learnings, which is an 11% increase over the previous year. Over 99.8% said they would attend a future event hosted by CCOHS.
We also host and maintain the national Safety and Health Week website. The site provides free resources workplaces can use to help promote awareness, increase engagement, and support others in planning and promoting their own events and activities.
Testimonials
“It was a very emotionally impactful webinar.”
“I really liked how the presenter tied the importance of active inclusion to people's health and survival.”
“The presenter was incredible. Very knowledgeable!”
“This will be useful in many aspects of our workplace.”
Each year, we invite youth across Canada to enter the Focus on Safety Youth Video Contest by creating a video on the importance of workplace health and safety. Winners and their institutions gain recognition at the provincial/territorial, regional, and national levels, as well as cash prizes.
In total, eight provinces and territories held regional contests and submitted winning entries to the national contest. An additional entry came through our Regional Qualifier contest for youth from non-participating provinces and territories.
The videos entered in the national contest were evaluated by a panel of judges consisting of Shirley Hickman, Executive Director, Threads of Life; Ken Welsh, Manager of Operations, APTN; Gareth Jones, President and CEO, National Safety Council; and Chelsea Wong, Volunteer Youth Advisory Group, Youth Mental Health Canada.
Winners were announced during the Safety and Health Week national launch event on May 6, 2024.
We promote safe work, healthy lifestyles and an inclusive culture in our workplace. With support from managers, supervisors and various committees, our staff are encouraged to participate in health and safety-related activities to stay engaged and connected with each other.
Our workplace health and safety committee continues to be a valuable partner in health, safety and wellness programming. Throughout the year, members work collaboratively with staff to hold regular meetings and provide input for our policies and procedures.
This year, we held several initiatives to bring everyone together and as part of continuous improvement efforts to enhance the quality of working life, health and well-being of our staff. The year kicked off with a moment of silence on the National Day of Mourning to help create awareness and strengthen our resolve to foster a safe workplace for everyone. We celebrated National Safety and Health Week, hosting internal webinars which garnered high participation rates and positive feedback. We also organized a staff scavenger hunt challenge to foster safety-related learning and team building.
Staff are encouraged to suggest health and safety, wellness, environmental or community initiatives to support connection with our values, and with each other. Initiatives included a presentation from the Hamilton Police Service on personal safety and security, a virtual sleep clinic, and in partnership with the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, a virtual workshop offering strategies and resources to enhance financial health.
We also provide an Employee Assistance Program through which staff can access additional health and wellness-related information through newsletters, webinars, videos and campaigns.
Our organization remains committed to prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. This past year we have updated our Code of Conduct, improved our hiring policies and practices, and refined our pre-employment procedures.
Our values guide our work every day. We strive to foster a work environment that reflects our values and encourages our team to embody them through participation in meaningful initiatives and community events.
We are committed supporters of the United Way Halton and Hamilton. Our 2024 Government of Canada Workplace Charitable campaign was a tremendous success with over $20,000 raised through the collective efforts of our committee and staff. This achievement is the result of a variety of employee-led initiatives, including raffles, bake sales, and other creative fundraising events. Our committee’s contributions of their time, energy and resources reflect our strong commitment to positive community impact and social responsibility.
Since 2007, we have participated in the annual Steps for Life walk, a fundraiser in support of Threads of Life and their work to help families affected by workplace fatalities, injuries and diseases. This cause is particularly meaningful to us given its strong link to our mandate - to promote workplace health and safety and encourage attitudes and methods that will lead to improved worker physical and mental health. This year, the team raised more than $2,000.
We published the 2023-2024 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report, which provides an update on the progress of our contributions to the goals and targets outlined in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. Our commitments within the strategy target five key focus areas, including health and well-being, gender equality, reduced inequalities, responsible consumption and production, and climate action. The plan was updated in January 2025 to more accurately align targets with departmental capacity and our strategic priorities.
Responsibility for the integrity and objectivity of the accompanying financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2025, and all information contained in these financial statements rests with the management of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS). These financial statements have been prepared by management in accordance with the Government’s accounting policies, which follow Canadian public sector accounting standards.
Management is responsible for the integrity and objectivity of the information in its financial statements. Some of the information in the financial statements is based on management's best estimates and judgment and gives due consideration to materiality. To fulfill its accounting and reporting responsibilities, management maintains a set of accounts that provides a centralized record of CCOHS’ financial transactions. Financial information submitted in the preparation of the Public Accounts of Canada, and included in CCOHS’ Annual Report and Departmental Results Report, is consistent with these financial statements.
Management is also responsible for maintaining an effective system of internal control over financial reporting (ICFR) designed to provide reasonable assurance that financial information is reliable, that assets are safeguarded and that transactions are properly authorized and recorded in accordance with the Financial Administration Act and other applicable statutory requirements, regulations, authorities and policies.
Management seeks to ensure the objectivity and integrity of data in its financial statements through careful selection, training, and development of qualified staff; through organizational arrangements that provide appropriate divisions of responsibility; through communication programs aimed at ensuring that regulations, policies, standards, and managerial authorities are understood throughout CCOHS, and through conducting an annual risk-based assessment of the effectiveness of the system of ICFR.
The system of ICFR is designed to mitigate risks to a reasonable level based on an ongoing process to identify key risks, to assess effectiveness of associated key controls, and to make any necessary adjustments.
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety is subject to periodic Core Control Audits performed by the Office of the Comptroller General. Self-assessments are also completed each year based on a schedule put forth by the Office of the Comptroller General for Small Departments and Agencies. The results of such self-assessments are used to make any necessary improvements to ensure compliance with the Treasury Board Policy on Financial Management.
KPMG LLP, the independent auditors for CCOHS, have expressed an opinion on the fair presentation of the financial statements of CCOHS which does not include an audit opinion on the annual assessment of the effectiveness of CCOHS’ internal controls over financial reporting.
An Audit and Risk Committee appointed by the CCOHS Council of Governors has reviewed these financial statements with management and the auditors and has reported to the Council of Governors. The Council of Governors has approved the financial statements.
Approved by:
Hamilton, Canada
June 26, 2025
KPMG LLP
To the Administrators of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety:
We have audited the financial statements of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (the Entity), which comprise:
In our opinion the accompanying financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Entity as at March 31, 2025 and the results of operations, change in net debt and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with Canadian public sector accounting standards.
We conducted our audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the "Auditor's Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements" section of our auditor's report.
We are independent of the Entity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in Canada and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements.
We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in accordance with Canadian public sector accounting standards and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, management is responsible for assessing the Entity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the Entity or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.
Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the Entity’s financial reporting process.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion.
Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards will always detect a material misstatement when it exists.
Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of the financial statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards, we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit.
We also:
KPMG LLP
Chartered Professional Accountants, Licensed Public Accountants
Hamilton, Canada
June 27, 2025
2025 | 2024 | |
---|---|---|
$ | $ | |
Liabilities | ||
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities (note 4)
|
1,777,292 | 2,267,249 |
Deferred revenues - web based subscriptions
|
2,805,906 | 872,394 |
Vacation pay and compensated leave
|
573,437 | 605,709 |
Employee severance benefits (note 5b)
|
130,219 | 190,484 |
Deferred revenues - donations (note 6)
|
18,000 | 103,986 |
Total liabilities | 5,304,854 | 4,039,822 |
Financial assets | ||
Due from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, without interest
|
1,795,292 | 2,371,235 |
Accounts receivable (note 7)
|
281,447 | 476,541 |
Total financial assets | 2,076,739 | 2,847,776 |
Net debt (note 8) | (3,228,115) | (1,192,046) |
Non-financial assets | ||
Prepaid expenses
|
248,605 | 229,578 |
Tangible capital assets (note 9)
|
267,903 | 347,486 |
Total non-financial assets | 516,508 | 577,064 |
Accumulated deficit | (2,711,607) | (614,982) |
Contractual obligations (note 11)
The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.
Approved by:
Expenses | 2025 | 2025 | 2024 |
---|---|---|---|
$ | $ | $ | |
Planned Results |
|||
Operations
|
|||
Salaries and employee benefits
|
12,104,278 | 11,782,902 | 11,188,425 |
Professional and special services
|
1,080,344 | 739,577 | 1,266,071 |
Transportation and communications
|
361,781 | 384,684 | 371,924 |
Purchased repair and upkeep
|
22,000 | 17,740 | 6,342 |
Utilities, materials and supplies
|
53,727 | 117,310 | 33,317 |
Information
|
98,400 | 59,180 | 51,936 |
Rentals
|
936,107 | 764,893 | 584,386 |
Total
|
14,656,637 | 13,866,286 | 13,502,401 |
Administration
|
|||
Salaries and employee benefits
|
717,281 | 702,286 | 670,521 |
Governors and committees
|
40,000 | 15,061 | 9,213 |
Professional and special services
|
61,900 | 59,607 | 4,695 |
Travel
|
37,400 | 19,408 | 17,454 |
Utilities, materials and supplies
|
400 | 548 | - |
Total
|
856,981 | 796,910 | 701,883 |
Other expenses - non-cash
|
|||
Employer's contribution to health and dental
Insurance plans (note 12a)
|
Not applicable | 922,465 | 938,513 |
Accommodation (note 12a)
|
Not applicable | 762,618 | 734,058 |
Amortization of tangible capital assets
|
94,897 | 105,880 | 110,150 |
Total
|
94,897 | 1,790,963 | 1,782,721 |
Total expenses | 15,608,515 | 16,454,159 | 15,987,005 |
Revenues (note 10) | |||
Sales
|
4,322,822 | 4,897,621 | 4,881,203 |
Projects and collaborative agreements
|
1,392,062 | 2,982,246 | 2,285,715 |
Total revenues
|
5,714,884 | 7,879,867 | 7,166,918 |
Spending of cash revenues pursuant to section
6(1)(g) of the CCOHS Act (note 14)
|
Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Net cost of operations before government funding
|
(9,893,630) | (8,574,291) | (8,820,087) |
Government Funding
|
|||
Net cash provided by government
|
9,818,734 | 5,368,526 | 7,659,585 |
Change in due from the Consolidated Revenue Fund
|
Not applicable | (575,943) | (320,080) |
Services provided without charge from other
government
departments (note 12)
|
Not applicable | 1,685,083 | 1,672,571 |
Total government funding
|
9,818,734 | 6,477,666 | 9,012,076 |
Net revenue (cost) of operations after government
funding
|
(74,896) | (2,096,625) | 191,989 |
Accumulated deficit at beginning of year
|
(614,982) | (614,982) | (806,971) |
Net revenue (cost) of operations after government funding
|
(74,896) | (2,096,625) | 191,989 |
Accumulated deficit at end of year
|
(689,878) | (2,711,607) | (614,982) |
The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.
2025 | 2025 | 2024 | |
---|---|---|---|
$ | $ | $ | |
Planned Results |
|||
Net revenue of operations after government funding | (74,896) | (2,096,625) | 191,989 |
Changes in tangible capital assets | |||
Acquisitions of tangible capital assets (note 9) | (20,000) | (26,297) | (62,968) |
Amortization of tangible capital assets (note 9) | 94,896 | 105,880 | 110,150 |
Total change in tangible capital assets | 74,896 | 79,583 | 47,182 |
Increase in prepaid expenses | not applicable | (19,027) | (49,780) |
Net decrease in net debt | not applicable | (2,036,069) | 189,391 |
Net debt at beginning of year | (1,192,046) | (1,192,046) | (1,381,437) |
Net debt at end of year (notes 8 and 14) | (1,192,046) | (3,228,115) | (1,192,046) |
The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.
2025 | 2024 | |
---|---|---|
$ | $ | |
Operating activities: | ||
Net cost of operations before government funding
|
8,574,291 | 8,820,087 |
Non-cash items:
|
||
Amortization of tangible capital assets (note 9)
|
(105,880) | (110,150) |
Services received
without charge from other government departments (note 12)
|
(1,685,083) | (1,672,571) |
Changes in Statement of Financial Position: | ||
Decrease in accounts payable & accrued liabilities | 489,957 | 310,080 |
Decrease (increase) in deferred revenue
|
(1,933,512) | 29,595 |
Decrease (increase) in vacation pay and compensatory leave
|
32,272 | 24,421 |
Decrease (increase) in employee severance benefits
|
60,265 | 83,617 |
Decrease (increase) in deferred revenues - donations
|
85,986 | 10,000 |
Increase (decrease) in accounts receivable
|
(195,094) | 51,758 |
Increase in prepaid expenses
|
19,027 | 49,780 |
Cash provided by operating activities | 5,342,229 | 7,596,617 |
Capital investing activities | ||
Acquisition of tangible capital assets
|
26,297 | 62,968 |
Net cash provided by Government of Canada | 5,368,526 | 7,659,585 |
The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.
Asset Class | Amortization Period |
---|---|
Computer equipment | 5 - 10 years |
Furniture and equipment | 5 - 10 years |
Software | 1 - 5 years |
Leasehold improvements | Lesser of the remaining term of the lease or useful life of the improvement |
2025 | 2024 | |
---|---|---|
$ | $ | |
Net cost of operations before government funding | 8,574,291 | 8,820,087 |
Adjustments for items affecting net cost of operations but not affecting authorities: | ||
Revenue collected under 6(1)(g) of the CCOHS Act | 7,879,867 | 7,166,918 |
Amortization of tangible capital assets (note 9) | (105,880) | (110,150) |
Services provided without charge from other government departments (note 12) | (1,685,083) | (1,672,571) |
Expenses recovered from prior years | 90,098 | 23,226 |
Other amounts to be charged in a later year | Not applicable | 548,477 |
Unpaid accrurals reversed for prior year expenses | 18 | 15,737 |
Decrease in employee severance benefits | 60,265 | 83,617 |
Decrease in vacation pay and compensatory leave | 32,272 | 24,421 |
Donation revenue for Special Purpose Account (note 6) | (12,000) | Not applicable |
Total items affecting net cost of operations but not affecting authorities: | 6,259,557 | 6,079,675 |
Adjustments for items not affecting net cost of operations but affecting authorities: | ||
Add (deduct) change in: | ||
Increase in prepaid expenses | 19,027 | 49,780 |
Acquisition of tangible capital assets | 26,297 | 62,968 |
Total items not affecting net cost of operations but affecting authorities: | 45,324 | 112,748 |
Current year authorities used | 14,879,172 | 15,012,510 |
2025 | 2024 | |
---|---|---|
$ | $ | |
Vote 1 - Program expenditures | 6,320,572 | 6,785,141 |
Vote 30 - Paylist Requirements | 455,358 | 301,194 |
Statutory - Employee Benefits Plan | 1,632,720 | 1,563,698 |
Authorities available for use in subsequent years from prior year | 7,036,426 | 7,549,362 |
Statutory revenues collected in current year (pursuant to section 6(1)(g) of the CCOHS Act) | 10,059,244 | 7,332,601 |
Adjustments * | (863,411) | (785,920) |
Total current year authorities provided | 24,640,909 | 22,746,076 |
Less: | ||
Lapsed authorities reallocated to 2024-25 – operating | (697,140) | (697,140) |
Respendable / reinvestment authorities available for use in subsequent years (note 14) | (9,064,597) | (7,036,426) |
Current year authorities used | 14,879,172 | 15,012,510 |
* Fiscal 2025 includes a reduction of parliamentary authorities in the amount of $243,940 related to 2020-21 Employee Benefit Plan surcharges, leaving a remaining surcharge amount of $243,940. Fiscal 2025 also includes a reduction of parliamentary authorities in the amount of $619,471 related to 2024-25 Employee Benefit Plan surcharges (2024 -$541,980).
2025 | 2024 | |
---|---|---|
$ | $ | |
Accrued benefit obligation - opening balance | 190,484 | 274,101 |
Expense for the year | 260,736 | 6,270 |
Benefits paid during the year | (321,001) | (89,887) |
Accrued benefit obligation at end of year | 130,219 | 190,484 |
The nature of CCOHS’ activities can result in multi-year contracts and obligations whereby CCOHS will be obligated to make future payments when the goods and services are received. Significant contractual obligations that can be reasonably estimated are summarized as follows:
2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
$ | $ | $ | $ | $ | |
Operating Leases | 762,618 | 762,618 | 762,618 | 254,206 | 2,542,060 |
As of August 1, 2023, CCOHS has a multi-year lease contract with related parties for $762,618 annually that expires during fiscal year 2029. As per note 12, this accommodation is provided without charge by the Government of Canada.
CCOHS is related as a result of common ownership to all government departments, agencies, and Crown corporations. CCOHS enters into transactions with these entities in the normal course of business and on normal trade terms. The transactions are measured at the exchange amount agreed to by the related parties. During the year, CCOHS received common services, which were obtained without charge from other government departments as disclosed below.
2025 | 2024 | |
---|---|---|
$ | $ | |
Accounts receivable from other government departments (note 7) | - | - |
Accounts payable to other government departments and agencies (note 4) | 863,334 | 884,042 |
Expenses - Other government departments and agencies | 433,211 | 418,487 |
Revenue - Other government departments and agencies | 762,352 | 2,070,772 |
Presentation by segment is based on CCOHS’ program activity architecture. The presentation by segment is based on the same accounting policies as described in summary of significant accounting policies in note 2. The following table presents the expenses incurred and revenues generated for the main program activities, by major object of expense and by major type of revenues. The segment results for the year are as follows:
Internal Services | Health and Safety | 2025 | 2024 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
$ | $ | $ | $ | |
Salaries and employee benefits | 4,744,444 | 8,663,209 | 13,407,653 | 12,797,459 |
Professional and special services (incl. Council and committees) | 236,081 | 578,185 | 814,266 | 1,279,979 |
Accommodation | 244,038 | 518,580 | 762,618 | 734,058 |
Transport and communications | 58,277 | 349,352 | 407,629 | 389,377 |
Information | 214 | 58,966 | 59,180 | 51,936 |
Purchased repair and upkeep | 17,740 | - | 17,740 | 6,342 |
Utilities, materials and supplies | 16,203 | 101,634 | 117,837 | 33,318 |
Rental | 63,442 | 697,914 | 761,356 | 584,386 |
Other expenditures | not applicable | 105,880 | 105,880 | 110,150 |
Total expenses | 5,380,439 | 11,073,720 | 16,454,159 | 15,987,005 |
Revenues | not applicable | not applicable | 7,879,867 | 7,166,918 |
Cost from continuing operations | 8,574,292 | 8,820,087 |
In 2015-16, the Treasury Board Secretariat facilitated a change in the funding structure for CCOHS. As a result, CCOHS was given unrestricted authority (pursuant to section 6(1)(g) of the CCOHS Act) to spend revenue from fees charged for its products and services within the fiscal year in which the revenue was received or in subsequent fiscal years.
The purpose of CCOHS’ respendable / reinvestment authorities are to provide CCOHS with funding to facilitate one-time expenditures, reinvestment in capital equipment or program development in accordance with CCOHS’ strategic plan.
2025 | ||
---|---|---|
$ | ||
Balance at beginning of year | 7,036,426 | |
Annual operating surplus (cost) | (2,096,625) | |
Tangible capital assets purchased with internal funds | (26,297) | |
Amortization of internally funded tangible capital assets | 105,880 | |
Internal revenue carried forward to subsequent year pursuant to section 6(1)(g) of the CCOHS Act | 4,045,213 | |
Balance at end of year | 9,064,597 | |
Allocated respendable / reinvestment authorities | ||
Deferred revenues – donations (note 6) | (18,000) | |
Net debt funded by CCOHS (note 8) | (2,240,028) | |
Planned operational and capital investments - 2026 to 2030 | (2,453,217) | |
Total allocated respendable / reinvestment authorities | (4,711,245) | |
Unallocated respendable / reinvestment authorities | 4,353,351 |