Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety’s 2024-25 Departmental results report

• In this section

  • Description
  • Quality of life impacts
  • Progress on results
  • Details on results
  • Key risks
  • Resources required to achieve results
  • Related government priorities
  • Program inventory

Description

The goal of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety is to provide easy access to credible information on occupational health and safety to help workers in Canada be safe at work, and support employers, labour groups and governments in their efforts to create healthy and safe workplaces. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, as a national institute, provides impartial information through various free and for fee bilingual products and services. Workers and employers in Canada can access a free, confidential service to have their health and safety questions answered personally via telephone, e-mail, person-to-person, fax or mail. In addition, a broad range of online and print resources are offered which support safety and health information needs of workers and workplaces in Canada. Products and services may be financially supported through cost recovery efforts, contributions from the Government of Canada and contributions from other stakeholders.

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety collects, evaluates, creates and publishes authoritative information resources on occupational health and safety for the benefit of the working population in Canada. This information is used for education and training, research, development of policy and best practices, improvement of health and safety programs, achieving compliance, and for personal use. When the product or service provided by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety is offered to stakeholders such as individuals, groups, and organizations within Canada and abroad with benefits beyond those enjoyed by the general public, the product or service becomes part of the cost-recovery program and a fee is charged.

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety promotes and facilitates consultation and cooperation among federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions and participation by labour, employers and other stakeholders in order to assist in the establishment and maintenance of high standards and occupational health and safety initiatives for the Canadian context. The sharing of resources results in the coordinated and mutually beneficial development of unique programs, products and services. Collaborative projects are usually supported with a combination of financial and non-financial contributions to the programs by partners and stakeholders and result in advancement of the health and safety initiatives.

Quality of life impacts

Progress on results

This section details the department’s performance against its targets for each departmental result under Core responsibility: National Occupational Health and Safety Resource.

Table 1: Canadians and workers in Canada can easily access the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety’s occupational health and safety information and services

Table 1 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and the actual result for each indicator under Canadians and workers in Canada can easily access the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety’s occupational health and safety information and services in the last three fiscal years.

Table 2: Provide Canadians and workers in Canada with a National repository of key occupational health and safety knowledge, standards, statistics, and information tools that improves dissemination of occupational health and safety related information

Table 2 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and actual result for each indicator under Provide Canadians and workers in Canada with a National repository of key occupational health and safety knowledge, standards, statistics, and information tools that improves dissemination of occupational health and safety related information in the last three fiscal years.

Table 3: Through the facilitation of collaborative initiatives with labour, employers and/or government on emerging occupational health and safety issues and for priority sectors, knowledge outcomes are utilized for the benefit of Canadians and workers throughout Canada

Table 3 shows the target, the date to achieve the target and actual result for each indicator under Through the facilitation of collaborative initiatives with labour, employers and/or government on emerging occupational health and safety issues and for priority sectors, knowledge outcomes are utilized for the benefit of Canadians and workers throughout Canada in the last three fiscal years.

The Results section of the Infographic for CCOHS on GC Infobase page provides additional information on results and performance related to its program inventory.

Details on results

The following section describes the results for National Occupational Health and Safety Resource in 2024–25 compared with the planned results set out in CCOHS’ departmental plan for the year.

Canadians and workers in Canada can easily access the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety’s occupational health and safety information and services.

Results achieved

Everyone has a role to play in workplace health and safety. We provide access to a wide range of credible information, courses, webinars and other services to help keep everyone engaged in creating healthier workplaces for all.

• CCOHS Website: Our website is a bilingual hub to all our workplace health and safety related products, services and databases and is widely accessed and referenced. The site had 7.9 million visits by 5.4 million users looking for health and safety information. Of these visits, 52.5% of users were in Canada (80% accessed the English website, and 20% accessed the French website). Results from our website user feedback survey indicated that 90% of respondents said the information was easy to access, and 94% will use information from the website to make changes to their workplace.
• Safety InfoLine: This free and confidential person-to-person service connects individuals needing workplace safety guidance with our health and safety specialists. This year, 7,608 inquiries were received and overall, 86% of users were very satisfied with the information they received, and 69% indicated the information received would lead to current or future changes to their workplace.
• Exhibits and speaking engagements: To spread awareness about current health and safety issues 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.
• Safety and Health Week: May 6-11, 2024: Celebrated annually, Safety and Health Week is an opportunity for workplaces to recommit to health and safety, create awareness, and promote injury and illness prevention practices. Together with our national partners, Health and Safety Professionals Canada (HSPC) and Threads of Life, we hosted the national launch event that included a video from the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., then 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. According to the survey results, 97.8% of respondents found the sessions valuable, and 86.1% reported they would make changes in their workplace based on their learnings.
• Online courses: Employers in Canada have a duty to ensure all workers are informed about and educated on potential hazards in the workplace. Our collection of 182 online courses is one of our foundational services offered to educate users about workplace health and safety. This year, we released five new courses focusing on fire safety, avian influenza, and general health and safety for workers. Overall, our courses were taken 264,424 times, and course feedback surveys revealed 83% of learners 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.
• Media and social media: The media and social media continue to be key vehicles through which we share valuable health and safety information that drives users to our website, tools, and resources. 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. 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. On social media, we garnered more than 2.9 million impressions (including paid) across LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Provide Canadians and workers in Canada with a National repository of key occupational health and safety knowledge, standards, statistics, and information tools that improves dissemination of occupational health and safety related information.

Results achieved

As a central source of workplace health and safety information we ensure that accurate, current, and practical health and safety information is widely available and easily accessible to everyone in Canada. Our repository of tools and resources helps workplaces improve safety awareness and workplace health outcomes across Canada.

• OSH Answers fact sheets: Our collection of 733 fact sheets features credible health and safety information and guidance in an easy-to-read format. They are free, available on our website and can also be accessed anytime, from anywhere via the CCOHS Safe Work App. This year, 4.6 million users made 6.5 million visits to the fact sheet web pages, with 3.6 million of visits from Canada. Additionally, the app was downloaded 5,867 times this year, bringing the total number of downloads since its launch to more than 16,000. Our fact sheets are frequently referenced in social media posts and articles from organizations all over the world.
• Workplace Mental Health Toolkit: This free online toolkit was launched in January 2025 and aims to help Canadian organizations create a psychologically safe and healthy workplace for all employees. Business owners, managers, and supervisors can access videos, 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. Since launching in January 2025, the toolkit has had 7,969 page views.
• Plain Language Toolkit: Using plain language at work can help ensure everyone understands how to follow health and safety guidance or report a hazard. Launched in February 2025, the Spell It Out Plain Language Toolkit is a free online resource to help workplaces create safer and more inclusive workplaces using plain language. The toolkit provides practical tips and resources including videos, infographics, posters and shareable social media images on how to use plain language. Since its launch, the toolkit has been accessed 3,225 times.
• Podcast program: Our podcasts explore current health and safety topics, sharing tips and guidance with listeners to help them stay informed and take action in their workplaces. We released 15 new episodes (10 English, 5 French) and got a total of 27,247 listens. We spoke with experts on 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.
• Posters and infographics: Our posters and infographics offer health and safety guidance in a visually appealing way, are easily printed and shared electronically, and help users promote awareness of important health and safety messages. This year one new Day of Mourning poster was added to our collection, and three new infographics were developed 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. In total, our posters and infographics were downloaded over 76,000 times.
• Business Safety Portal: The 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 illnesses. 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.

Through the facilitation of collaborative initiatives with labour, employers and/or government on emerging occupational health and safety issues and for priority sectors, knowledge outcomes are utilized for the benefit of Canadians and workers throughout Canada.

Results achieved

We have a legacy of working with like-minded partners to enhance workplace health and safety across Canada. We share valuable information, good practices, and resources from credible organizations to help workplaces in Canada improve their health and safety programs.

• Public Health Agency of Canada: Through our ongoing partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada we continue to develop resources for workplaces. While the partnership initially focused on helping workplaces navigate COVID-19 protocols, it has since expanded to include travel health and safety, workplace mental health, and respiratory infectious disease resources. 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).
• Additionally, our partnership with the Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (CFEZID) 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.
• Stakeholder Summit on Personal Protective Equipment: In November 2024, we facilitated a virtual meeting to discuss the need for properly fitting personal protective equipment in the workplace. 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 event was attended by 103 people from 10 provinces, three territories and two federal departments and featured expert presentations and discussions on improving design and access. Connections were made between manufacturers, academics, users and regulators that are expected to lead to collaborations that result in a safer working environment. A summary report with recommendations will be shared publicly in 2025 to promote awareness and action.
• Stay Focused at Work: In partnership with members of provincial and territorial departments of labour and occupational safety and health agencies, we created Stay Focused at Work, an online resource that helps employers, parents, and young workers reduce distractions in the workplace.

Key risks

The CCOHS funding model presents a risk as a significant portion of our operating budget must be generated through cost recovery. Committed to continuous improvement, in 2024-25 CCOHS made updates to the current inventory of cost recovery products and services. These enhancements ensure products are user-friendly, accessible, credible, marketable and help drive revenue generation.

The risk of cyber attacks and other threats to our online environment is constantly prevalent and evolving. All products and services offered by CCOHS are accessible from the website or other electronic means, which exposes them to potential attacks. In 2024-25, we continued to build information technology and enhance cyber security capacity. We conducted regular vulnerability scans and updated cyber event response plans that align with Government of Canada guidance, policies and industry best practices. This work ensures that products and services are delivered through up-to-date and sustainable electronic means that prevent unauthorized exploitation of systems, networks and technologies.

The Finances section of the Infographic for CCOHS on GC Infobase page provides complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.

Related government priorities

This section highlights government priorities that are being addressed through this core responsibility.

Program inventory

National Occupational Health and Safety Resource is supported by the following programs:

• Occupational health and safety information and services

Additional information related to the program inventory for National Occupational Health and Safety Resource is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.

Description

Internal services refer to the activities and resources that support a department in its work to meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. The 10 categories of internal services are:

• Management and Oversight Services
• Communications Services
• Legal Services
• Human Resources Management
• Financial Management
• Information Management
• Information Technology
• Real Property
• Materiel
• Acquisitions

Progress on results

This section presents details on how the department performed to achieve results and meet targets for internal services.

Internal Services at CCOHS continue to focus on its main goals, outlined in the Departmental Plan.

• CCOHS continues to improve the overall working experience of its employees and align human resources activities to support the organization’s strategic plan and objectives. We updated our hiring policies, and improved recruitment strategies to increase social, racial, gender and cultural diversity in the workplace.
• We are making significant progress in implementing our Accessibility Plan, including enhancements to multiple policies and procedures as well as new training opportunities for staff. These enhancements improve our reach and quality of our services as both a service provider and employer.
• We are committed to furthering service excellence by streamlining processes and enhancing decision-making capabilities. This year we implemented real-time dashboards to empower decision-makers to make more informed and analytical decisions.
• CCOHS has made substantial improvements to its information technology infrastructure and cyber security capabilities. This year we completed regular vulnerability scans and made several proactive software and hardware upgrades to improve security and reduce downtime. This ensures that critical occupational health and safety information and services are available to clients without interruption.

The Finances section of the Infographic for CCOHS on GC Infobase provides complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.

Contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses

Government of Canada departments are required to award at least 5% of the total value of contracts to Indigenous businesses every year.

CCOHS results for 2024-25:

Table 6: Total value of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses¹

As shown in Table 6, CCOHS awarded 7.1% of the total value of all contracts to Indigenous businesses for the fiscal year.

CCOHS proactively sought Indigenous vendors through Government of Canada procurement resources. Wherever feasible, CCOHS collaborated with Shared Services Canada through their client portals (ITPro and P2P) to identify Indigenous suppliers for the procurement of hardware orders. Additionally, Indigenous vendors were identified through the Centralized Professional Services System. This portal was utilized to select Indigenous providers of select professional services.

In its 2025-26 Departmental Plan, CCOHS estimated that it would award 5% of the total value of its contracts to Indigenous businesses by the end of 2024-25. CCOHS surpassed that estimate by strategically advancing the procurement of select computer equipment. Additionally, the engagement of Indigenous professional service providers is a new initiative and was not accounted for in the original budget estimates.

This section presents an overview of the department's actual and planned expenditures from 2022–23 to 2027–28.

Table 8: Planned three-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

Table 8 shows CCOHS’ planned spending for each of the next three years on its core responsibilities and on internal services.

This section provides an overview of the department's voted and statutory funding for its core responsibilities and for internal services. Consult the Government of Canada budgets and expenditures for further information on funding authorities.

Graph 1 summarizes the department's approved voted and statutory funding from 2022-23 to 2027-28.

Text version of graph 1

Graph 1 includes the following information in a bar graph:

Fiscal Year	Statutory	Voted	Total
2022-23	7,881,000	5,274,000	13,155,000
2023-24	8,623,000	6,389,000	15,013,000
2024-25	8,800,000	6,079,000	14,879,000
2025-26	6,320,572	7,360,385	13,680,957
2026-27	6,320,572	7,360,385	13,680,957
2027-28	6,320,572	7,360,385	13,680,957

Analysis of statutory and voted funding over a six-year period

The total spending reported in fiscal years 2022-23 to 2024-25 includes Parliamentary appropriations and revenue sources including main estimates, recoveries and the use of cash respendable revenues pursuant to section 6(1)(g) of the CCOHS Act.

Fiscal 2025-26 to 2027-28 includes planned spending authorities which represent authorities approved in the 2025-26 main estimates and do not represent the use of CCOHS’ respendable revenues, as respendable revenues are only reported upon the approved disbursement of the funds within the fiscal year.

Consult the Public Accounts of Canada for further information on CCOHS’ departmental voted and statutory expenditures.

Table 9: Condensed Statement of Operations (audited) for the year ended March 31, 2025 (dollars)

Table 9 summarizes the expenses and revenues for 2024-25 which net to the cost of operations before government funding and transfers.

The 2024-25 planned results information is provided in CCOHS’ Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and Notes 2024-25.

Table 10: Condensed Statement of Operations (audited) for 2023-24 and 2024-25 (dollars)

Table 10 summarizes actual expenses and revenues and shows the net cost of operations before government funding and transfers.

Table 11 Condensed Statement of Financial Position (audited) as of March 31, 2025 (dollars)

Table 11 provides a brief snapshot of the amounts the department owes or must spend (liabilities) and its available resources (assets), which helps to indicate its ability to carry out programs and services.

This section presents an overview of the department’s actual and planned human resources from 2022-23 to 2027-28.

Table 12: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services

Table 12 shows a summary in full-time equivalents of human resources for CCOHS’ core responsibilities and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years.

Table 13: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services

Table 13 shows the planned full-time equivalents for each of CCOHS’ core responsibilities and for its internal services for the next three years. Human resources for the current fiscal year are forecast based on year to date.