Regulatory Radar. What's moving through the pipeline right now.
We monitor proposed and final rules that affect workplace and job site safety programs in Ontario — OHSA, its regulations, the WSIA, and the AODA, plus Canada Labour Code changes for federally regulated workplaces — so you're never the last to know.
Accessibility Compliance Reporting
Private and non-profit organizations with 20 or more employees must self-audit and file their accessibility compliance report under the AODA by December 31, 2026 — the first reporting cycle since the province's original 2025 barrier-free target passed. The report asks six yes-or-no questions, one per accessibility standard (including the Design of Public Spaces), and must be certified by a senior officer with authority to bind the organization. Work through our reporting checklist →
Built Environment Standards — Final Recommendations Published
In April 2026, Ontario published the final recommendations of its review of accessibility standards for the built environment — the Design of Public Spaces Standard and the Building Code's barrier-free rules. They include defining a “material alteration” that would require existing elements to be brought up to current standards when they're changed, aligning ramps, stairs, handrails, doors and floor surfaces with CSA B651, new maintenance requirements, more accessible parking, wider exterior paths, and extending exterior-path requirements to organizations with fewer than 50 employees. These are recommendations, not law — no regulation has been proposed yet — but they show where the rules are heading.
Minimum $500,000 Fine for Repeat Offences
Under the Working for Workers Six Act, 2024, a corporation convicted of a second or subsequent OHSA offence resulting in a worker's death or serious injury within a two-year period now faces a mandatory minimum fine of $500,000 — the highest minimum workplace safety penalty in Canada. With the 25% victim fine surcharge, the effective total reaches $625,000, and it applies regardless of mitigating circumstances.
MEWP & Elevating Work Platform Training
A new standalone regulation for elevating work platforms on construction projects, including MEWPs, was filed in April 2026 and takes effect January 1, 2027. Operators will need training delivered through both theory and practical means, plus an employer evaluation before they operate. Workers already trained under the current rule have five years from their original training date to meet the new requirements.
Type 2 Protective Headwear
Amendments filed in April 2026 (O. Reg. 112/26) take effect July 1, 2027: a worker who may be exposed to side-impact hazards must wear Type 2 protective headwear meeting CSA Z94.1 or ANSI Z89.1, and a chin strap or other retention system is required where conditions could dislodge headwear. Type 1 remains acceptable where there is no side-impact hazard — but many constructors are already moving to Type 2 site-wide, so plan the stock transition now.
AED Requirements — Construction Projects
In force since January 1, 2026: construction projects with 20 or more workers regularly employed and an expected duration of three months or longer must have a maintained, accessible AED on site. WSIB reimbursement of up to $2,500 is available for units purchased between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2027.
Administrative Monetary Penalties — Framework in Place
The OHSA now lets inspectors issue administrative monetary penalties as an alternative to prosecution, and the supporting regulation (O. Reg. 365/25) took effect January 1, 2026. For now, only one violation carries a prescribed penalty — public-sector owners failing to treat accredited safety management systems as equivalent in construction procurement. Expect the list to grow; when it does, penalties will land faster than charges.
Workplace Harassment — Virtual & Telework Coverage
Recent amendments extend OHSA's reach to telework performed in a private residence and expand the definition of workplace harassment to include vexatious conduct carried out through communications technology — texts, chat, email. Worth a fresh look at your harassment and violence policies.
Washroom Facilities — Records of Cleaning
In force since January 1, 2026, employers and constructors must keep, maintain, and make available records showing when washroom facilities were cleaned. Easy to overlook, easy for an inspector to ask for.
JHSC Certification Program Overhaul
Effective July 1, 2026, Ontario's Joint Health and Safety Committee certification training program moves to a modernized curriculum with hybrid (in-person and online) delivery, a simplified recertification process using refresher training instead of a full retake, and eliminates the one-time certification exemption. JHSC meetings can now also be held virtually. Existing certifications remain valid; programs completed before June 30, 2026 are still accepted.
CSA-Certified Respirators Now Accepted
In force since July 1, 2026, Ontario now accepts CSA-certified respirators and particulate filters — including CA-labelled CSA filters — alongside the previously required NIOSH standard, across the Designated Substances, Asbestos, and Biological/Chemical Agents regulations. Fit-testing requirements are unchanged: still required before first use and at least every two years.
Accredited Safety Systems in Public Procurement
Since January 1, 2026, government and public-sector organizations procuring construction must treat all accredited occupational health and safety management systems as equivalent in eligibility and bid evaluation, and keep procurement records for at least two years. For constructors bidding public work, an accredited management system is now judged on a level playing field — not by which program the owner prefers.
WSIB Penalties Increased — Up to $750,000
Under the Working for Workers Seven Act, 2025, in force since November 27, 2025, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act now allows fines of up to $750,000 per conviction for employers convicted of multiple counts of the same offence in one proceeding. Failing to pay WSIB premiums when due is now its own distinct offence, and false or misleading statements to WSIB about a benefit claim can trigger administrative penalties on top of any court-imposed fine.
Federal Noise & PPE Rules — Final Regulations Expected
For federally regulated workplaces, including rail and interprovincial trucking, two proposed changes to the Canada Labour Code's health and safety regulations are moving toward final approval. The noise proposal (March 2026) lowers the daily exposure limit from 87 to 85 dBA, adds an 82 dBA investigation trigger, and requires a hearing loss prevention program with audiometric testing where the limit can't be met. The PPE proposal (June 2026) requires protective equipment to be fitted to each worker by a qualified person, updates CSA standard references, and adds fall-protection planning in some sectors. The federal plan targets final regulations in fall 2026, each with a transition period before it takes effect.
Proposed Heat Stress Standard
Bill 130, the Adapting to a Hotter Ontario Act, 2026, would add a heat stress part to the OHSA: a written heat stress policy and program reviewed every 12 months, regular heat assessments, paid cool-down breaks, shade and drinking water, acclimatization for new and returning workers, and heat stress training. It's a private member's bill that has passed first reading, and many such bills never become law — but heat hazards are already covered by the employer's general duty to take every reasonable precaution, so a written heat plan is good practice now.
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