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Ontario increases fines for failing to meet health and safety standards

January 2, 2018 | By Ellen Cools


January 2, 2018 — The Ontario Ministry of Labour says it is enhancing protection for workers by increasing the maximum fines for individuals and businesses that don’t meet workplace health and safety standards.

As of December 14, 2017, the maximum fines for an offence under the Occupational Health and Safety Act increased from $25,000 to $100,000 for an individual or unincorporated business and from $500,000 to $1,500,000 for corporations.

“By increasing the fines for non-compliance, we are sending a message to all employers and workers that we are serious about enforcing workplace health and safety,” said Kevin Flynn, Ontario Minister of Labour.

Ontario also changed the time limit to allow for prosecution, from one year from the date of the offence to one year from the date an inspector became aware of an alleged offence.

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In 2016-17, Ministry of Labour health and safety inspectors conducted more than 79,800 visits to more than 34,700 workplaces, and issued more than 118,000 orders because of non-compliance with Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).

In 2016, the courts imposed more than $11 million in fines and entered more tan 2,2000 convictions against workplace parties for contraventions of the OHSA and its regulations.


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