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CCOHS ANNUAL REPORT

April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017

Creating Positive Workplace Change

CCOHS: Our Story collage

Council of Governors

  • Executive Board

    • Gareth Jones (Chair)
    • Leslie Galway
    • Shelley Rowan*
    • Phil Germain
    • Andrea Nalyzyty
    • Andrea Peart*
    • Sari Sairanen*
  • Audit/Risk Committee

    • Leslie Galway (Chair)
    • Andrea Nalyzyty
    • Troy Winters
    • Kimberly Henney
    • Alternates

      • Helder Botelho*
      • Andrea Peart*
      • Ross Nairne
  • Human Resource and Governance Committee

    • Phil Germain (Chair)
    • John Beckett
    • Andrea Peart*
    • Ross Nairne
    • Alternates

      • Troy Winters
      • Kimberley Henney
      • Helder Botelho*
  • Chair

    • Gary Robertson
  • Employer

    • John Beckett Federally Regulated Employers
    • Helder Botelho* Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters
    • Andrea Nalyzyty Canadian Bankers Association
    • Marcel Pouliot Transportation Association of Canada
  • Labour

    • Sari Sairanen* Unifor
    • Andrea Peart* Canadian Labour Congress
    • Troy Winters Canadian Union of Public Employees
  • Provincial and Territorial

    • Diana Miles* British Columbia
    • Ross Nairne Alberta
    • Phil Germain Saskatchewan
    • Shelley Rowan* Nova Scotia
    • Leslie Galway Newfoundland and Labrador
    • Kimberley Henney Yukon

*Term expired

Message from the Council Chair and President

The 2016-2017 fiscal year has been one of collaboration and achievement, building on the momentum of our previous year as we set out to build new partnerships and strengthen existing ones; address current and emerging issues; and reach more Canadians than ever before.

Our efforts to address health and safety in high risk sectors have forged new relationships in the mining, construction and transportation industries, further expanding the reach and impact of the work of CCOHS. Among the efforts, CCOHS hosted an inaugural meeting of mining health and safety groups across Canada, engaged new partnerships with the Canadian Trucking Alliance and Saskatchewan Construction Safety Association, and extended agreements with several jurisdictions to deliver important safety information. For these initiatives CCOHS developed customized web and mobile apps, portals and e-learning that make information and guidance related to occupational health and safety legislation readily available and accessible to Canadians.

CCOHS continued to respond to current workplace issues, adding a national perspective to round table discussions on, for example, the potential impacts in the workplace from the proposed legalization of cannabis, and how to prevent injuries that could result from impairment.

To promote positive action around workplace mental health, CCOHS partnered with the Government of Canada on a national social media campaign. As a result of this initiative, visits to the CCOHS Mental Health portal and resources increased significantly.

In expanding our partner network, we also increased our public profile. Over the past year, CCOHS participated in a record number of 52 speaking and conference engagements across the country, listening to and exchanging ideas and perspectives on current occupational health and safety issues.

For the third year, CCOHS sponsored the national Youth Focus on Safety video contest, and vigorously promoted the viewing of the submissions to raise awareness of health and safety in workplaces and among youth in Canada.

In the coming year CCOHS will remain focused on building partnerships that continue to extend the reach and impact of the information, advice, and knowledge shared so that workers, employers, and workplaces can introduce positive change that helps create safe and healthy workplaces in Canada.

Finally, we would like to extend our appreciation to the Council of Governors for their guidance, commitment, and continued support, and to the CCOHS team for their contributions to the success of the organization. These efforts help enable the growth of the Centre’s impact, and most importantly, make a difference in the lives of workers.

Gary Robertson,Chair of the Council of Governors

Gareth Jones, President and CEO

#Trending

Marijuana: Medical and Legalization

Canadian workplaces continue to address implications of medical cannabis and the upcoming legalization of marijuana. Although the Cannabis Act has not yet been passed by Parliament or come into force, employers must update their policies to define impairment and what it means to be fit for duty, especially in safetysensitive environments where impairment could cause harm.

Guidelines and boundaries must be established to prevent and respond to workplace impairment that define the use of medical cannabis in the workplace, and how the organization will work with employees to accommodate their medical needs while still maintaining a safe workplace. CCOHS has addressed this subject in a few different ways. We participated in a panel discussion with the Conference Board of Canada and highlighted the importance of prevention and creating healthy workplaces. CCOHS also participated in a national roundtable on medical marijuana hosted by the Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse to share perspectives and explore the impact of this issue on workplaces. One of the action initiatives that came from the discussion was the founding of an advisory group that CCOHS will be participating in. The Centre is also developing a white paper to help workplaces address the risk of impairment associated with marijuana. The white paper will be released later in 2017.

Workplace Mental Health

Psychosocial hazards continue to be a leading source of health issues in Canada, and the linkage between stress, mental health, and absenteeism still remains a significant challenge amongst people in this country. The introduction of the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (the Standard) has helped organizations begin the journey of addressing the workplace factors that can impact worker mental health.

CCOHS adopted the Standard and participated in the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s three year case study research project, along with 40 other organizations across Canada, which wrapped up this year. Through participation in the project, we helped contribute to the nine identified promising practices. Further, we have used our experience to provide mental health information and resources to workers and employers in Canada, and hosted a workshop that offered practical hands on guidance on how to create a mentally healthy workplace. We continue to encourage organizations to address psychological hazards in the workplace with the same equitable lens that they use for physical, chemical, biological and/or ergonomic hazards, and to create a dynamic workplace in which workers can thrive.

Asbestos

Although asbestos is no longer mined in Canada, it is still prevalent in existing construction materials and in certain new imported products. CAREX Canada estimates that approximately 152,000 Canadians are currently exposed to asbestos in their workplaces. Exposure to asbestos (mainly by inhaling fibres), can cause diseases such as asbestosis; lung cancer; and mesothelioma, a cancer of the tissues lining internal organs. Asbestos related disease today is mostly associated with exposures that occurred many years ago, affecting not only miners and factory workers, but also end users, including construction workers.

In December 2016 the Government of Canada announced a commitment to ban asbestos and asbestos containing products by 2018. CCOHS was ready with articles and fact sheets to help inform people about the hazards presented by asbestos and the long term health effects of exposure.

Serving Canada to Improve the Lives of Workers

Serving Canada to Improve the Lives of Workers collage

Most working people spend a good part of their waking hours on the job. It’s no secret that the work environment can have a strong impact on the health and well-being of the people who work there. A healthy workplace that values, respects, and protects its employees is more likely to have employees that are productive and satisfied – and safe.

An important part of the Centre’s work is to serve the working population in Canada by affecting positive change that will help create healthy workplaces and prevent work-related illness and injury. Workers and employers alike need access to credible information, tools, and resources to work safely, and to create workplaces in which the health, safety and well-being of employees are paramount. The Centre does this by making a wide range of useful resources and services, in a variety of formats, freely available, in English and French, for all to use.

Answering Questions

When it comes to workplace health and safety, there’s a lot to know, such as rights and responsibilities, safety codes and regulations, and hazards and risks. Employers and employees alike have questions and they turn to CCOHS for answers they can trust.

With a self-serve option through the OSH Answers fact sheets and mobile app, and the person-to-person Safety InfoLine service, CCOHS makes it as easy as possible for people to access the information and answers they need.

OSH Answers Fact sheet and Safety InfoLine chart
[Text version of OSH Answers Fact sheet and Safety InfoLine chart]

OSH Answers Fact Sheets

The collection of OSH Answers fact sheets contains thousands of questions and answers on over 600 topics ranging from physical hazards, to working safely with chemicals, to mental health, and general safety tips. This year, CCOHS focused on improving this service, reviewing the collection and adding 33 new titles on relevant and timely topics such as medicinal marijuana, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), violence in the workplace – domestic violence, precarious employment, and vulnerable workers.

Top Three

CCOHS

Hazard and Risk • WHMIS 2015 Pictograms • WHMIS 2015 Hazard Classes

CCHST

SIMDUT 2015 - Pictogrammes • Limite maximale de température pour travailler • Troubles tendineux

The fact sheets are freely available through the CCOHS website to provide instant access to reliable and relevant health and safety information.

OSH Answers fact sheets form the foundation of many of the Centre’s informational products, such as publications, posters, and articles, and are widely repurposed by media and organizations alike. They are one of CCOHS’ most important and widely used public services with 13.6 million page views this year - 28% of which were from users in Canada.

OSH Answers Mobile App

The way we access information has changed greatly over the last decade and CCOHS has worked to stay ahead of the curve to meet those changing needs. In an effort to deliver relevant information to workers in real time, CCOHS launched the much anticipated mobile app version of the OSH Answers fact sheets. The bilingual app puts the entire collection of health and safety fact sheets into the palms of users via their mobile device, without access to the Internet, which is especially helpful for those working in remote areas. The app has been downloaded 10,005 times since the October 2016 launch.

Safety InfoLine

While self-serve access to information continues to be a popular choice for most, others require more personalized one-on-one support. For this reason, CCOHS provides a confidential, bilingual, free person-to-person information service, Safety InfoLine, which is accessible online and by telephone. A team of health and safety specialists respond to incoming requests and questions. The team researches and provides information on workplace health and safety to help users of the service make informed decisions about specific issues in the workplace.

Word is getting out about this valuable service that is available to anyone in Canada. The Safety InfoLine service had a record year of activity responding to 8,922 inquiries from users from every province and territory in Canada (up 19% from the previous year). Employers made up almost half of the users (48%), followed by labour (30%), the general public (20%), and governments (2%).

The Safety InfoLine team strives to deliver useful information that is current, relevant, and reliable, from trusted and unbiased sources. To ensure users of the service are satisfied with the usefulness and quality of the service, CCOHS surveys them to gather feedback for continuous improvement.

This year’s survey results found that 89% of Safety InfoLine users were very satisfied with the information they received, while 61% said that their use of information obtained from CCOHS will lead to current or future changes to the workplace that may result in improved health and safety performance.

Safety InfoLine [Person-to-Person]

Users of the Service by Province and Territory

April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017

Users of the Service by Province and Territory graph
[Text version of Users of the Service by Province and Territory graph]

Providing Access to Information

One of the most impactful ways that CCOHS promotes health and safety in Canada is by providing people with bilingual, credible and useful information in accessible and user friendly formats. The content rich CCOHS website and topic-specific websites attract users from Canada and beyond.

CCOHS Website

CCOHS’ website (ccohs-cchst.ca) is the Centre’s single most important vehicle used to deliver both subscription and public services. The website is continuously enhanced with new content, and continues to be a rich source of workplace health and safety information and services.

[Text version of CCOHS Website's highlights]

Each year, visits to the CCOHS website continue to grow, evidence that it is a widely used resource. And this year was no exception. Overall web visits were up 10% to 11.6 million with more than 18.1 million views of content pages.

Although we are proud that our services are appreciated around the world, our efforts are focused on reaching more Canadians than ever. It is not an exact science however usage of the website from Canadian addresses was up 10% over the previous year, with 3.8 million web visits originating from Canada. Also, just as the previous year, 16% of the visits were on the French language site.

Topic-specific Websites

Some topics and issues deserve special attention. To provide a single point of access to some of the best information, tools, and research, the Centre has a collection of websites focused on specific topics such as mental health, healthy workplaces, and young and new workers. Most recently, the Centre added the topic of gender, work, and health to the mix of websites offered.

Gender, Work, and Health

In March 2017, CCOHS launched the Gender, Work and Health website to help bridge the gap between gender, sex, and health, and their impact on the workplace. The website provides users with links to credible information, tools, research, and resources on related topics such as: sex and gender differences in the workplace, injury and illness, gaps in knowledge, and improving risk prevention. The intent of the website is to be of interest to occupational health and safety practitioners, professionals, researchers, human resources professionals, policy makers, students, and anyone with an interest in the health and well-being of workers.

Young Workers Zone and Teaching Tools

112,969 page views

Every worker, regardless of age, needs to know their fundamental rights: the right to know what hazards are present on the job and how to protect themselves; the right to participate in keeping their workplace healthy and safe; and the right to refuse dangerous or unsafe work. To help prepare young workers and those new to the world of work, the Young Workers Zone provides occupational health and safety resources and information to help not only this inexperienced group, but also their parents, teachers, and employers. This year, the website continued to show its value, with 112,969 page views, a 156% increase from last year.

To complement the free resources found in the Young Workers Zone, CCOHS offers another online resource, Health and Safety Teaching Tools. This resource aims to help educators and instructors lay a foundation of workplace health and safety knowledge for young people. In addition to teachers, this popular resource is used as part of orientation programs by youth groups, employment centres, and immigrant settlement programs. Since making the full content of this program available as a free online resource, usage of the site has more than doubled. Teaching Tools web pages had 214,579 views this year, a 104% growth over last year.

Healthy Minds at Work

As awareness of mental health and the commitment to prevention unfolds across the country, there is an increasing need for resources to help workplaces implement mental health as part of their comprehensive workplace health and safety program. The Healthy Minds at Work website serves as a single access point to a collection of helpful tools and information related to mental health. This year the website was enhanced with new content, as well as multimedia assets, such as videos, and shareable Twitter cards, to help spread awareness about mental health. The website also serves as the main resource and call to action in the Centre’s mental health social marketing campaigns. Traffic to the site increased 156% over the previous year due, in part, as a result of the social marketing campaign deployed.

CanOSH

The CanOSH website helps users easily find workplace health and safety information, hazard alerts, and statistics, from the Canadian federal, provincial, and territorial governments and agencies, from a single site. The website, launched eighteen years ago, continues to be widely used.

Healthy Workplaces

51,847 page views

A healthy and productive workplace culture that creates an environment which promotes employee mental and physical health, as well as productivity and organizational effectiveness, can benefit employers and employees alike. The Healthy Workplaces website brings together some of the best information, tools, and resources available to help employers, workers, and practitioners participate in making their workplaces healthy and safe. This year, the website was totally refreshed with a mobile friendly layout and design, as well as credible information on topics related to creating healthy workplaces such as: active living, aging workers, occupational diseases, ergonomics, and mental health. The website had 51,847 page views this year.

Promoting Health and Safety

Over the years, the Centre has built an extensive collection of awareness tools such as posters, bookmarks, infographics, and other handouts, to help organizations promote health and safety in the workplace. From current issues such as mental health, to physical hazards such as slips, trips and falls, workplaces use these tools to reinforce health and safety messages, techniques, and good practices.

Infographics

37,983 page views

Infographics produced by CCOHS spread awareness to a variety of different audiences by sharing data in a more visually appealing format. Originally developed as content for our newsletter, demand for infographics has steadily increased. They have been reprinted by publications and widely shared on social media. Six new infographics were produced this year including sitting at work, work-related asthma, work-life balance, bullying and harassment in the workplace, musculoskeletal disorders, and emergency preparedness in the workplace. For the first time, CCOHS partnered with an organization, The Ontario Lung Association, to produce the work-related asthma infographic.

The most popular infographics were on bullying and harassment, and sitting at work. Overall, the infographics web page had 37,983 page views (up 60% from last year).

[Text version of Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace Infographic]
Workplace Violence Prevention in Canada poster's image
Healthy Workplaces poster's image
Sitting at Work poster's image
WHMIS 2015 poster's image

On Topic Handouts

The colourful eye catching On Topic Handouts contain general information and practical tips on some of the top health and safety concerns the Centre receives. The accordion-fold handouts are printed with English on one side and French on the other, and offer advice and practical solutions on topics such as steps to a mentally healthy workplace, sitting at work, workplace violence prevention, and WHMIS 2015. These handouts are distributed at conferences and purchased by employers to promote prevention and awareness in their workplaces.

Fast Fact Cards

CCOHS started producing a series of handy Fast Fact cards a few years ago and they have been well received. The cards are printed double-sided, with English on one side and French on the other, on sturdy card stock and are popular reference tools to serve as quick reminders of good practices and helpful tips on subjects ranging from mental health, aging workers, hazard controls, musculoskeletal disorders, and transportation hazards.

Posters

42,066 downloads

With 37 topics in its arsenal, CCOHS’ free downloadable posters continue to be popular, even though the demand is slowly diminishing in favour of more portable, shareable formats such as the infographics and Fast Fact cards. This year, 42,066 posters were downloaded from our website. The most popular titles were WHMIS 2015, 10 Healthy Habits for Mental Fitness, and WHMIS 2015 Labels.

Top Three
  • WHMIS 2015
  • 10 Healthy Habits for Mental Fitness
  • WHMIS 2015 Labels

Podcasts [Health and Safety To Go!]

74,653 listens

The podcast program Health and Safety to Go! provides listeners across Canada with health and safety information through their mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, and MP3 players). This allows CCOHS to connect with Canadians in a less traditional format, thus expanding the Centre’s reach and impact with more people across a larger landscape. This year’s roster of new podcasts included interviews with specialist guests Dr. Cheryl Peters, from CAREX Canada; Threads of Life speaker Amber Hiuse; and Dr. Thomas Tenkate from Sun Safety at Work Canada. Topics covered this year included, Day of Mourning, mental health, Zika virus, sun safety, radon, aging workers, and fatigue. The more than two hundred podcasts had 74,653 listens, an overall increase of 29% over the previous year.

Top Three
  • Breaking the Cycle of Workplace Bullying
  • Mentally Healthy Workplace
  • WHMIS 2015

The Health and Safety Report

CCOHS’ largest and most popular communications channel, the Health and Safety Report newsletter is filled with health and safety news and tips, and advice, as well as information people need to make responsible decisions and promote a safe and healthy workplace. This free monthly e-newsletter has 23,733 subscribers from around the world – 75% being from Canada.

The results from the annual readership survey confirm the quality and high appreciation of this popular newsletter. Year over year it earns a 99% overall satisfaction rating with the content and format. The value of the newsletter extends beyond the individual subscriber as 97% said that the newsletter provides value to their organization, and 71% of users indicated that they use the information in the newsletter to make current or planned changes in their workplace that might improve occupational health and safety.

Articles from the Health and Safety Report are widely repurposed by other publications, media outlets, and organizations for their own use. Our informal tracking of the 86 publicly shared reprints resulted in over 10 million impressions of extended reach.

Health and Safety Report brought : More than 23,733 SUBSCRIBERS, including 75% from Canada.
10 million Media impressions. Also 97% say this newsletter provides value to their organization

International Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Awareness Day – February 29, 2017

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Awareness Day is February 29* (February 28 in non-leap years). As the only “non-repetitive” day of the year, it’s the ideal date to devote to raising awareness of repetitive strain injuries. Also known as musculoskeletal disorders, repetitive strain injuries are an umbrella term used to describe a family of painful disorders affecting tendons, muscles, nerves and joints in the neck, upper and lower back, chest, shoulders, arms and hands. Musculoskeletal disorders are the most frequent type of lost-time injury and the single largest source of lost-time costs in Canada.

To help workplaces show their support for and increase awareness of RSI Awareness Day and musculoskeletal disorders, CCOHS developed new resources and content. We created an RSI Day webpage that is home to new posters, infographics, and social media cards free for all to use and share.

February 28 is Repetitive Strain Injury - RSI Awareness Day. RSIs are a real pain in the neck...And shoulders.
And arms. And hands. Prevent the pain. #RSIday. From CCOHS.ca

Supporting the Occupational Health and Safety Profession

Dick Martin Scholarship Award

Each year, CCOHS supports students looking to further their studies in the field of occupational health and safety by hosting a scholarship competition. The Dick Martin Scholarship Award was established by CCOHS’ Council of Governors to encourage interest in the field of workplace health and safety. The scholarship is offered annually to post-secondary students enrolled in a degree or diploma granting occupational health and safety related program in Canada. Two scholarships of $3,000 are awarded to each a university and college student and $500 is awarded to each winner’s school. This year, the winning students were from Lambton College (Ontario), and McGill University (Quebec).

CCOHS announces the scholarship winners in conjunction with North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week (May 7-13, 2017).

2016-17 Scholarship Recipients

Yanella Beatriz Morales Portillo, Lambton College. Diandra Budd, McGill University

Connecting with Canadians

Connecting with Canadians collage

In order for CCOHS to fulfill its mandate and affect meaningful change, it is imperative to connect with the people and communities we serve. CCOHS continuously works to meet the needs of the changing world of work and increase outreach, user population, and impact on Canadian workplaces. The Centre crosses the country speaking and exhibiting to have a presence and engage audiences in every province and territory. These events present prime opportunities to connect with, listen to, and learn about the issues and priorities that are important to people in these regions, and that CCOHS can use to inform the work of the Centre.

Engaging With Our Community

Now more than ever, there is an expectation to have access to news and information as it happens. Social networking platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, allow CCOHS to connect with various audiences to promote a comprehensive approach to health and safety. Actively engaging clients daily with content specifically designed for social media, such as infographics, Twitter cards, and videos, and sharing with them in real time helps reinforce CCOHS as the go-to source for creating healthy workplaces. The social media channels were also the main drivers of the social marketing campaigns CCOHS deployed to push key messages to targeted audiences. The added value of social media is the engaging and sharing nature that extends the messages to thousands more.

Twitter

CCOHS engages audiences in 140 characters or less on what’s happening in the world of workplace health and safety as well as at the Centre. We share developments, ideas, safety tips, new legislation, and more. This year, CCOHS hit a new milestone of 10,281 followers on their English and French Twitter handles, an 18% increase over the previous year. Frequency of posts and current, and relevant content are key when trying to build and keep an audience. The team produced 228 tweets, generating a high level of engagement with 2,652 retweets from followers and 654,972 impressions (the number of times CCOHS tweets showed up in people’s Twitter feeds), representing an increase of 136% over the previous year.

Take time today to remember, reflect & renew your commitment to prevention. #DayOfMourning. Day of Mourning
April 28. Let’s take time to remember those killed and injured on the job and reflect on how we can prevent it from happening again.

Day of Mourning – April 28, 2016

  • 6,873 impressions
  • 52 retweets
  • 82 likes

Sitting at Work Infographic – February 15, 2017

  • 5,926 impressions
  • 60 retweets
  • 44 likes
Photo from NAOSH Week launch @CSSE with our national #FocusSafety video contest winners, CCOHS President and CEO Garett Jones and MP AnnMary Mihychuk

Video Contest Winners – May 8, 2016

  • 5,577 impressions
  • 10 retweets
  • 11 likes
Stats from CCOHS Twitter account: 2,652 retweets, 10,281 followers and 654,972 impressions

Facebook

With almost 2 billion users across the world, Facebook has become the leading social media platform. Facebook helps keep CCOHS connected with workers and employers alike, with product announcements, health and safety updates, giving a behind the scenes look at what’s happening at the Centre, and providing the facility for users to comment, like, and share.

CCOHS’ Facebook page gained 2,476 new fans this year, reaching a total of 9,794 across the English and French pages. Posting content 190 times, CCOHS reached 846,450 fans, with the average post generating 56 reactions and 37 shares.

Stats from CCOHS Facebook page: 9,794 likes and 846,450 reach.
Top Post Shared
The second most popular CCOHS post on Facebook screenshot
[Text version of the second most popular CCOHS post on Facebook screenshot]

Canadian workers have three basic rights.

Ensure that they’re known.

21,307 reach

530 reactions, comments, and shares

LinkedIn

To get in front of business leaders and decision makers, CCOHS relies on LinkedIn’s professional network. After all, the social media site has 433 million users, 40% of whom check the platform every day. Sharing workplace health and safety insights and resources with LinkedIn’s business audience, CCOHS added 1,096 new followers this year, for a total of 6,552 followers across both its English and French LinkedIn pages, a growth of 20% over last year.

LinkedIn CCOHS account stats collage

YouTube

The Centre uses YouTube to share and distribute videos produced by CCOHS as well as to host videos for the National Youth Video Contest. This year, CCOHS added a video to its collection to support the social marketing campaign on mental health. The video, Start the Conversation, was released on May 3, 2016, and has had 1,764 views. CCOHS’ YouTube channel has 291 total subscribers, and the videos were viewed 24,117 times this year (up 14% from last year). The most popular video this year was Lifting Tips, with 12,260 views. CCOHS is planning to create new content in the upcoming year to support the social marketing efforts.

24,117 views on CCOHS Youtube channel

Klout Score

CCOHS Klout Score is 62

A Klout Score ranges from 1 to 100, (higher number indicates greater influence) and measures an organization’s ability to drive action and engagement and its sphere of influence. CCOHS actively monitors its Klout Score to track overall influence and performance across social media channels over time. CCOHS’ Klout Score rose to 62 this year.

In the News

Media

In 2016-2017, the CCOHS media office was very active publishing news releases on new services and health and safety developments, responding to media requests, coordinating media interviews with subject specialists; and seeding story ideas to industry and traditional media outlets. CCOHS’ media program is an important part of the continuing efforts to increase awareness of CCOHS as a national occupational health and safety resource, and to promote the free public services available to Canadians. This year the Centre recorded 512 media sightings* which generated approximately 291 million impressions (43% growth) in national and international news outlets. These included CBC News, the Ottawa Citizen, Yahoo! News, the Vancouver Sun, The Winnipeg Free Press, Montreal Gazette, La Presse (a French newspaper), Ontario Home Builders Association Magazine, Toronto Sun, Toronto Star, OHS Canada Magazine, COS Magazine, PLANT Magazine, and various radio stations across the country.

* A media sighting is when a CCOHS subject specialist was quoted, the Centre was referenced as an information source, or when our online fact sheets, articles or media releases were repurposed by other publications.

Reaching Out

Exhibiting and Speaking Engagements

As an organization with a national mandate, based out of a single office in Hamilton, Ontario, it can be challenging to have a presence in all regions of the country.

Attending conferences as exhibitors and presenters gives CCOHS a platform to promote the Centre as well as current issues, causes, and the work we do, in person, across the country. Wherever we go, or no matter how far we travel to get there, conferences put CCOHS in front of people from regions across Canada, and provide opportunities to listen and learn about their unique concerns.

The Centre carefully plans a program that will achieve the appropriate mix of events to meet the strategic goals related to geographic presence, tripartite groups, and sectors.

The Centre participated in events specific to high risk sectors identified as a strategic focus including health care, mining, the oil and gas industry, and several events aligned with the transportation industry. Additionally, CCOHS continues to further develop existing relationships with Indigenous Peoples communities by reaching out to them and through participation in select events.

CCOHS participated in a record 52 conferences and events (including hosting a mental health workshop). This number includes accepting 31 speaking engagements on topics such as WHMIS 2015, mental health, and aging workers, achieving a total conference reach of 40,300, a 21% increase over the previous year.

CCOHS Exhibits and Conferences chart
[Text version of CCOHS Exhibits and Conferences chart]
Additional Exhibits chart
[Text version of CCOHS Exhibits and Conferences By Sectors chart]
Conferences by Affiliation: 50% Employers, 40% Government, 10% Labour

Educating Workplaces

Educating Workplaces collage

Educating employees is a critical step in preventing injuries, and is key to the future success of any organization. Having a well-developed health and safety program that includes an education and training component is not only essential for keeping people safe at work, it is often a legislated requirement. CCOHS offers an extensive program of credible health and safety education and resources to meet the needs of workplaces in Canada.

e-Learning

Employers are responsible for training and educating their workers to help prepare them to perform their job safely. It can be challenging to coordinate courses and ensure every employee is equipped with a basic, consistent level of knowledge while balancing work location and schedules. E-learning provides flexibility, enabling employees to take courses when it is convenient, regardless of where they are located and what hours of work they have.

CCOHS strives to make health and safety education affordable and accessible with a collection of over 100 online courses (e-courses) on workplace health and safety related topics ranging from accident investigation, confined spaces, contractor safety, bullying in the workplace, and office safety for workers.

The courses are created with assistance and advice from outside technical experts when required, while the tripartite external review of courses by representatives of government, employers, and labour helps achieve a balanced perspective, accuracy, and understanding by all parties in the workplace.

CCOHS offers free awareness e-courses to help promote basic awareness of important health and safety issues such as workplace violence and mental health. These courses provide users with an introduction to the issue or topic at hand and also to CCOHS’ online learning platform.

261,239 seats accessed
Top Three
  • CCOHS
    • WHMIS 2015 For Workers
    • Health and Safety for Managers and Supervisors
    • Office Ergonomics
  • CCHST
    • L’ergonomie au bureau
    • Le SIMDUT 2015 pour les travailleurs
    • La sécurité-incendie : les rudiments

This year, CCOHS’ e-learning team focused on developing training tools related to WHMIS 2015 including jurisdiction specific WHMIS 2015 e-courses for Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, as well as a WHMIS 2015 e-course aimed at managers, and lastly a course providing more in-depth details on working with safety data sheets.

The uptake on e-courses has climbed steadily over the years proving that online learning continues to be a popular choice amongst workplaces. This year, 120,227 free courses were accessed (a 26% increase over last year), and 141,012 seats were purchased from our for-fee based courses – a growth of 49% from the previous year.

New courses in development for next year include new WHMIS 2015 focused courses - including an Inuktitut version of a WHMIS 2015 related course, and courses shedding light on workplace wellness.

Publications

There are times when workers need access to information at their fingertips. But for those who need more information than what’s offered on a fact sheet, or who don’t have access to technology while out in the field, CCOHS offers a collection of publications and other documents in easy-to-read print and electronic formats.

CCOHS publications provide information that is practical, authoritative, and balanced. The popular health and safety guides inform people of workplace hazards to reduce risk and help prevent injury, and are designed for use on-the-job as reference tools and information sources. CCOHS is exploring alternative, mobile delivery formats to meet the changing needs and expectations of workers. This year, 6,797 publications were purchased, and the most popular title was Job Safety Analysis Made Simple.

6,797 purchased publications
Top Three
  • CCOHS
    • Job Safety Analysis Made Simple
    • Health and Safety Committees Reference Guide
    • Violence in the Workplace Prevention Guide
  • CCHST
    • Santé et mieux-être en milieu de travail
    • Guide de planification des mesures d’urgence
    • Guide de référence des comités de santé et de sécurité

The WHMIS 2015 Instructor’s Toolkit, comprised of an instructor’s guide, participants’ guide and PowerPoint slides, continues to be a popular resource in the WHMIS 2015 library. This year 1,148 toolkits were purchased.

WHMIS 2015 Tool Kit collage

Partnering for Success

Partnering for Success collage

At CCOHS we know that when it comes to advancing health and safety, we’re stronger together. Collaborating with Canadian and international organizations, sharing knowledge, experience, and perspectives enables us to develop better solutions and has expanded the quality and quantity of resources and programs available to workers and employers in Canada and on a global level.

As a Collaborating Centre for the Pan American and World Health Organizations, CCOHS has shared its expertise and Canadian perspective with the world, and in turn, these partnerships have enabled CCOHS to provide Canadians with the best information from international sources.

Leveraging Technology

WHMIS.org Website

In 2015, the Government of Canada announced changes to Canada’s Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS 2015) and CCOHS was ready with its partners to help Canadians make the transition. Thus WHMIS.org: Canada’s National WHMIS Portal was born, to provide Canadians with a single point of access to the most current information about WHMIS 2015 from all of the jurisdictions across Canada. The website also contains helpful tools and resources for workers, employers, suppliers, and trainers.

110,118 visits

Containing helpful tools and resources for workers, employers, suppliers and trainers, the website was a joint collaboration between CCOHS and the Workplace Hazardous Materials Bureau of Health Canada, as well as each of the federal, provincial and territorial occupational health and safety regulatory jurisdictions across Canada. Updates to the website this year included the published version of Health Canada’s Technical Guidance on the Requirements of the Hazardous Products Act, and the Hazardous Products Regulations – WHMIS 2015 Supplier Requirements in December 2016. As well, key guidance documents extracted from the Technical Guidance were added to the website.

Usage of the website grew again, as the website had 110,118 visits (a significant increase of 58% over last year). Of these web visits, 81% were from Canada, with the top three provinces accessing the site being Ontario (53%), Alberta (15%), and British Columbia (13%).

Also important to note, four jurisdictions (New Brunswick, Employment and Social Development Canada - Labour Program, Ontario, and Saskatchewan) implemented WHMIS 2015, and the corresponding legislative changes were accessible through WHMIS.org. Previously, the following five jurisdictions: British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Quebec, had implemented WHMIS 2015. The remaining jurisdictions are at different stages in their legislative process.

WHMIS 2015 For Workers e-Course

While WHMIS 2015 has been in the works for a couple of years, workers in Canada are still affected by the changes as they try to navigate and comply with the new regulations. In 2014, CCOHS partnered with the Workplace Hazardous Materials Bureau of Health Canada to develop the e-course, WHMIS After GHS For Workers, which was offered to Canadians for free, up until March 31, 2016. This past year, the name of the course was changed to WHMIS 2015 For Workers, and 67,352 user accounts were sold. The top three provinces accessing the e-course were Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia.

WHMIS 2015 for Workers collage
67,352 user accounts sold

Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) AirAssess App

The issue of indoor air quality has become an important health and safety concern. The quality of air that individuals breathe at work can affect their health, comfort, and their productivity. To help Canadians take action and trouble shoot possible air quality issues in their workplace, CCOHS collaborated with the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) to develop the mobile app AirAssess – Improve Indoor Air Quality at Work. The app was officially launched in December 2016.

The following occupational health and safety legislation portals and apps stemmed from demand from employers for a tool to help them understand and comply with occupational health and safety legislation.

New Brunswick Web Tool/App

A Guide to OSH Legislation, is a website and mobile app that features construction-related topics with links to resources, including interpretations, summaries, legislation, hazard alerts and safety talks, all in an easy-to-read format. CCOHS and WorkSafeNB partnered on this venture in 2015 to help employers in the construction industry find information about legislative requirements in one spot. The website was launched in 2015, and in February 2016, it was launched as a mobile app. Additional enhancements of the tool were made this year such as the addition of 11 new topics on subjects such as first aid, hazardous substances, manual material handling, radon, and incident investigations. CCOHS used the model from the New Brunswick project, and adapted it for the following Canadian jurisdictions: Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Ontario.

Saskatchewan Construction Safety Association Guide to OHS Legislation

To help people in Saskatchewan find occupational health and safety legislation related to the construction industry more easily, CCOHS worked with the Saskatchewan Construction Safety Association on a website and mobile app. This resource will feature legislative requirements on more than 20 topics related to the construction industry such as excavation and trenching, fall protection, ladders, air quality, and scaffolding. Both the website and app are scheduled to launch in June 2017.

Workers’ Safety & Compensation Commission (WSCC) Northwest Territories and Nunavut

CCOHS partnered with the Workers’ Safety & Compensation Commission (WSCC) Northwest Territories and Nunavut, to develop a website and mobile app that would help stakeholders access occupational health and safety legislation from a single access point. The bilingual website and app will provide workers with a clear language summary of occupational health and safety legislation in their jurisdiction, and will host a variety of resources related to topics such as working in confined spaces, personal protective equipment, working with lead, and return to work. Work on the product is well under way and the website and app will be launched in June 2017.

Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA)

The Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA) portal and app was launched in March 2017, and hosts over 50 topics related to construction safety regulations in Ontario. CCOHS is currently working on a mobile app version of the portal, which is scheduled to launch in May 2017.

Addressing Key Sectors

As identified in the strategic plan, CCOHS committed to improving health and safety in high-risk sectors, which included mining, transportation, and construction.

Mining

To help foster collaboration, share information, and promote health and safety in the mining industry, CCOHS hosted its first mining safety meeting with members from related health and safety associations across Canada. The two-day meeting took place in February 2017, and the group was charged with identifying ways that they could work together to improve health and safety in the mining industry across the country. CCOHS and members of the group hope to facilitate an industry centric event: The Canadian Mining Safety Forum. Work on this initiative will continue next year.

Transportation

Despite best efforts, the transportation industry continues to suffer from high workplace injury and fatality rates, according to the Canadian Trucking Alliance. To help improve workplace safety in this industry, CCOHS signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Canadian Trucking Alliance to work together to develop and implement programs and activities to uphold and improve occupational health and safety in the trucking industry.

With the encouragement of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, provincial trucking associations began establishing their own collaborative programs with CCOHS. Both SafetyDriven (the Trucking Safety Council of British Columbia), and the Ontario Trucking Association provide their member companies with access to CCOHS’ e-courses.

Construction

To help people in Ontario and Saskatchewan find occupational health and safety legislation related to the construction industry in their respective provinces more easily, CCOHS partnered with the Saskatchewan Construction Safety Association and Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA) in Ontario to produce web portals and apps.

The Saskatchewan Construction Safety Association Guide to OHS Legislation (web portal and mobile app) will launch in June 2017.

The Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA) portal was launched in March 2017 and the mobile app is scheduled to launch in May 2017.

Addressing Current Issues

Government of Canada Mental Health Social Marketing Campaign

In collaboration with the Canadian federal government, CCOHS ran a paid advertising social marketing campaign to raise awareness of workplace mental health. Funds were secured through the centralized web fund, which is granted to departments with organizational objectives that align with throne speeches and ministerial mandate letters. The campaign utilized social media to help drive awareness of mental health and how it relates to the workplace, all while leveraging the reach capabilities of social media channels including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

The objectives of the campaign were to reach as many workers and employers in Canada as possible in an effort to break through stigma and generate conversation and engagement on a trending topic. Additionally, the campaign included a variety of different creative rotations that addressed several sectors including construction, healthcare, and food service. Running over the span of two months, the campaign launched in January 2016 and ended in early March 2017.

As a result, the campaign delivered and exceeded performance benchmarks in comparison to other government advertisers. More than 8 million Canadians were reached and there were more than 80,000 combined engagements of likes, shares, comments, and retweets. People that engaged with the content were redirected to the Centre’s Healthy Minds at Work website, where additional information, tools, and resources are made available. The website saw significant increases in users visiting; when comparing to last year, the portal users grew by 13 times.

8 million Canadians reached. 80 000 likes, shares, retweets
CCOHS collage: Illness is Illness. Get Well!
CCOHS collage: I am sorry, how can I help?
Healthy worplaces balance the workload
CCOHS collage: Healthy workplaces support the right to disconnect.

Mental Health Workshop

To help workplaces implement mental health as part of a comprehensive healthy workplace program, CCOHS hosted a one-day practical, hands on workshop. Creating Your Healthy Workplace took place on January 31, 2017, in Mississauga, Ontario.

Facilitated by CCOHS’ staff, the workshop was intended to help workplaces move from awareness to action by providing mental health workplace champions and leaders with the framework, tools, and resources needed to develop and implement a comprehensive program that includes mental health as part of a healthy workplace.

Through the workshop, participants were provided with information on how to establish an action plan for a mentally healthy workplace, how to develop a program with sound procedures, and how to address all types of psychosocial hazards to help build a comprehensive healthy workplace program for effective results. Feedback from the participants was exceptional and indicated that they found the workshop extremely helpful and relevant. CCOHS plans to offer this workshop in other jurisdictions across Canada in the 2017-18 fiscal year.

Guarding Minds at Work

Mental health disorders place a heavy burden on the health and productivity in workplaces across Canada. The Guarding Minds at Work website is a unique and free comprehensive set of resources from the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction, designed to protect and promote psychological health and safety in the workplace. It allows employers to assess and address the 13 psychosocial factors known to have a powerful impact on organizational health, the health of individual employees, and the financial bottom line.

Guarding Minds at Work was developed by experienced research-practitioners from the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction, funded by Great-West Life, and is operationally supported and maintained by CCOHS. This year, enhancements were made to the website to offer users greater accessibility, easier to understand information, and the addition of an option for those with a visual impairment.

Health Canada Inspectors e-Courses

A couple of years ago, Health Canada and CCOHS worked together to develop e-course modules for inspectors who will be enforcing the Hazardous Products Act and Hazardous Products Regulations. This year, 221 user accounts were sold across all courses.

CIHR Gender, Work and Health Chair Program

CCOHS is the official Knowledge Translation (KT) Partner of the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) - Gender, Work and Health Chair Research Program, responsible for advancing the program’s objective of translating research into gender and sex-sensitive policies, practices, commercialization and other areas of impact that can preserve and improve the health of workers in Canada. As a result of this partnership, and as part of our knowledge translation contribution, CCOHS produced the new Gender, Work and Health website.

Radiation Safety Institute of Canada

While CCOHS and the Radiation Safety Institute of Canada have worked together over the years to help promote radiation safety in the workplace, this year, the organizations made their working relationship official by signing a Memorandum of Understanding. Through its relationship with the Radiation Safety Institute of Canada, CCOHS has produced webinars, articles, podcasts, and an e-course about silica dust.

National Stage

Focus on Safety [National Youth Video Contest]

From day one, young people new to the world of work must understand their rights and responsibilities related to health and safety. It stands to reason that these important safety messages may be better received by youth, when delivered by youth. CCOHS, along with the provinces and territories, challenged high school students across the country to use their creativity to produce original videos that illustrates the importance of workplace health and safety. The Focus on Safety National Youth Video Contest offered contestants and their schools a chance to win cash prizes, and provincial/territorial and national recognition. In addition, national entrants were also eligible to win the Fan Favourite award.

This year the judging panel included Shirley Hickman, Executive Director of Threads of Life, Perry Ruehlen, Executive Director of the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), and Gareth Jones, President and CEO of CCOHS. CCOHS developed and promoted a Film Fest kit to other organizations to encourage video viewing events across the country during North American Occupational Health and Safety Week (NAOSH) Week to ensure these creative productions with their important messages were viewed by as many people as possible.

Youth Video Contest 2017: Focus on Safety

North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week

Every year, for one week, health and safety takes centre stage as people across the continent come together and resolve to make safety a habit. North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week is an annual initiative led by a partnership of key national organizations: the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), CCOHS, Employment and Social Development Canada’s Labour Program, and Threads of Life. As a national partner, CCOHS hosts and owns the NAOSH Week web site, and through its communications channels, promotes awareness of workplace safety in addition to the week and related events. This year, CCOHS made significant enhancements to the NAOSH Week website, which is set to launch in April 2017. CCOHS also attended and spoke at the NAOSH Week national launch event in Ottawa, Ontario.

National Day of Mourning

April 28 is set aside as the National Day of Mourning to pay tribute to workers across Canada who have been injured or disabled on the job, suffer from occupational diseases, or whose lives have been lost. Several years ago CCOHS set out to expand the narrative to include prevention in all of our messaging, materials, and media. The efforts paid off. The Day of Mourning has become an opportunity for employers and workers to not only remember those who have died due to work, but also to renew their commitment to preventing work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths, and making workplaces safe and healthy for all. Media attention and social media engagement around Day of Mourning was greater than ever, and for the first year, it trended on social media. CCOHS messaging was evident in the plethora of media releases, articles, announcements, and throughout social media.

Day of Mourning, April 28. Remember. Reflect. Resolve. Prevent

To help raise awareness in the workplace of this important day, CCOHS maintains a permanent Day of Mourning section on the website with updated fatality and injury statistics as well as promotional materials. These include a series of bilingual Day of Mourning posters that can be downloaded or purchased in print, as well as buttons, stickers, and shareable social media images with messaging about the Day of Mourning.

Other Projects and Partnerships

Canadian Association of Administrators of Labour Legislation Occupational Safety and Health Committee (CAALL-OSH)

With 14 different jurisdictions, Canada’s occupational health and safety laws can be difficult to understand, especially for workers and organizations that operate in more than one jurisdiction: what may be applicable in one province may not be in another. CCOHS signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Canadian Association of Administrators of Labour Legislation Occupational Safety and Health Committee (CAALL-OSH) to assist them in their efforts to harmonize health and safety legislation across Canada. This project began in the last quarter of 2016 and is expected to be completed in October 2017.

Health Canada: Workplace Hazardous Materials Bureau (WHMB)

CCOHS continues to provide assistance to the Workplace Hazardous Materials Bureau (WHMB) of Health Canada with the implementation of WHMIS 2015. This year, CCOHS provided advice on the format, style and organization of Phase 2 of the Health Canada WHMIS 2015 technical guidance for suppliers, and completed an editorial and technical review of draft chapters for readability and comprehensibility. The collaboration was formed to develop a fact sheet and process map to support understanding of Canada’s Confidential Business Information process. We continue to host and maintain e-learning courses for the Hazardous Products Act. CCOHS issues a quarterly report to update stakeholders about whmis.org and WHMIS 2015 for Workers e-learning activity in their jurisdiction, as well as information about new WHMIS 2015 resources and tools.

Health Canada: WHMIS 2015 Committees

CCOHS also participates in two Health Canada WHMIS 2015 committees. CCOHS is an observer on the Intergovernmental WHMIS Co-ordinating Committee (IWCC), a forum for regulators from federal, provincial and territorial governments to exchange information and ideas related to WHMIS. CCOHS is a member of the WHMIS Current Issues Committee (CIC), which facilitates information and knowledge-sharing between government regulators and affected stakeholders (workers, employers, and suppliers).

Canadian Standards Association Group (CSA)

CCOHS and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) have had a long standing relationship, partnering on a number of initiatives over the years. CCOHS offers CSA Group Standards through the website and in an effort to enhance the service, streamlined its list of offerings to include only the most popular.

CCOHS continued to focus efforts on a collaborative relationship with the Canadian Standards Association to support the mining industry through the Mine Advisory Panel. The panel’s mandate is to engage the mining industry in updating existing, and developing new health and safety standards. CCOHS annually meets with the Chief Mine Inspectors to discuss CCOHS products, services and new innovations and trends, such as mobile app development, that may be of interest to regulators and the mining sector.

In 2016 CCOHS served on the CSA Technical Committee to develop a National Caregiver-Friendly Workplace Programs Standard.

CAREX Canada

CAREX Canada is the country’s leading source of evidence on Canadians’ exposures to workplace and environmental carcinogens, to support the effort to raise awareness of radon exposure. CCOHS participates on the organization’s CAREX Canada Knowledge Translation Advisory Committee. Comprised of members from across the country, the Committee helps guide their knowledge translation strategy and supports CAREX’s efforts to put their resources and tools into action for cancer prevention in Canada. Last fall, CCOHS collaborated with CAREX on an article and a podcast about radon safety, and will continue to provide opportunities to share findings and advice from CAREX that can prevent work-related cancers.

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre

In September 2016 CCOHS was re-designated as Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for a period ending in 2020. As a Collaborating Centre, CCOHS contributes to several major projects to advance workplace health and safety globally. For example, for many years the IPCS INCHEM database has been one of the most important chemical information services delivered by CCOHS as a collaborating centre. IPCS INCHEM contains information essential for the sound management of chemicals that affect the environment and human health.

Managing Health and Safety

Managing Health and Safety collage

For employers, managing health and safety is an important part of managing their businesses. CCOHS has created products and services to help meet the unique needs of various workplaces and sectors, whether it is to help them know and comply with their legislative requirements or write a safety data sheet.

Tools for Managing Workplace Health and Safety

CANWrite™ – (M)SDS Authoring Software

In Canada, suppliers of hazardous products are required to provide safety data sheets so users of those products can understand the hazards and how to work safely with them. To help meet the challenges of producing accurate and understandable safety data sheets, CCOHS offers an online authoring tool, CANWrite™. CANWrite™ supports the authoring of a single safety data sheet that can comply with the Canadian Hazardous Products Act and regulations (WHMIS 2015) and the US Hazard Communication Standard (HCS 2012) in English, French, and Spanish. CCOHS continues to maintain and enhance the software in response to user feedback and to keep pace with technological change.

Streamline your SDS authoring collage

To assist small businesses author WHMIS 2015 compliant safety data sheets, CCOHS offers a free, downloadable template that provides the minimum information elements for an safety data sheet required by WHMIS 2015. The template is available in both standard and accessible formats in English and French, and was downloaded 546 times this year (473 were from Canada).

New to the WHMIS 2015 suite of tools and resources, was the launch of the whitepaper: How to Transition a 16-Section WHMIS 1988 MSDS to a WHMIS 2015 SDS. The free whitepaper provides guidance to users on how to transition information from an existing 16-section ANSI format WHMIS 1988 MSDS to a WHMIS 2015 SDS, and contains charts showing the transition from a 1988 to 2015 data sheet by (M)SDS section, discussion and tips. The whitepaper was released in August 2016, and to date, has 626 downloads of both the English and French versions. Of those downloads, 584 were from Canada.

MSDS Management Service

While authoring safety data sheets can be a challenge for some workplaces, managing the thousands of hazardous chemicals used in workplaces every day can certainly add to those challenges. The Centre provides an online MSDS Management Service (MMS) that puts (material) safety data sheets in one convenient location for users, and provides support and assistance to employers, helping ensure they comply with the legislation in their jurisdiction.

This year, upgrades were added to the service to enhance the user experience such as the ability to see if a product is not for sale in Canada, no longer updated by the supplier or manufacturer, not controlled under WHMIS 1998 and/or not hazardous under WHMIS 2015 on the summary page of a data sheet.

MSDS Management Service collage: Complete safety data sheet management made easy.

Canadian enviroOSH Legislation plus Standards Service

To help make it easier for organizations and workers to access legislation, and referenced standards to identify and understand their rights and responsibilities under the law, CCOHS offers an online service called the Canadian enviroOSH Legislation plus Standards.

Enhancements made to the service this year included the addition of 11 topic pages such as confined space entry, exposure limits to noise, fall-arresting systems, health and safety committees, indoor air quality, and WHMIS.

Know the health and safety law. Canadian enviroOSH Legislation plus Standards

CHEMINFO

Workers looking to understand the hazards of workplace chemicals are encouraged to use CHEMINFO – an internationally recognized resource developed by CCOHS specialists, containing critical safety information for over 1,800 workplace chemicals. The database provides essential health and safety information about chemicals to control workplace exposures and prevent accidents. In addition, there are two CHEMINFO spin-offs: Chemical Profiles (listed under the OSH Answers fact sheets) and the WHMIS 1988 Classification Database which is offered as a public service. CHEMINFO clients viewed 91,459 records online this year (an increase of 35% from last year).

Our Values in Action

Working people spend a good part of their life at work. It only stands to reason that organizations can play a key role in impacting the health and well-being of their employees. From providing a safe and healthy physical work environment to supporting healthy lifestyles, encouraging personal development, and promoting active participation to help improve health and well-being at work, everyone can benefit from a healthy workplace. CCOHS strives to “walk the talk” by providing an engaging, productive work environment for their employees that is not only healthy and safe, but in which all can thrive.

Employee Engagement

To help create a working environment that is positive, and engaging, CCOHS holds quarterly Town Hall meetings as a way for employees to interact with the executive team, ask questions, share ideas, and discuss the things that matter to them most. At every Town Hall, staff who have been nominated by their peers receive recognition for demonstrating one or more of the six CCOHS brand attributes: Accountable, Communicative, Customer-centric, Knowledgeable, Proactive, and Team-oriented.

Another example of staff engagement are the CCOHS Showcases. These staff driven events produced by crossfunctional teams that work together to produce showcase presentations of recent projects or products they have produced. All CCOHS staff attend these events and they play an important role in keeping everyone informed of what is happening behind the scenes at the Centre.

Lastly, to learn and gauge how these and other efforts have impacted the workplace culture here at CCOHS, staff completed an engagement survey in December 2016. The results were more favourable than similar government and private sector organizations. Staff were able to review and discuss the results for their respective departments to work together to address some of the issues unique to their teams.

Mental Health at CCOHS

At CCOHS we understand the importance of creating a positive work environment in which people feel supported and protected from psychological harm. We continue our work to integrate the psychological factors into our comprehensive health and safety program. CCOHS has several management and non-management staff trained in mental health first aid and all managers, supervisors and the mental health team have received training on workplace mental health leadership, to ensure we can meet the needs of staff.

Healthy Workplace at CCOHS

Everyone has a part in making workplaces healthy and safe, and CCOHS is no exception. The Healthy Workplace Team, comprised of employees and managers, work together to promote healthy habits, team building, and community involvement. Throughout the year the team hosts healthy workplace challenges, team volunteer events, and promotes charitable giving, as they strive to promote active participation and engagement by all to help create a culture of caring and a healthy workplace in which we can all thrive.

Financial Review

Management Responsibility for Financial Statements

Statement of Management Responsibility Including Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Responsibility for the integrity and objectivity of the accompanying financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2017, and all information contained in these statements rests with the management of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (“CCOHS” or the “Centre”).These financial statements have been prepared by management in accordance with the Government’s accounting policies, which are based on Canadian public sector accounting standards.

Management seeks to ensure 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 the Centre’s financial transactions. Financial information submitted in the preparation of the Public Accounts of Canada, and included in CCOHS’ Annual Report and Departmental Performance Report, is consistent with these financial statements.

An Audit Committee appointed by the Council of Governors of CCOHS has reviewed these statements with management and the auditors, and has reported to the Council of Governors. The Council of Governors has approved the 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 legislation, 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 assessment of the effectiveness of the system of internal control over financial reporting (ICFR).

An assessment for the year ended March 31, 2016 was completed in accordance with Treasury Board’s Policy on Internal Control and the results and action plans are summarized in the annex. The annex is available on CCOHS’ website under Departmental Performance Reports at the following location: http://www.ccohs.ca/ccohs/reports.html.

The system of ICFR is designed to mitigate risks to a reasonable level based on an on-going process to identify key risks, to assess effectiveness of associated key controls, and to make any necessary adjustments.

Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton 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.

Approved by:

Gareth Jones
Acting President and Chief Executive Officer
Frank Leduc, CPA, CMA
Finance and Chief Financial Officer

Hamilton, Canada
June 28, 2017

Independent Auditor's Report

Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton LLP

  • 2505 St-Laurent Blvd.
  • Ottawa, Ontario K1H 1E4
  • Telephone: 613-236-2211
  • Fax: 613-236-6104
  • www.rcgt.com

To the Administrators of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety and the Minister of Labour

We have audited the accompanying financial statements of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, which comprise the statement of financial position as at March 31 2017, and the statement of operations and net financial position, statement of change in net debt and statement of cash flow for the year then ended, and a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory information.

Management’s Responsibility for the Financial Statements

Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these 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.

Auditor's Responsibility

Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we comply with ethical requirements and plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement.

An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The procedures selected depend on the auditor's judgement, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the entity's preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity's internal control. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements.

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.

Opinion

In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety as at March 31, 2017, and the results of its operations, changes in its net debt, and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with Canadian public sector accounting standards.

Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton LLP
Chartered Accountants, Licensed Public Accountants

Ottawa, Canada
July 17, 2017

Statement of Financial Position

As at March 31, 2017 (in dollars)
  2017 2016
  $ $
Liabilities
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities (Note 8)
1,173,872 751,153
Deferred Revenues – Web Based Subscriptions
1,133,817 1,201,282
Vacation Pay and Compensated Leave
403,356 483,926
Employee Severance Benefits (Note 10)
905,116 975,488
Deferred Contributions – Donations (Note 9)
113,152 113,152
Total Liabilities 3,729,313 3,525,001
Financial assets:
Due from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, without interest
1,280,177 735,179
Accounts Receivable (Note 7)
610,792 725,917
Total Financial Assets 1,890,969 1,461,096
Net Debt (Note 3) (1,838,344) (2,063,905)
Non-financial Assets
Inventory
41,531 48,447
Tangible Capital Assets (Note 6)
410,011 476,925
Total non-financial assets 451,542 525,372
Net Financial Position (1,386,802) (1,538,533)

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.

Approved by:

Gareth Jones
Acting President and Chief Executive Officer
Frank Leduc, CPA, CMA
Vice President, Finance, and Chief Financial Officer

Statement of Operations and Net Financial Position

For the year ended March 31, 2017 (in dollars)
  2017 2016
  $ $
Expenses
Operations
Salaries and employee benefits
8,145,161 7,667,449
Professional and special services
1,270,665 1,376,874
Accommodation
676,937 676,937
Transportation and communications
201,835 225,962
Purchased repair and upkeep
146,819 129,883
Utilities, materials and supplies
79,861 87,837
Information
64,759 81,678
Rentals
28,677 51,950
Total
10,614,714 10,298,570
Administration
Salaries and employee benefits
299,348 453,800
Governors and committees
40,791 10,185
Travel
6,471 37,439
Professional and special services
94,889 50,106
Total
441,499 551,530
Other expenses
Amortization of tangible capital assets
111,293 61,151
Total
111,293 61,151
Total expenses
11,167,506 10,911,251
Revenues (Note 5)
Proceeds from sales
4,242,782 3,755,237
Projects and collaborative agreements
1,044,986 1,751,861
Total revenues
5,287,768 5,507,098
Net cost of operations before Government funding
(5,879,738) (5,404,153)
Government Funding
Net cash provided by government
4,177,508 4,768,556
Change in due from the Consolidated Revenue Fund
544,998 (66,252)
Services provided without charge from other government departments (note 11)
1,308,963 1,236,722
Transfer of transition payments for implementing salary payments in arrears (Note 13)
0 (4,767)
Net surplus of operations after government funding
151,731 530,106
Net Financial Position at Beginning of Year
(1,751,398) (2,068,639)
Accounting adjustment (Note 14)
212,865 0
Restated balance
(1,538,533) (2,068,639)
Net surplus
151,731 530,106
Net Financial Position at End of Year
(1,386,802) (1,538,533)

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.

Statement of Change in Net Debt

For the year ended March 31, 2017 (in dollars)
  2017 2016
  $ $
Net Surplus of Operations after Government Funding 151,731 317,241
Changes due to Tangible Capital Assets
Acquisitions of tangible capital assets (44,379) (221,126)
Amortization of tangible capital assets 111,293 61,151
Total Change Due to Tangible Capital Assets 66,914 (159,975)
Decrease (Increase) in inventory 6,916 (11,894)
Net decrease (increase) in net debt 225,561 145,372
Net debt, at Beginning of Year (2,276,770) (2,422,142)
Accounting adjustment (Note 14) 212,865 0
Restated balance (2,063,905) (2,422,142)
Net decrease (increase) in net debt 225,561 145,372
Net debt, at End of Year (1,838,344) (2,276,770)

Statement of Cash Flow

For the year ended March 31, 2017 (in dollars)
  2017 2016
  $ $
Operating Activities
Net cost of operations before government funding
5,879,738 5,404,153
Non-cash items:
Amortization of tangible capital assets (Note 6)
(111,293) (61,151)
Services received without charge from other government departments (Note 11)
(1,308,963) (1,236,722)
Transition Payments for implementing salary payments in arrears (Note 13) 0 4,767
Variations in Statement of Financial Position:
Decrease (Increase) in accounts payable & accrued liabilities
(422,719) (29,522)
Decrease (Increase) in deferred revenue
67,465 120,757
Decrease (Increase) in vacation pay and compensatory leave
80,570 (29,544)
Decrease (Increase) in employee severance benefits
70,372 88,445
Decrease (Increase) in deferred revenues - donations
0 (2,250)
Increase (Decrease) in accounts receivable
(115,125) 276,601
Increase (Decrease) in inventory for resale
(6,916) 11,894
Cash used in operating activities 4,133,129 4,547,428
Capital investing activities
Acquisitions of tangible capital assets
44,379 221,126
Net cash provided by Government of Canada 4,177,508 4,768,554

Notes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended March 31, 2017 (in dollars)

  1. Authority and Objectives

    • The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) was established in 1978 under the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Act and is a departmental corporation named in Schedule II to the Financial Administration Act. The objectives of CCOHS are to promote the right of Canadians to a healthy and safe working environment and to enhance the physical and mental health of workers. CCOHS’ operating expenditures are funded in part by its operating revenue, budgetary appropriations and authorities available for use from previous years.
    • CCOHS has one program activity for reporting purposes, in addition to internal services. The activity is occupational health and safety information development, delivery services and tripartite collaboration.
    • The goal of this program is to provide free information on occupational health and safety to support Canadians in their efforts to improve workplace safety and health. Citizens are provided information through a free and impartial personalized service via telephone, e-mail, person-toperson, fax or mail. Alternatively, they can independently access a broad range of electronic and print resources developed to support safety and health information needs of Canadians. This may include cost recovery products and services and is supported financially by contributions from various stakeholders.
    • Through health and safety information development, CCOHS collects, processes, analyzes, evaluates, creates and publishes authoritative information resources on occupational health and safety for the benefit of all working Canadians. This information is used for education and training, research, policy development, development of best practices, improvement of health and safety programs, achieving compliance, and for personal use. When the product or service provided by CCOHS is to identifiable external recipients with benefits beyond those enjoyed by the general taxpayer, a fee is charged.
    • CCOHS promotes and facilitates consultation and cooperation among federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions and participation by labour, management and other stakeholders 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.
    • Internal Services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are: Management and Oversight Services; Communications Services; Legal Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Material Services; Acquisition Services; and Travel and Other Administrative Services. Internal Services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.
  2. Significant Accounting Policies

    • These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Canadian public sector accounting standards. Significant accounting policies are as follows:
      • Parliamentary Authorities
        • CCOHS is financed in part by the Government of Canada through Parliamentary authorities. Financial reporting of authorities provided to CCOHS do not parallel financial reporting according to generally accepted accounting principles since authorities are primarily based on cash flow requirements. Consequently, items recognized in the statement of operations and net financial position and the statement of financial position are not necessarily the same as those provided through authorities from Parliament. Note 4 provides a high-level reconciliation between the bases of reporting.
        • Government transfers are recognized as revenue when authorized and when the organization has satisfied any eligibility criteria.
        • Liquidity risk is the risk that the Centre will encounter difficulty in meeting its obligations associated with financial liabilities. The entity’s objective for managing liquidity risk is to manage operations and cash expenditures within the appropriation authorized by Parliament or allotment limits approved by the Treasury Board.
        • The entity’s risk exposure and its objectives, policies and processes to manage and measure this risk did not change significantly from the prior year.
      • Net Cash Provided by Government
        • CCOHS operates within the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF). The CRF is administered by the Receiver General for Canada. All cash received by CCOHS is deposited to the CRF and all cash disbursements made by CCOHS are paid from the CRF. The net cash provided by Government is the difference between all cash receipts and all cash disbursements, including transactions between departments of the Government.
        • Amounts due from or to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) are the result of timing differences at year-end between when a transaction affects authorities and when it is processed through the CRF. Amounts due from the CRF represents the net amount of cash that CCOHS is entitled to draw from the CRF, without further authorities, in order to discharge its liabilities. This amount is not considered to be a financial instrument.
      • Revenues
        • Revenues are accounted for in the period in which the underlying transaction or event occurred that gave rise to the revenues. Revenues for subscriptions of Internet based products are recognized over the term of the subscription.
        • Subscriptions are based upon the right to use the information for a specified period. Information may be updated during the subscription period.
        • Cash that has been received but not yet earned is recorded as deferred revenue. The deferred revenue represents cash received in advance of initial and ongoing product delivery, services or granting of access to the website.
      • Expenses
        • Expenses are recorded on the accrual basis.
        • Vacation pay and compensatory leave are accrued as the benefits are earned by employees under their respective terms of employment.
        • Services provided without charge by other government departments for accommodation and the employer’s contribution to the health and dental insurance plans are recorded as operating expenses at their estimated cost. A corresponding amount is reported as government funding.
      • Employee Future Benefits
        • Pension benefits: All eligible employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan, a multi-employer plan administered by the Government of Canada. CCOHS’ contributions are currently based on a multiple of an employee’s required contributions and may change over time depending on the experience of the Plan. CCOHS’ contributions to the Plan are charged to expenses in the year in which the services are rendered and represent its total obligation to the Plan. Current legislation does not require CCOHS to make contributions for any actuarial deficiencies of the Plan.
        • Severance benefits: Employees are entitled to severance benefits under labour contracts or conditions of employment. These benefits were accrued as employees render the services necessary to earn them and are estimated based on employees' salaries, duration of service and age. Entitlements stopped accruing on April 1, 2011. The remaining balance will be paid upon termination.
        • Accumulated sick leave: Employees are entitled to sick leave benefits that accumulate but do not vest. Therefore no amount has been recorded in the financial statements.
      • Accounts Receivable
        • Accounts receivable are stated at amounts expected to be ultimately realized. A provision is made for receivables from external parties where recovery is considered uncertain.
        • Credit risk is the risk that one party to a financial instrument will cause a financial loss for the other party by failing to discharge an obligation. The entity is not exposed to significant credit risk. The entity provides services to other government departments and agencies and to external parties in the normal course of business. Accounts receivable are due on demand. The maximum exposure the entity has to credit is risk equal to the carrying value of its accounts receivables.
      • Contingent Liabilities
        • Contingent liabilities are potential liabilities that may become actual liabilities when one or more future events occur or fail to occur. To the extent that the future event is likely to occur or fail to occur, and a reasonable estimate of the loss can be made, an estimated liability is accrued and an expense recorded. If the likelihood is not determinable or an amount cannot be reasonably estimated, the contingency is disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.
      • Foreign Currency Transactions
        • Transactions involving foreign currencies are translated into Canadian dollar equivalents using rates of exchange in effect at the time of those transactions. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated using the rate of exchange in effect at year end. Gains and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions are included in the statement of operations and net financial position according to the activities to which they relate.
      • Inventories for Resale
        • Inventories for resale are valued at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Inventories for resale are primarily print materials held for resale.
      • Tangible Capital Assets
        • All tangible capital assets having an initial cost of $5,000 or more are recorded at the acquisition cost. Tangible capital assets are amortized over their estimated useful life on a straight-line basis, as follows:
      • Accounting estimates
        • The preparation of these financial statements are in accordance with Canadian public sector accounting standards and requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses reported in the financial statements. At the time of preparation of these statements, management believes the estimates and assumptions to be reasonable. The liability for employee future benefits and the estimated useful life of tangible capital assets are the most significant items where estimates are used. Actual results could significantly differ from those estimated. Management’s estimates are reviewed periodically and, as adjustments become necessary, they are recorded in the financial statements in the year they become known.
  3. Net Debt

    • The net debt is calculated as the difference between liabilities and financial assets. Employee severance benefits and vacation pay obligations represent the most significant components of net debt as future Parliamentary authorities will be required in order to discharge those obligations.
  4. Parliamentary Authorities

    • CCOHS receives its funding through annual Parliamentary authorities and external revenues. Items recognized in the Statement of Operations and Net Financial Position and the Statement of Financial Position in one year may be funded through Parliamentary authorities in prior, current or future years. Accordingly, CCOHS has different net results of operations for the year on a government funding basis than on an accrual accounting basis. These differences are reconciled as follows:

  5. Revenues

  6. Tangible Capital Assets

  7. Accounts Receivable

  8. Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities

    • The following table presents details of CCOHS’ accounts payable and accrued liabilities:
  9. Deferred contributions – Donations

    • Donations
      • CCOHS, by virtue of subsection 6(3) of its Act, may acquire money or other property by gift or otherwise and expend or dispose of those donations subject to their terms, if any. CCOHS did not receive any donations in 2017 (2016-$2,250). The balance at March 31, 2017 is $113,152 (2016 $113,152).
  10. Employee future benefits

    • Pension benefits
      • CCOHS employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan, which is sponsored and administered by the Government of Canada. Pension benefits accrue up to a maximum period of 35 years at a rate of 2 percent per year of pensionable service, times the average of the best five consecutive years of earnings. The benefits are integrated with Canada/Québec Pension Plans benefits and they are indexed to inflation.
      • Both the employees and CCOHS contribute to the cost of the Plan. Due to the amendment of the Public Service Superannuation Act following the implementation of provisions related to Economic Action Plan 2012, employee contributors have been divided into two groups – Group 1 relates to existing plan members as of December 2012 and Group 2 relates to members joining the Plan as of January 1, 2013. Each group has a distinct contribution rate.
      • The 2016-2017 expense amounts to $745,467 ($720,856 in 2015-16). For Group 1 members, the expense represents approximately 1.12 times (1.25 times in 2015-16) the employee contributions and, for Group 2 members, approximately 1.08 times (1.24 times in 2015-16) the employee contributions.
      • CCOHS’ responsibility with regard to the Plan is limited to its contributions. Actuarial surpluses or deficiencies are recognized in the financial statements of the Government of Canada, as the Plan’s sponsor.
    • Severance benefits
      • Severance benefits provided to CCOHS employees were previously based on an employee’s eligibility, years of service and salary at termination of employment. However, since 2011 the accumulation of severance benefits for voluntary departures progressively ceased for substantially all employees. Employees subject to these changes were given the option to be paid the full or partial value of benefits earned to date or collect the full or remaining value of benefits upon departure from the public service. By March 31, 2017 all settlements for immediate cash out were completed. Severance benefits are unfunded and, consequently, the outstanding obligation will be paid from future authorities.
      • The changes in the obligations during the year were as follows:
          2017 2016
          $ $
        Accrued benefit obligation - opening balance 975,488 1,063,934
        Expense for the year 21,648 51,627
        Benefits paid during the year (92,020) (140,073)
        Accrued benefit obligation, end of year 905,116 975,488
  11. Related Party Transactions

    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. During the year, CCOHS received common services which were obtained without charge from other Government departments as disclosed below.

    • Services Provided Without Charge by other government departments
      • During the year, CCOHS received services without charge from certain common service organizations, related to accommodation and the employer’s contribution to the health and dental insurance plans. These services provided without charge have been recorded in the Statement of Operations and Net Financial Position as follows:
      • The Government has centralized some of its administrative activities for efficiency and cost- effectiveness purposes so that one department performs these on behalf of all without charge. The costs of these services, which include payroll and cheque issuance services provided by Public Works and Government Services Canada are not included in CCOHS’ Statement of Operations and Net Financial Position.
    • Other Transactions With Related Parties
  12. Segmented Information

    • 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 2017 2016
        $ $ $ $
      Salaries and employee benefits 2,309,111 6,135,398 8,444,509 8,121,249
      Professional and special services (incl. Governors and committees) 511,717 894,628 1,406,345 1,437,165
      Accommodation 219,769 457,168 676,937 676,937
      Transport and communications 65,005 143,301 208,306 263,401
      Information 3,221 61,538 64,759 81,678
      Purchased repair and upkeep 46,702 100,117 146,819 129,883
      Utilities, materials and supplies 30,896 48,965 79,861 87,837
      Rental 18,433 10,244 28,677 51,950
      Other expenditures - 111,293 111,293 61,151
      Total Expenses 3,204,854 7,962,652 11,167,506 10 911 251
      Revenues - - 5,287,768 5,507,098
      Cost from continuing operations 3,204,854 7,962,652 (5,879,738) (5,404,153)
  13. Transfer of transition payments for implementing salary payments in arrears

    • The Government of Canada implemented salary payments in arrears in 2014-15. As a result, a onetime payment was issued to employees and will be recovered from the government in the future. The transition to salary payments in arrears forms part of the transformation initiative that replaces the pay system and also streamlines and modernizes the pay process. This change to the pay system had no impact on the expenses of CCOHS. Prior to year-end, the transition payments for implementing salary payments in arrears were transferred to a central account administered by Public Works and Government Services Canada, who is responsible for the administration of the Government pay system.
  14. Change in Financial Statement Presentation

    • CCOHS changed its financial statement presentation in order to recognize HST in the amount of $212,865 which related to the year ended March 31, 2016. As a result, the Net surplus of operations after government funding increased by $212,865 and the Net financial position restated at beginning of year increased by the same amount.