Province provides $12.5M for worker safety groups, including in the North

The province has announced millions of dollars for six of Ontario’s health and safety organizations, including Workplace Safety North.

A total of $12.5 million has been allocated to the six associations, said Monte McNaughton, the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

“We’re going to spend a record amount of money improving health and safety, keeping workers safe across the province,” McNaughton said.

“Ensur(ing) that workers come home safe after work, that ultimately our top priority.”

Mike Parent, vice-president of Workplace Safety North, said the funding is exciting news.

“The big winners here are they employees and employers in Ontario,” Parent said.

“This money is going to help the six health and safety associations to be able to provide higher level health and safety searches.”

McNaughton said the province is working to update safety standards and providing more funding for Workplace Safety North was a no-brainer.

“They do heroic work, recently saving 39 miners lives,” he said.

Parent said mining activity in the north has grown in the last few years, which means the funding comes at a time when it is really needed.

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“We service the forestry, mining, pulp, paper and logging sectors and we also administer the Ontario Mine Rescue program,” he said.

“The mine rescue program has a number of officers that deliver training to about 900 volunteers across the province and mines.”