Ontario ups maximum workplace safety fines

Jan. 16, 2018 – The Ontario government has increased the maximum fines for individuals and businesses that do not meet workplace health and safety standards.

Effective December 14, 2017, the maximum fines for an offence under the Occupational Health and Safety Act increased from $25,000 to $100,000 for an individual or unincorporated business; and from $500,000 to $1.5 million for corporations.

The time limit to allow for prosecution has also increased from one year from the date of the offence, to one year from the date an inspector becomes aware of an alleged offence.

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

In 2016, the courts imposed more than $11 million in fines and entered more than 2,200 convictions against employers for contraventions of the OHSA and its regulations.