Toronto, ON — Jobsites in Ontario can expect to see more frontline health and safety inspectors in the near future. The government is launching a recruitment campaign to increase the number of inspectors by 98 to help ensure workplaces are doing their part to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“Our government is taking the steps necessary to protect Ontario workers on the job and keep our economy on the road to full recovery,” said Monte McNaughton, minister of labour, training and skills development. “By adding more inspectors to our team, we can respond faster to situations as they arise and help make sure that every office, plant, store and job site in this province is safe, during COVID-19 and beyond.”
The hiring of new inspectors will increase the number from 409 to 507, an increase of 24 per cent. Training is set to begin later this fall.
The inspectors will have the powers to inspect any workplace and ensure they have COVID protections in place, investigate any potentially hazardous situation, critical injury, fatality and work refusal, order compliance with the legislation, stop unsafe work from being performed, and recommend and initiate prosecutions.
The full-year cost for the new inspectors will be $11.6 million. Recruitment of the inspectors will begin in early October 2020. Applicants will have one month to apply.