Governments across the country are aiming to harmonize occupational health and safety requirements to make it easier for businesses who do work in different provinces and territories to adhere to the rules.
Provincial and territorial labour ministers gathered for an annual meeting with federal Labour Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk in Prince George, B.C., on Friday, September 9, 2016.
British Columbia’s Labour Minister Shirley Bond said many companies do business across provinces and struggle to meet the unique health and safety regulations in each jurisdiction.
Bond said provincial ministers presented the federal government with a working plan of how to move forward on creating harmonized regulations.
Mihychuk said while they are looking at a two-year plan to unify standards, the governments want to speed up the process.
Labour ministers also discussed developing a more co-ordinated approach to addressing mental-health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder in the workplace.
© The Canadian Press
Quick Facts
The meeting of ministers responsible for labour provides a key forum to discuss public policies and explore opportunities for cooperation on joint projects and labour initiatives.
Throughout the year, work continues through the Canadian Association of Administrators of Labour Legislation (CAALL).
Established in 1938, CAALL is an association of federal, provincial and territorial departments of labour and heads of occupational health and safety agencies.
