The Ontario government is investing $10.5 million to prevent workplace illnesses and injuries by improving health and safety awareness and practices at up to 60,000 small businesses across the province over the next three years.
All small businesses with 6 to 19 employees are required to have a health and safety representative and can apply for this training. The Small Business Health and Safety Training Program will provide free online training to Health and Safety Representatives to keep workers safe in the retail, construction, health care, accommodation and food services, and other sectors.
The Ontario government will cover the $25 cost of registration for the eLearning training course for an appointed health and safety representative and will reimburse small businesses $150 towards the time that representative is away from work for training.
About the Training Course
The Health and Safety Representative Basic Training course is an eLearning program that provides instruction on the powers, functions and duties of the workplace health and safety representative.
Access the course.
For additional free health and safety resources for small businesses, visit the WSPS Small Business Centre.
To find free resources on topics related to COVID-19, please visit the WSPS COVID-19 Resource Hub. In addition, while the HSR course does not include information on infection control practices, a free Infection Prevention and Control online course may be accessed here.
Reimbursement
Small businesses with 6-19 employees who complete the training program from July 15, 2021 onwards are eligible for reimbursement as noted above. More information on how to claim the reimbursement can be found on the course page.
To be reimbursed, small businesses must be a registered business that operates in Ontario and provide proof that their appointed health and safety representative has completed the training course, in the form of the course completion certificate which is printed by the participant upon successful completion of the course.
Businesses can apply up to two times, with a second allowance permitted for staff turnover. Franchises of the same corporation with unique business numbers are also eligible for funding.
