Mandatory employee training in Ontario: an employer guide
A starting point for Ontario employers deciding what training applies, when it should happen, and which records to retain.
Published · Updated · 10 minute read
There is no single course list
Ontario's basic awareness requirements apply broadly, but they are only the starting point. A restaurant, warehouse, accounting office, and community organization will not end up with identical training plans.
| Training area | Who it generally affects |
|---|---|
| Health and safety awareness | Workers and supervisors covered by the OHSA |
| Accessibility | Employees, volunteers, policy developers, and certain service providers |
| WHMIS | Workers exposed or likely to be exposed to hazardous products |
| Workplace violence | Workers who need information about the employer's policy and program |
| Hazard or sector-specific training | Workers whose duties trigger the applicable requirement |
Health and safety awareness
Ontario Regulation 297/13 requires employers to ensure that workers complete a basic occupational health and safety awareness program as soon as practicable. Supervisors must complete the supervisor program within one week of performing work as a supervisor.
Employers can use Ontario's free programs, develop their own, or use an outside program. A different program still has to cover the content set out in the regulation. Previous training may qualify only when the worker provides proof and the employer verifies that it meets the requirements.
Accessibility training
Ontario's accessibility rules require designated public sector organizations, businesses, and non-profits with at least one employee to provide training. The audience includes employees, volunteers, people who develop organizational policies, and people who provide goods, services, or facilities on the organization's behalf.
The training covers accessible customer service, the accessibility requirements relevant to the person's duties, and the Ontario Human Rights Code as it relates to people with disabilities. Ontario says it should be provided as soon as possible after someone joins and again when accessibility policies change.
WHMIS education and training
A worker who works with or may be exposed to hazardous products needs WHMIS education and workplace-specific training. Generic instruction about labels and safety data sheets does not explain the products, handling procedures, storage, protective measures, and emergencies in a particular workplace.
Ontario's WHMIS guide says there is no specific requirement to keep a WHMIS training record, though an employer may keep one to demonstrate that appropriate information and instruction were provided. The employer must review workers' familiarity with that instruction at least annually and more often when circumstances require it.
Workplace violence information
Employers must provide appropriate information and instruction about the workplace violence policy and program. Workers should know how to summon immediate help and how to report an incident to the employer or supervisor.
The amount and frequency of instruction depend on the job and its risks. Review it when a worker is hired or changes jobs, when the risk changes, or when the policy or program is revised.
Job and hazard-specific training
The awareness program is foundational. It does not replace detailed instruction required for a hazard or sector. Working at heights, confined spaces, equipment operation, and some mining or construction activities can carry separate requirements, including approved providers, practical instruction, or proof of competency.
Build the training plan from the work, not from a generic catalogue. List the tasks in each role, identify the hazards and applicable regulations, then decide what information, instruction, supervision, and outside certification are needed.
Training records
Employers must keep records of basic worker and supervisor awareness training. They must also provide written proof in the circumstances described by the regulation. Ontario allows paper or electronic records as long as they can be shown to an inspector and provided to a worker or supervisor when required.
Accessibility training records are required for designated public sector organizations and for businesses or non-profits with 50 or more employees. Those records include the dates and the number of people trained. Other training may carry its own recordkeeping rules.
Keep enough detail to connect each employee with the program and version they completed. A certificate saved without the employee's wider training history is easy to lose and hard to review. Use the employee training record template as a starting point, then add any fields required for the specific Ontario training program.
Primary sources
- Ontario guide to basic occupational health and safety awareness training
- Ontario Regulation 297/13
- Ontario accessibility training guidance
- Ontario WHMIS and employer guidance
- Ontario workplace violence and harassment guidance
This guide is a starting point, not a complete legal review. Training requirements can change with the work, sector, hazards, workforce, and organization size. Confirm your plan with the regulator or a qualified professional.