This meeting was chaired by the Employee Co-chair.
1. OPENING REMARKS
The Employee Co-Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting, and initiated the meeting with a roll call.
2. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF DOCUMENTS
2.1 NHSPC meeting minutes – December 16, 2025
The minutes from the previous NHSPC Meeting were reviewed. No comments were made.
2.2 Action Items Report
The action items report from the December 16, 2025 NHSPC meeting was reviewed.
The Assistant Commissioner from the Security Branch (SB) noted that, to his knowledge, agenda item 5.1 in the action plan was considered closed. The Employee Representative who initially raised the issue was absent from the meeting and therefore unable to confirm whether the matter was also considered closed from the employee representatives’ perspective. Employee representatives were invited to follow up if they believe any additional measures are required.
2.3 Forward agenda 2026-2027
The 2026–2027 forward agenda was reviewed. No comments were made.
2.4 Occupational health and Safety (OHS) Communication Plan
The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Communication plan was reviewed.
Employee representatives inquired as to how the Agency determines when a sufficient number of first aider employees have been trained. The Employer representatives responded that local First Aid Coordinators, the Health and Safety Committee (HSC), and the Lead Senior Manager for Emergencies and Evacuations (LSMEE) committee monitor training needs and ensure that adequate numbers of employees receive the required training.
3. VERBAL UPDATES
3.1 Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Program
A three‑pronged strategy was implemented to improve the completion rates for TD1599‑007 Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention training for both employees and managers. This approach resulted in a Q3 (October to December) completion rate of 90.9% across the CRA. Since the last meeting, the updates to TD1599‑007, as recommended by the NHSPC working group, have been published. The revisions include:
- Alignment with the updated Procedures following the cyclical review; and
- Updated risk factors and control measures identified through the workplace assessment.
In addition, the Notice of Occurrence form has been updated to improve accessibility and is now available for use on InfoZone.
3.2 Psychological Health and Safety
Two new Psychological Safety Spotlight newsletters were issued in January and February, focusing on workload management and organizational culture. Preparations are underway to integrate psychological health and safety messaging into Safety and Health Week in May 2026.
Participation in national psychological health and well-being awareness sessions for managers remains strong, with over 1,300 managers attending since October 2025 and providing positive feedback. Peer learning circles are being tested and are expected to launch during Safety and Health Week.
Collaboration with the Management Network continues, including a feature on psychologically safe workplaces in the February edition of MGN Matters.
A new leadership resource, How to Be a Psychologically Safe Leader, is being rolled out in five phases on the Management Hub, with the first three phases already available. Phase Four will include the Psychological Hazard Risk Assessment and Management Tool, scheduled for release in March 2026. Phase Five is also scheduled to be released in March 2026.
Development is progressing on the Employee Hazard Profile application, which will help managers identify job specific hazards and required training. Engagement also continues with Contact Centres to strengthen psychological health and safety support.
Development is underway on a new process for identifying, assessing, and controlling psychological hazards to help prevent work related psychological injuries. This process will support workplace specific hazard management and will integrate the Psychological Hazard Risk Assessment and Management Tool. It will be further discussed at the Psychological Health and Safety Working Group.
The Employee representatives highlighted that call centers operate in high stress environments and expressed interest in the development of a tailored wellness program that can be effectively implemented and monitored to support employees in these settings. It was noted that this initiative is planned for future development.
3.3 Ergonomic Program Review
The working group reviewed the Office Ergonomics Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in January and provided feedback. The National Occupational Health, Safety and Well-being (OHSW) Program also surveyed ergonomic coaches and managers and consulted with key partners including other human resources program areas and the Finance and Administration Branch (FAB) to address concerns related to equipment and accessory acquisition. Additional consultations were held to ensure the SOP aligns with the new social model of duty to accommodate. Draft revisions of the SOP have now been completed and will be shared with the working group and partners for review next month.
4. WRITTEN UPDATES
4.1 OHS Dashboard
In conjunction to the written update, the committee was provided with the Q3 2025-2026 National OHS dashboard.
Top Hazard Trends:
-
Slips, trips, and falls: 41 hazards were reported, consistent with previous years.
-
Air quality issues: 26 reports were received, with 20 related to personal scent products. The remaining involved roofing asphalt odors, cleaning product smells, and a burning smell.
-
Insect/animal hazards: Reports involved hornets/bees, bed bugs, mice unidentified insects.
Top Causes of Injury/Illness:
Injury trends have returned to typical patterns following the previous quarter’s deviation. Reported causes include:
1 Data sets less than 10 are suppressed for privacy reasons.
The Employee representative noted on the second page of the dashboard it indicated that 72 of the 73 total CRA locations requiring first-aid responders have one or more certified responders. A question was posed as to why that office was open without a first-aid responder considering there is a requirement indicating if there is more than six employees in the building there must be a first-aid responder present. It was agreed that this would be looked into and further information would be provided.
The Employee representatives noted that of the 26 air quality reports received, 20 were related to personal scent products. Concerns were raised that current awareness emails are not effectively reducing these incidents and that scented products continue to cause significant health impacts to affected employees. It was emphasized that a more direct and impactful communication was needed, as current employer measures are insufficient. Questions were raised about whether in-person awareness sessions may be more effective. Despite ongoing discussions, the Employee representatives state there is a need for more concrete actions. It was also noted that managers may lack appropriate tools or guidance to address concerns with employees who wear strong scents. Informal Conflict Resolution Advisors are available to support managers in addressing these situations appropriately. The Employee Co chair expressed a willingness to collaborate with management at any level to help convey the message effectively and work toward a meaningful resolution.
The Employee representative noted that only 74% of HSCs are meeting inspection requirements, with especially low compliance in HQ (55%), Atlantic (67%) and Quebec (62%) region. The Employer representative noted that scheduling challenges are a contributing factor and that additional guidance and awareness will be provided. OHS Officers continue to work with the Most Senior Management Representatives (MSMRs) to reinforce responsibilities, supported by semi annual compliance reports and an existing Annual Inspection Plan template. Some sites appear non compliant due to delays in submitting completed inspection reports. Further information will be gathered on other causes for missed inspections. Follow-up work will be undertaken to determine contributing issues.
4.2 Multiple Environment Job Hazard Analysis (MEJHA) Working Group
The Shawinigan National Verification and Collections Centre (NVCC) Mail and General Services Section, together with the National OHSW Program, and the OHS Prevention and Compliance Centre (OHS PCC), have developed an ergonomic adjustment presentation to address potential repetitive strain issues with date stampers. The Shawinigan NVCC is currently piloting the presentation, and updates will be made based on their feedback before sharing it with other mailrooms nationwide.
Additionally, the Working Group is in the final stages of approving updated SOPs and Safe Work Procedures (SWPs) for Industrial Machinery and Equipment and Manual Material Handling Equipment. The next meeting is scheduled for April 2026.
4.3 Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) for Field Employees Working Group
Between November 2025 and March 2026, the Criminal Investigations Task Hazard Analysis (THA) Working Group met eight times to review warrant execution activities in criminal investigations. They have completed the THA and prepared a recommendations report, which will be shared with the NHSPC for comments before being submitted to Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID) management.
The Employee representative raised concerns about the risks identified through the THA, noting that the highest risk occurs when CRA employees serve a warrant at the door. The working group previously concluded that CRA employees should wait in the vehicle while police secure the scene; however, CID has asked to revisit this approach through a focus group, particularly for situations assessed as low risk. He added that psychological hazards are also being reviewed. He emphasized that, under the hierarchy of controls, eliminating exposure such as waiting in the vehicle until the site is cleared remains the preferred safety measure. A follow up will be provided to the committee.
The next meeting of the full JHA for Field Employees Working Group is scheduled for March 25, 2026.
4.4 Health and Safety Committee (HSC) and Health and Safety Representatives (HSR)
On February 25, 2026, the employee members of the NHSPC met with the National OHSW Program to review and discuss changes made to the Health and Safety Committees and Representatives Standard Operating Procedure (HSC/R SOP). Employee members raised concerns about the removal of Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) at Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) locations and the removal of non member secretaries from HSCs. The Employee Co chair expressed concern regarding this matter, noting that although union representatives had provided their comments, these were not incorporated. An update will be provided to the employee representatives.
4.5 OHS Training Courses
TD1599-001 Health and Safety for Employees
The final updated version of the course was published on February 13, 2026. A communication advising of the update will be appearing in the Health and Safety: Everybody's Business – Spring edition.
4.6 Workplace Health and Safety Operations
The data below includes all incidents of workplace harassment and violence reported under the Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations and is consistent with the data that is provided to the Labour Program on an annual basis.
The National OHS Dashboard shares trends on a quarterly basis. The intent with sharing the data found in the table below is to provide this committee with the same information to the end of the year, using the previous two (2) years as a comparison.
Table 1: Reported Incidents of Workplace Violence and Harassment2
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2Workplace harassment and violence statistics taken from the HVP Application in GC Case February 6 2026
The data below shows the percentage of the resolution mechanism used to complete the resolution process for the total number of notices of occurrence closed since the regulations came into effect in January 2021:
Type of Resolution: 2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Workplace Assessment Review 91%
34.5%
36%
25%
29%
Negotiated Resolution S
36%
43%
40.5%
42%
Conciliation 0%
S
S
S
S
Investigation 0%
27%
20%
31.5%
27%
3All numbers are based on the number of occurrences, except for the resolution processes, which is based on the number of responding parties, since one notice of occurrence may have more than one responding party, and therefore different resolution processes. For example, one notice of occurrence with three responding parties would show in the statistics as one case, but three resolutions processes as each person may choose a different resolution.
4.7 Workplace Health and Safety Operations
This update from Workplace Health and Safety Operations (WHSO) covered October 1 to December 31, 2025 (Q3).
HSC and Health and Safety Representative (HSR)
- OHS Officers continued to hold quarterly meetings with HSC Co‑chairs and HSRs to share information and resolve local issues.
- Four in class HSC Part II training sessions were delivered, fully training 46 members. As of February 13, 2026, there are 723 committee members: 549 fully trained, 162 with only the online module, and 12 have not yet started.
- On December 1, 2025, OHS PCC initiated the Annual Workplace Committee Report (LAB1058) process. All reports were submitted to the Labour Program by March 1.
Ergonomics Program
- The Agency has 279 fully trained ergonomics coaches, with more training planned.
- Ergonomics coaches and HSCs delivered repetitive strain injuries day activities on February 28, and planning is underway for Agency wide ergonomics sessions during Safety and Health Week in May.
First Aid and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Program
- Quarterly meetings with First Aid and AED coordinators continue.
- All CRA locations replaced AEDs with bilingual units by December 31, 2025.
- Nearly 2,300 trained responders remain active across the Agency.
Hazards, Complaints, and Injuries (Q3):
- 142 hazards, 11 emergency service calls, S critical hazards, and 123 injuries were reported.
- 90 LAB1070 reports were sent to ESDC.
- Regional breakdown:
|
Region |
Hazards |
Critical/Emergency |
Injuries |
LAB1070 |
|
Atlantic |
22 |
0 |
20 |
11 |
|
Quebec |
27 |
S |
24 |
19 |
|
HQ |
21 |
S |
20 |
10 |
|
Ontario |
40 |
S |
30 |
25 |
|
Western |
32 |
S |
29 |
25 |
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) Assurance of Voluntary Compliance (AVCs), Directions, and Work Refusals
- No AVCs or Directions were issued this quarter.
- One work refusal occurred in Edmonton on October 22, 2025. It was investigated by the HSC, referred to ESDC on February 2, 2026. ESDC returned a response that the complaint was frivolous and would not be investigated further.
Health and Safety Program Monitoring Exercise
- Cycle 3 – Year 2 began April 1, 2025; 31 monitoring activities have been completed, with nine finished this quarter. The program remains on track for full completion by March 31, 2026.
- An action plan based on Cycle 2 results is being developed, focusing on targeted awareness and prevention.
Awareness Sessions
- Thirteen awareness sessions were delivered this quarter, primarily focused on office ergonomics.
- Three Harassment and Violence Prevention Centre (HVPC) sessions were delivered in December (total 136 participants).
- Presentations are being updated to increase interactivity, leveraging new Microsoft Teams engagement features.
The Employee representative requested updated building capacity information similar to what was provided during the previous mandatory in-office adjustment. The Employer representatives will review past materials and provide an updated version.
It was also noted that an Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) complaint from December 2025 was not communicated to the NHSPC. Employee representatives stressed the need for timely notification of any ESDC investigations, and the employee co‑chair requested immediate updates to the NHSPC Co-Chairs when matters are referred to the ESDC Labour Program.
5. SECURITY BRANCH (SB)
5.1 Quarterly Incident Report
The Employee Co‑chair raised concerns about the safety of CRA employees when entering and exiting the workplace, noting that the employer has a legislative obligation to ensure safe access and egress to the workplace. It was emphasized that there continues to be issues with underreporting at a national level as many reports are being cancelled because they do not meet the strict criteria for a security incident. The Employer representatives will review how local HSCs are informed of security incidents. Additionally they will be examining cancelled security incident reports (SIR).
The Employee Co‑chair recognized the employer actions taken since September 2024, such as developing best practices, sharing communication strategies, and reviewing security incident coding, but noted that the same issues. Concerns were raised about the cancellation or deletion of reports and whether these decisions are being reviewed at a higher level. The Employer representative clarified that reports are not deleted but may be reclassified or cancelled if they fall outside the reporting matrix. Employee representatives requested an alternative process for tracking incidents occurring outside the workplace, including near misses.
Although this item was considered closed as an action item in September 2025, the Employee Co‑chair is reopening it due to continued incidents and recent events occurring at various offices, including physical and psychological harm to employees. In one situation, a SIR was submitted but cancelled as not meeting the criteria of a security incident. Employees at certain offices have turned to submitting a Hazardous Occurrence Investigation Report (HOIR) because the SIR are frequently cancelled. Additional concerns were raised about inconsistent handling of similar incidents across the country, including the issue of unsafe conditions in public washrooms, as well as heightened external security measures outside the Connaught Building (understanding the heightened security measures were due to the close proximity to the United States Embassy).
The Employer representative stated their appreciation for the fulsome report of situations that CRA employees are currently being faced with and noted that this is being observed across the federal government security network. They continue to remain open to listening to the challenges and acting to the extent they have the authority to do so. They also clarified that incidents may be reportable as security incidents when they occur outside the work place when an employee is targeted specifically because of their work for the CRA.
The Employee co-chair asked to have the information and definition of “work place” provided previously to the Employee Representatives by email from the NHSPC meeting in September 2024, be added to these minutes, emphasizing that while external areas may not always be controllable, the employer must take reasonable steps to mitigate known hazards. The information previously shared in 2024 is provided below:
The Employer representatives consulted CRA legal services and ESDC-Labour Program, for an interpretation and definition of the “work place”. The information provided to the CRA indicated that legally, issues and incidents that occur outside of the work place and that are not under the control of the employer, or its lease agreement, are not considered part of the work place and are not considered an OHS incident. CRA employers are covered by the CLC Part II once they are deemed to “at work”. Incidents that occur on the way to work, even in close proximity, remain a public safety issue. Issues outside of CRA facilities need to be addressed appropriately through the municipality, Public Services and Procurement Canada (for any landlord issue/space) and/or local law enforcement.
If the employee is engaged in work for the CRA outside the physical work place, incidents would be considered OHS incidents unless the employee was on a scheduled lunch break in which case it would not. If an employee was travelling for work between the office and a taxpayer location or another CRA building during working hours, any incident that occurred during this time would need to be reported as a hazardous occurrence (injury/illness/incident). Again, this would not apply if the employee was on a lunch break.
In addition to the above, further legal clarity was sought on Subsection 125(1)(p) of the CLC, Part II, which states: “employers shall provide employees safe entry to, exit from and occupancy of the workplace” and on the definition of where the workplace extends. The interpretation states that subsection 125(1)(p) only applies to locations over which the CRA has control. This interpretation aligns with a recent decision from Supreme Court of Canada, Canada Post Corp. v. Canadian Union of Postal Workers 2019 SCC 67 which determined that health and safety committees were not required to inspect locations that employees worked in outside of the work place along delivery routes as the employer could not control or fix hazards along the routes.
As a result, in situations where employees exit the CRA office and walk into public spaces, even if those public spaces are right outside the CRA office, the CRA has no control over them and arguably would not be responsible to ensure the health and safety of its employees when they are walking through those spaces regardless that they have been required by the employer to be at the location.
Thus, from an occupational health and safety perspective, there is only a requirement to control the hazards within the control of the CRA. Any issues outside of the CRA occupied areas would need to be addressed appropriately through the municipality, Public Services and Procurement Canada (for any landlord issue/space) and/or local law enforcement.
6. CLOSING REMARKS
The Employee Co-chair thanked everyone for their work and their participation in the meeting. The Employee Co-Chair noted the next NHSPC meeting will be held on June 23, 2026 and confirmed it will be the final meeting he attends.
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David Conabree for Sonia Côté Image
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Doug Gaetz Image
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| Date: 2026-06-18 | Date: 2026-06-16 |