Workplace Safety North wins Canada Award for Excellence

Awarded platinum in Healthy Workplace category

	Paul Andre, President and CEO at Workplace Safety North, says staff dedication to health and safety led to platinum Canada Award for Excellence in the Healthy Workplace category from Excellence Canada.

Workplace Safety North (WSN) is the proud recipient of the Canada Awards for Excellence from Excellence Canada, a national authority on organizational excellence established by Industry Canada. The award recognizes outstanding achievements by organizations in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors, from coast-to-coast across Canada.

WSN was awarded as platinum winner of the Canada Award for Excellence in the Healthy Workplace category.

As one of four designated health and safety associations in Ontario, Workplace Safety North provides forest products and mining firms with expert advice and information, classroom and online training programs, on-site consultations, health and safety audits, industrial hygiene testing, ergonomic assessments, and specific problem-solving.

“Workplace Safety North is so honoured to receive this award,” says Paul Andre, WSN President and CEO. “It’s especially relevant for a health and safety association and recognizes everything our staff did to be able to work through the pandemic to help other workers at other companies stay safe and healthy.”

With approximately 80 employees, WSN is headquartered in North Bay with an additional office in Sudbury and field staff located across the province. WSN and its legacy organizations have been helping make Ontario workplaces safer for nearly 100 years.

“Right across the province, WSN staff do an awesome job,” says Andre. “They’re dedicated, caring professionals who work hard to help ensure Ontario workers come home safe and healthy at the end of each workday. This award reflects their dedication, and we are very proud.”  

This is the third award for WSN, having won silver in the same category in 2016, and gold in 2019.

The Healthy Workplace award is based on Excellence Canada’s Canadian Healthy Workplace Standard which was developed in partnership with Health Canada and in association with professionals from the health and wellness sectors.

As a national authority, Excellence Canada provides excellence frameworks, standards, and independent verification and certification to organizations of all sizes and in all sectors. It is also the custodian and adjudicator of the Canada Awards for Excellence program, of which the patron is the Governor General of Canada.

On Nov. 7, 2022, Workplace Safety North staff and board members attended the Toronto awards ceremony. From left to right: Mike Parent, Sandra Haddad, Tiana Larocque, Megan Johnson, Lydia Renton, Lorraine Champagne, Paul Andre, Cindy Hunter, and two Excellence Canada staff.