2026 OHS Fines Scorecard (September 15 to October 15)

After a relatively slow month, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) fine volumes rebounded. There were 13 significant ($25,000 or more) reported OHS fines in Canada from September 16 to October 15, as opposed to just seven in the previous period. That’s actually the third largest four-week fine amount of 2026 and it brings the total for the year to 104. However, that’s well below the 136 significant fines reported through 10 periods of 2025.

The combination of unusually small fine numbers and unusually large fine dollars created a spike in fine averages last month. This month, OHS fine averages returned to normal levels, falling from $195,143 to $131,638, which is more in line with the overall year fine average of $131,135. Last year at this time, the average OHS fine was $162,338. Total fine dollars for 2026 now stand at $13.6 million, as compared to $22.078 million through mid-October of last year. Barring something unexpected, the gaps in both fine volume and dollars are unlikely to close significantly before the end of the year.

Table 1. OHS Fines in 2026 At A Glance (through August 15)

Period	Total Reported Fines	Reported 6-Figure Fines	Total Fines Value (in millions of dollars)	Average Fine Amount
January to Mid-February	12	7	$1.540	$128,333
Mid-February to Mid-March	4	2	$0.358	$89,500
Mid-March to Mid-April	11	1	$0.726	$66,000
Mid-April to mid-May	11	5	$1.398	$127,100
Mid-May to mid-June	17	12	$2.296	$135,070
Mid-June to mid-July	17	10	$2.575	$151,488
Mid-July to mid-August	12	7	$1.672	$139,333
Mid-August to mid-September	7	4	$1.366	$195,143
Mid-September to mid-October	13	7	$1.707	$131,285
YTD Total	104	55	$13.638	$131,135

Source: Bongarde

Six-Figure OHS Fines

Seven of the 13 significant OHS fines reported in the recent period were six-figure amounts. That’s in line with the year-long pattern. Thus, among 104 significant OHS fines reported in 2026, 55 have been $100,000 or more. These figures are actually above year-over-year levels. Through 10 periods of 2025, the ratio between total fines and six-figure fines was slightly below 50% (136: 65).

But while six-figure fines were prominent in representational numbers this month, only one of them was large enough to crack the Top 12 for the entire year—the $475,000 fine against an Ontario cement plant for a hopper gate violation that took the life of a young millwright apprentice. That’s the second highest reported OHS fine from Ontario in 2026 and the fourth highest nationwide.

British Columbia reported the most six-figure fines this month with three, including the second highest of the period—a $225,243 administrative monetary penalty imposed on a roof materials manufacturer for failing to ensure that an elevated work platform was equipped with guardrails.

Table 2. Top OHS Fines of 2026

	Fine Amount	Province	Type of Company/Incident	Result
1	$624,051	British Columbia	Global hotel operator fined after asbestos, lead, and mould discovered at renovation site.	No fatality or injury.
2	$521,694	British Columbia	Retailer fined for storage rack violations.	No fatality or injury.
3	$500,000	Ontario	Food processing plant fined for carbon dioxide release in deli department.	Serious injury to one worker.
4	$475,000	Ontario	Constructor fined for cement plant machine accident.	Fatal injury to one worker.
5	$460,000	British Columbia	Excavation contractor fined for criminal negligence resulting in collapse of retaining wall into a trench.	Fatal injury to one worker and serious injury to another.
6	$360,000	Alberta	Mining company fined for pipe handling violation.	Fatal injury to one worker.
7	$355,000	Alberta	Timber company fined for failing to guard a Canter 4 machine.	Fatal injury to one worker.
8	$350,000	Alberta	Building materials maker fined for failing to ensure marble slabs being moved by a forklift were adequately secured.	Fatal injury to one worker.
9	$330,000	Alberta	Plumbing company fined for trench collapse.	Fatal injury to one worker.
10	$318,000	Alberta	Prime contractor fined for worker’s fall through a roof.	Fatal injury to one worker.
11	$312,000	Alberta	Energy company fined for not implementing emergency rescue protocols for fracking workers.	Fatal injury to one worker.
12	$276,000	Ontario	Recycling processor fined for failing to guard conveyor.	Fatal injury to one worker.
12	$250,000	Nunavut	Energy corporation fined for failing to de-energize emergency generator.	Fatal injury to one worker.

Source: Bongarde

No province hands out more six-figure OHS fines than Ontario. This year Ontario has accounted for 24 of the 55 six-figure fines reported nationwide. Also in line with historical patterns is the tight race between Alberta and British Columbia for second place. With just over two months to go in the year, BC has forged a narrow one-fine lead over its eastern neighbour with 14. The only other province that has reported multiple six-figure OHS fines in 2026 is Saskatchewan with two. Manitoba and Nunavut have each reported one fine of at least $100,000.

Although it doesn’t hand out as many six-figure fines as Ontario, British Columbia hands out Canada’s most expensive penalties. Three of the Top 12 OHS fines of 2026 have come from BC, including numbers 1, 2, and 4 on the list. Six of the Top 12 have come from Alberta. Even though Ontario hands out the most six-figure fines, only two appear on the Top 12 list. Nunavut is the only other jurisdiction to have issued a Top 12 OHS fine in 2026.

Table 3. 6-Figures OHS Fines in 2026 By Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction	Reported 6-Figure OHS Fines in 2026
Ontario	24
British Columbia	14
Alberta	13
Saskatchewan	2
Nunavut	1
Manitoba	1

Source: Bongarde

Overall OHS Fines

Only four provinces reported OHS fines of $25,000 or more from mid-September to mid-October. Ontario reported the most with six. British Columbia reported four, Alberta reported two, and Nova Scotia reported one. Here’s a rundown of all the reported fines during the period.

Table 4. OHS Fines Reported August 15 to September 15, 2026 ($25,000 or more)

Jurisdiction	Fine	Company	What Happened	Violation(s) (all defendants found liable as an employer, unless otherwise indicated)
ON	$475,000	St. Mary’s Cement Inc. (Canada)	A young millwright apprentice working inside a cement plant overburden hopper is killed when the hopper gate unexpectedly falls after the power is turned off.	Failure, as a constructor, to ensure blocking was installed to prevent the movement of equipment during repair work.
BC	$225,243	Teal Cedar Products Ltd. & Columbia River Shake & Shingle Ltd.	A plant worker suffers serious injury after falling from an elevated work platform onto a conveyor.	Failure to ensure that a work platform elevated 1.2 metres above adjacent levels had guardrails installed.
AB	$217,000	Rylex Machine & Supply Ltd.	A machine operator suffers life-ending injuries after getting pulled onto the rotating work piece of a manual machine lathe.	Failure to provide safeguards to protect a worker at risk of coming into contact with moving parts of machinery or equipment.
BC	$148,322	Industrial Scaffold Services Inc.	OHS inspectors observe scaffolding violations, including the use of single sills on the scaffold legs instead of continuous sill plates required by the ground conditions.	Failure to ensure that work platforms met and were used in accordance with required standards.
AB	$114,000	Artis Exploration Ltd.	An oil battery site explosion seriously injures a worker offloading a pressure truck containing condensate to a produced water tank.	Failure to perform a proper hazard assessment.
BC	$100,704	Bulldog Bag Ltd.	The knife a manufacturing worker is using to cut material from a completed print on a stack press gets drawn into the press resulting in serious injuries.	Failure to ensure machinery was fitted with adequate safeguards to protect workers from hazardous points of operation, and that rotating parts were guarded.
ON	$100,000	Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd.	A loose rock falls from the hanging wall of an underground gold mine and strikes a worker scaling the wall from a work platform in the raise.	Failure to ensure the ground conditions in the open raise were adequately supported and safe for the work.
ON	$80,000	Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Limited	A dairy processing plant A worker is injured after falling from the top of a milk transport truck while collecting milk samples.	Failure to provide information, instruction, and supervision to a worker on the safe setup and operation of a hatch access system.
ON	$75,000	8169195 Canada Inc., operating as Above Water	A worker using a flammable adhesive to perform foundation repairs in a trench is injured in an explosion.	Failure to ensure the work area was properly ventilated to prevent an explosive atmosphere from developing.
ON	$55,000	Fieldgate Construction Management Inc.	Workers constructing a three-level parking garage suffer ill health effects after being exposed to carbon monoxide (CO).	Failure, as constructor, to ensure that airborne CO testing is performed at a building or other enclosed structure where an internal combustion engine is operated to ensure that CO concentrations don’t exceed permissible limits (employer also fined $30,000 for same incident—see below).
BC	$51,496	Proactive Hazmat & Environmental Ltd.	WorkSafeBC inspectors observe multiple high-risk OHS violations at a commercial building site where asbestos abatement work is being performed.	Failure to: Ensure a qualified person inspected the site for hazardous materials before starting asbestos work. Ensure workers had valid asbestos certificates for that type of asbestos abatement work. Ensure all asbestos dust from contaminated work surfaces had been removed with a damp cloth or vacuum cleaner equipped with HEPA-filtered exhaust. Safely contain or remove hazardous materials.
NS*	$35,000	Hubley	A roofer suffers life-altering injuries in a roof fall.	Failure to: * Implement a fall protection plan. * Ensure use of a fall arrest system. * Ensure use of a work-positioning system.
ON	$30,000	Metro Concrete Works [2016] Inc.	Workers constructing a three-level parking garage suffer ill health effects after being exposed to carbon monoxide (CO).	Failure, as employer, to ensure that airborne CO testing is performed at a building or other enclosed structure where an internal combustion engine is operated to ensure that CO concentrations don’t exceed permissible limits (constructor also fined $55,000 for same incident—see above).

Note

*Penalty imposed as a sentence after a trial

Source: Bongarde