LAWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

OHS Enforcement

Sep 13: Since the new enforcement year began on April 1, Manitoba has carried out 3,145 Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) inspections resulting in the issuance of 261 Stop Work Orders and 7,123 Individual Improvement Orders. There were also two reported OHS work refusals and 30 alleged reprisals.

Action Point: Find out how to implement an OHS inspections policy in case inspectors show up at your door.

New Laws

Sep 16: Manitoba employers seeking approval to hire temporary foreign workers must use the new Employer Registration application form. The government recommends that employers complete the form electronically, save a copy on their computer, and submit an application via email to wrapacertificates@gov.mb.ca. The old form will no longer be accepted.

Seasonal Safety

Sep 17: Based on the results of recent public consultations, Manitoba announced that it’s making the move to permanent Daylight Saving Time (DST), effective this year. As a result, Manitobans won’t be turning the clock back the usual one hour to Standard Time on November 1.

Training

Sep 24: The Governments of Canada and Manitoba announced a joint investment of $500,000 in the AeroTrace Workforce Pilot program to train workers on the use of digital traceability, production data, and applied artificial intelligence (AI) in the aerospace and manufacturing sectors. The Program will be delivered by Manitoba Aerospace and Defence through the demand-led training stream of the Canada-Manitoba Workforce Tariff Response Program, in partnership with mode40, a Manitoba-based enterprise data intelligence firm.

New Laws

Oct 1: Bill 47 requiring the Manitoba government to establish an online public registry that provides information about journeypersons and other specified persons who are subject to The Apprenticeship and Certification Act passed Second Reading. The Bill authorizes the executive director to share information with educational institutions and other people providing technical training or other services under the Act.

New Laws

Sep 18: Preliminary workforce data from four school construction projects and the Victoria Hospital emergency room redevelopment show apprentices completed 21% of reported construction hours worked, more than double the Manitoba Jobs Agreement initial target of 10%. Manitoba workers have completed 99% of reported hours on these projects to date. Manitoba has also seen increased participation in critical trades.

Industry Challenges

Sep 16: Canada and Manitoba are jointly investing more than $3.8 million to create the Manitoba Defence and Dual-Use Innovation Bridge. A partnership among RRC Polytech, Manitoba Aerospace Inc., and Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, the program will offer targeted training and supports to enable over 100 Manitoba small- and medium-sized businesses to participate in domestic and international defence supply chains.

Workers’ Compensation

Sep 26: Manitoba announced that it will introduce legislation to expand presumptive workers compensation coverage for firefighters and wildfire fighters. Presumed coverage means that specific occupational illnesses are presumed work-related unless there’s evidence demonstrating otherwise. The legislation will add new illnesses to the presumed coverage list.

Environmental

Sep 29: Second Reading for Bill 21 amending The Drinking Water Safety Act to expand the government’s authority to classify water systems in accordance with the regulations and subject to approval by a medical officer. It also authorizes the director to order the person who owns or controls the land on which the water system is located to take responsibility for it if the owner of a water system can’t be identified.

CASES

Workplace Harassment: Probation, Not Jail for Employee Who Secretly Films Female Coworkers’ Behinds

A lab chemist pled guilty to two counts of voyeurism after admitting to taking workplace photos and videos of the faces, backsides, and buttocks of two fully clothed female co-workers without their knowledge or consent. The prosecution asked for a criminal conviction given the seriousness of the offence and the victims’ statements describing the mental harm they suffered as a result. While recognizing that voyeurism is serious, the Manitoba court reasoned that all voyeurism is not the same. In this case, there were mitigating factors, including the chemist’s lack of a criminal record, genuine remorse and empathy for the victims, completion of sensitivity training, and youth—age 29. In addition to being redeemable, the chemist was an immigrant who faced the risk of deportation if he had a criminal record. So instead of a conviction, the court settled on a conditional release with three years of probation [R. v. Mir Heidari, 2026 MBPC 55 (CanLII), September 17, 2026].

Action Point: Don’t assume workers will tell you if they’re being harassed. Use the OHS Insider Assessment Questionnaire template to uncover hidden harassment, bullying, and stalking problems at your workplace.