Hicks Morley | Ontario Launches Canada’s First Occupational Exposure Registry Self-Tracker

On February 20, 2026, Ontario announced the launch of Canada’s first Occupational Exposure Registry (OER) Self-Tracker, a reporting tool provided by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD).

The OER was first committed to in Ontario’s Working for Workers Act, 2023, and builds on the province’s broader efforts to strengthen workplace health and safety. It is also a response to recommendations in Ontario’s 2023 Occupational Disease Landscape Review, and reflects Ontario’s commitment to transparency and empowering workers to manage of their own history of exposure.

Participation in the OER is voluntary. It is not a complaint or enforcement mechanism. Information submitted by a worker to the OER is not monitored, nor is there follow-up based on any exposure recorded.

Designated Substances

The OER is an online tool that allows workers to securely and anonymously submit a record of their workplace exposures in Ontario to the following 11 hazardous substances which are prescribed as “designated substances” in O. Reg 490/09: acrylonitrile, arsenic, asbestos (general and construction), benzene, coke oven emissions, ethylene oxide, isocyanates, lead, mercury, silica, and vinyl chloride.

Control Measures

The OER will also allow workers to record information about the following control measures established by their employer:

Substitution, or replacement with a safer alternative, e.g., changing the substance the worker works with or the process or equipment used.
Engineering controls to reduce or prevent contact with the hazard, e.g., ventilation, enclosures, barriers for isolation.
Administrative controls that change the way workers work. e.g., training, job rotation schedules, work-rest cycles, and preventive maintenance procedures.
Hygiene facilities and practices, e.g., handwashing and no eating, drinking or smoking in prohibited areas at work.
Personal protective equipment (PPE), e.g., respirators, gloves, protective clothing and other safety gear.
Other measures taken in the workplace to protect the worker.

Process

Once a worker’s exposure entry is completed, they will receive an on-screen confirmation, and an Exposure Entry Confirmation Number (EECN). The EECN will be required should the worker later request access to, correction of, or deletion of their submission.

Who Will the OER Self-Tracker Help?

Workers

A worker’s record of workplace exposures will allow them to track which “designated substances” they have been exposed to in the context of their careers, together with related employer details. Additionally, a worker’s record will permit them to understand the hazards of this exposure, and take steps to protect their health.

Employers

The data collected on workplace exposures will give employers a better understanding of how to fulfill their duty to inform workers of, and protect workers from, workplace exposures.

As a reminder, employers must ensure worker exposure to designated substances does not go above occupational exposure limits (OELs), i.e., the maximum amount of the substance that a worker can be exposed to in a given length of time. OELs are listed in the following Ontario regulations:

Health Practitioners

Should a worker experience symptoms of cancer or another chronic disease in the future, their record of workplace exposures could be helpful in a medical assessment.

The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development

The OER allows the MLITSD to support employers and workers in their efforts to reduce exposure levels and prevent illness.

Use of Workers’ Exposure Information

Administrative, technical, and physical safeguards have been implemented by the MLITSD to protect information submitted through the OER.

The information submitted will be used by the Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) “to inform prevention initiatives to reduce occupational illness and enhance worker health and safety across Ontario, including the development of new programs and training supports.” It will remain within the Government of Ontario, and will not be used for enforcement.

For assistance with occupational health and safety matters, consult Nadine S. Zacks.

The article in this client update provides general information and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. This publication is copyrighted by Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP and may not be photocopied or reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without the express permission of Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP. ©

Human Resources Legislative Update

Ontario Launches Canada’s First Occupational Exposure Registry Self-Tracker