Ontario Launches Canada's First Occupational Exposure Registry: What Workers and Employers Need to Know

Occupational Safety
Written By Andrew Vey

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Most occupational illnesses do not announce themselves right away. A worker exposed to a hazardous substance today may not develop symptoms for years, or even decades, after the fact. By then, connecting the illness to its workplace cause can be extremely difficult, leaving workers without the compensation or care they deserve.

Ontario has taken a step toward closing this gap. On February 20, 2026, the province launched Canada's first Occupational Exposure Registry (“OER”), a new voluntary digital tool that allows workers to record and track workplace exposure to hazardous substances over the course of their careers.

OER is relevant to anyone who works in a trade, manufacturing, construction, healthcare, or any other environment where hazardous substances may be present. It is equally relevant to employers who are responsible for managing those risks. Here is what you need to know.

Why Was OER Created?

‍OER was first promised in 2023 and follows that year’s Occupational Disease Landscape Review. The data underlying both initiatives was stark.

‍As noted by the Ontario Federation of Labour, fewer than 10% of Ontarians with occupational cancers receive compensation through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. Between 2010 and 2019, occupational illnesses accounted for approximately 76% of all workplace-related deaths in Ontario. Many of those workers, along with their families, received little to no compensation, largely because the link between their illness and their workplace exposure could not be established years after the fact.

OER is designed to change that. By creating a long-term, accessible record of exposure, OER aims to make it easier for workers to access medical care, pursue compensation, and have their occupational illnesses properly recognized.

How OER Works

OER is a secure online self-tracker administered by Ontario's Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. Workers can use the portal to log their exposure to 11 designated hazardous substances, including asbestos, benzene, lead, silica, mercury, arsenic, and vinyl chloride, as well as other substances they encounter on the job.

Workers can also record information about the control measures their employer had in place, such as ventilation systems, personal protective equipment, job rotation practices, and hygiene facilities. This gives the exposure record important context about not only what a worker was exposed to, but how well protected they were at the time.

‍Once an entry is submitted, the worker will receive a confirmation email with a PDF copy of their submission at the email address associated with the account. Participation is entirely voluntary, and OER is not a complaint or enforcement mechanism. Information submitted will be used by Ontario's Chief Prevention Officer to inform prevention programs and research, and will remain within the Government of Ontario.

What This Means for Workers

For workers, OER is a practical tool for protecting your long-term health and legal interests. Anyone who works, or has worked, in an environment where hazardous substances were present can use the registry to create a contemporaneous exposure record that could prove valuable later on.

Should you develop symptoms of cancer or another chronic illness in the future, your OER record can be shared with healthcare providers to support a more accurate diagnosis. It can also help substantiate a workers' compensation claim, where establishing the workplace connection is often a central challenge.

Given how long occupational illnesses can take to emerge, and how difficult it can be to reconstruct exposure history years after the fact, keeping a current and accurate record is simply good practice. OER makes this straightforward to do.

What This Means for Employers

While OER is a worker-facing tool, its implications extend to the workplace as a whole. OER will generate province-wide data on hazardous substance exposure that did not previously exist in any organized form. Over time, that data will likely inform new regulations, updated occupational exposure limits, and heightened enforcement priorities.

This makes for a timely reminder of existing obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which requires employers to ensure worker exposure to designated substances does not exceed applicable occupational exposure limits, and that appropriate control measures are in place and documented. Those obligations are not new, but OER signals an environment of growing scrutiny.

Employers in federally regulated industries should also note that amendments to the Canada Labour Code, addressing nanomaterials, thermal stress, non-solar ultraviolet radiation, and radon, among other substances, are scheduled to come into force in February 2027. Preparation should begin now.

Questions About Your Rights or Obligations?

‍Whether you are a worker trying to understand your rights, or an employer looking to ensure your workplace practices are compliant, our lawyers are here to help. We advise both employees and employers on matters arising under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Canada Labour Code, and related legislation. Please contact our firm if you require support.

Additional Resources:


Vey Willetts LLP is an Ottawa-based employment and labour law boutique that provides timely and cost-effective legal advice to help employees and employers resolve workplace issues in the National Capital Region and across Ontario. To speak with a lawyer, contact us at: 613-238-4430 or info@vwlawyers.ca.

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Andrew Vey
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