The role of the Service-Wide Committee on Occupational Health and Safety (SWOHS) is to participate in the development and review of all Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat policies, programs and issues relating to occupational health and safety. The SWOHS Committee provides advice and leadership to the departmental or agency policy committees.
Committee Advisor: Eden Bédard
Quarterly Report to the National Joint Council (March 2025)
Regular activities:
- The Committee has met once (1) since the last Council meeting.
- The Committee received updates from the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer regarding “Pathway to Success: Step-by-step Guidance for Establishing & Maintaining a Psychological Health and Safety Management System in the Federal Public Service” and a new research project whose focus is to identify evidence-based psychological health and safety workplace behaviors and practices.
- The Committee received a presentation on the final report of a study undertaken by the Joint Committee on Mental Health Support Mechanisms. The committee is composed representatives from the Center of Expertise on Mental Health in the Workplace and the Public Service Alliance of Canada.
- The Committee continues to monitor concerns surrounding the issues of respiratory infections, harassment and violence, mental health, among other hazards.
- SWOHS sub-committees continue to actively work on developing resources and materials which will assist departments, agencies, and Policy Committees.
- Harassment and Violence Prevention (HVP) Tools Working Group – the sub-committee has met twice (2) times since the last Council meeting. The sub-committee agreed to publish the guides to assist employees and managers in navigating the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations via a communiqué. The sub-committee also began working on a new task regarding a workplace risk assessment tool.
- Sub-committee on Climate Change – the sub-committee has not met since the last Council meeting.
Outstanding item(s):
- The Committee continues to monitor the progress on implementation of the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations.
Next meetings: July 24, 2025; September 18, 2025; November 20, 2025
| Employer Side | Bargaining Agent Side |
|---|---|
| Co-Chair Charles Vézina Acting Executive Director Labour Relations Operations Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) |
Co-Chair Milton Dyck National President Agriculture Union Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) |
| Marc Gosselin Senior Program/Policy Analyst Employment Conditions and Labour Relations Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) |
Jamey Mills Regional Vice-President British Columbia Region Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) |
| Jesse Arnup-Blondin Acting Director General Specialized Health Services Directorate Health Canada (HC) |
Yves Fournier President Federal Government Dockyard Trades & Labour Council East (FGDTLC-East) |
| Chantal Seeton Executive Director Workplace Health & Diversity Directorate Human Resources Branch Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) |
Bernard Holbrook |
| Howah Lee Senior Director Environment, Health and Safety Directorate Public Services and Procurement Canada |
Andrea Peart |
| Aline Taillefer-McLaren Director Labour Relations Programs Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) |
Dejan Toncic Employment Relations Officer Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) |
| Dominique Vidmar Labour Relations Officer Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE) |