Ontario JHSC certification and refresher training (2026)

Ontario's certified joint health and safety committee (JHSC) members complete a two-part certification program approved by the Chief Prevention Officer (CPO), then keep it current with refresher training. The CPO's training requirements changed on 31 July 2026. This guide explains the current Part One, Part Two and refresher cycle, and what an employer should keep as evidence. It is general information; confirm the current requirement against the Ontario sources linked below before relying on it.

Part One and Part Two certification

A committee member becomes certified by completing an approved JHSC Certification Part One program followed by an approved Part Two program, both delivered by a CPO-approved training provider. Part Two covers a minimum of six hazards relevant to the member's own workplace and must be completed within 12 months of finishing Part One. Both a worker member and a management member of the committee are expected to hold certification.

The three-year refresher cycle

A certified member must complete a CPO-approved JHSC Certification Refresher training program within three years of being certified, and then within three years of each refresher. Missing that deadline means the member loses certified status. Treat the three-year point as the outer limit and schedule the refresher before it falls due, rather than discovering a lapse during an inspection.

What changed on 31 July 2026

From 31 July 2026 the CPO updated the standard in two ways that matter to employers. First, a member whose certification has lapsed can regain certified status by completing a refresher program, instead of having to retake Part One and Part Two. Second, the previous one-time exemption process was removed. Do not rely on an old exemption or an assumption that lapsed members must restart from Part One; check the current standard for the member's situation.

What an employer should keep as evidence

For each certified member, record the provider, the Part One and Part Two completion dates, the workplace-specific hazards covered in Part Two, the certification date and the next refresher due date. Keep the certificates and the refresher history so the committee can show, at any time, that it has the certified members the law requires. A training record is evidence of training completed; it is not, by itself, proof that the committee is functioning.

Sources

• Ontario — Program standard for JHSC training (current CPO standard)
• Ontario — Training for joint health and safety committee members

For the related Complys product, see Complys CA safety training tracking. See also the broader Canada joint health and safety committee guide. This guide is general information, not legal advice; confirm current requirements against the Ontario sources above.