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Looking to the Future

We have now completed the third year of our formal three-year renewal process, and the Commission has substantially achieved its goals. We have become a client/stakeholder-oriented agency that is more open, visible, accountable and accessible than before. We have modernized many of our systems and procedures, and are operating both more efficiently and more effectively. The renewal process has created its own impetus, and we will continue to seek planned changes that help us promote the health and safety of Canadian workers.

In the coming year, we plan to complete the final stages of approvals for our new cost recovery system and dispute resolution process, as well as implementing the voluntary MSDS pre-assessment program and other projects that can be implemented through administrative changes. At the same time as we propose some fundamental changes to the Act and Regulations, we will propose minor technical amendments that will clarify the intent of the legislation.

Another important project for the next and future years will be elimination of our claims backlog. This work will progress more swiftly as we hire and train more staff, and as we implement more streamlined procedures and systems.

We will continue to consult clients and stakeholders to obtain their suggestions and feedback on how we can do a better job. We also expect to make further progress in developing new and productive partnerships with organizations in Canada and abroad that share our objective of protecting workplace health and safety when certain information about hazardous products has been withheld as confidential business information. We have a particular interest in enhancing our working relationships with provincial and territorial Departments of Labour and Worker Compensation Boards (which work on the front lines of the WHMIS program), to increase chemical companies’ compliance with WHMIS and identify unfiled claims which should be referred to the Commission.

In general, we plan to become more proactive in communicating our services and expertise—to other regulatory agencies of the federal and other governments, to our own clients and stakeholders and potential clients, both in Canada and elsewhere.