Ottawa appoints three new members to CCOHS Council of Governors

(pololia/Adobe Stock)

The federal government has made three appointments to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCHOHS) Council of Governors.

Seamus O’Regan Jr. made the announcement last month. The three new members are:

• Gary O’Toole – appointed as a governor representing Nova Scotia for a term of four years
• Amir Raza – appointed as a governor representing employers for a term of four years
• Myles Morris – appointed as a governor representing Alberta for a term of four years

Established in 1978 through the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Act, CCOHS aims to promote the well-being of workers in Canada by providing information, training, education, management systems and solutions that support health, safety and wellness programs.

The tripartite Council of Governors, which represents governments (federal, provincial and territorial), employers and workers, assists in delivering trustworthy and complete occupational health and safety service, and ensures a balanced approach to workplace health and safety issues.

“Mr. O’Toole, Mr. Raza, and Mr. Morris are all exceptional advocates for workers’ rights. Now, they’re lending us their expertise to keep Canadians safe on the job,” said O’Regan Jr.

Gary O’Toole – Governor representing Nova Scotia

Gary O’Toole is the Senior Executive Director of the Safety Branch of Nova Scotia’s Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, with a mandate to shift cultural practices and attitudes toward safety in Nova Scotia. His work includes the leadership of more than 130 professional staff distributed across the province in anticipating, innovating, implementing and improving safety strategies, policies and programs. In his capacity, he is responsible to ensure seamless regulatory and legislative compliance programming, including promotion, inspection, and enforcement activities relating to occupational and technical safety requirements. He has led the establishment of a family liaison position to provide enhanced support to victims of workplace accidents and their families. He also brings extensive occupational health and safety experience in the field of public health.

Mr. O’Toole has been appointed for a term of four years, effective December 15, 2022.

Amir Raza – Governor representing employers

Amir Raza has over 20 years of leadership experience with multi-national companies, including in roles with a focus on health, safety and environment (HSE) management. As the head of the HSE & Dangerous Good Program at FedEx Express Canada, he leads a team that develops and implements safety and sustainability programs to achieve business objectives and goals, while ensuring that all regulatory and compliance requirements are met. This has led him to develop the company’s COVID‑19 related pandemic plan from operations, sales and employees’ perspectives as well as to achieve a year‑end reduction of 29% in recordable injuries and 24% in vehicle accidents.

Mr. Raza has been appointed for a term of four years, effective December 15, 2022.

Myles Morris – Governor representing Alberta

Myles Morris is the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Safe, Fair and Healthy Workplaces division at the Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Northern Development in Alberta. Responsible for the administration and enforcement of occupational health and safety and employment standards legislation for the province, he has extensive experience in human resources management, public policy, employment standards and strategic planning. In a previous role with the Public Service Commission of Alberta, he was the lead negotiator for the first-ever essential services agreement between the Government of Alberta and the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, which adds knowledge in labour relations and issues management to his background.

Mr. Morris has been appointed for a term of four years, effective December 15, 2022.