The State of Safety in Canada, 2026
Canada Must Move from Safety Awareness to Action, Says New National Report
April 23, 2026
A new national report released by Threads of Life is calling for a shift from safety awareness to meaningful action in Canadian workplaces. The 3rd Annual State of Safety 2026 Report, released on the National Day of Mourning, reveals that while attitudes toward workplace safety remain positive, progress in reducing incidents and fatalities has stalled.
The findings point to a clear gap: organizations believe in safety, but too often fail to embed it into everyday practice.
“Awareness is not the issue, execution is,” said Eugene Gutierrez, Executive Director of Threads of Life. “We see strong belief in safety across Canada, but that belief must be reinforced through training, leadership, and culture if we want to see real change.”
According to the report, 73 percent of organizations say they have safety training in place, yet fewer consistently build out their health and safety program with regular meetings, emergency procedures or workplace engagement.
Key barriers continue to limit progress, including understaffing, time constraints, and competing operational pressures. These challenges are making it difficult for organizations to prioritize ongoing safety training and culture-building efforts.
The report also highlights emerging pressures, including rising mental health challenges in the workplace, which are increasingly intersecting with overall safety performance.
Threads of Life is urging employers, policymakers, and industry leaders to focus on strengthening safety culture, investing in training, and ensuring accountability at all levels. With the federal government’s push for accelerated projects across many industries, it will be paramount for decision-makers and stakeholders to reflect on the State of Safety Report’s insights as the country races to build the economy of the future.
“Our vision is a future where Threads of Life is no longer needed,” said Gutierrez. “That will only happen when safety is not just something organizations say, it is something they consistently do.”
On this Day of Mourning, the organization is calling on all Canadians to recommit to protecting workers and preventing further tragedy.
Full State of Safety Survey Results HERE Opens in new tab
These findings are from a survey conducted by Threads of Life from February 26th to March 11th, 2026, among a representative sample of 1013 online Canadian business owners, hiring managers and decision makers who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/-3.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
About the Angus Reid Forum:
The Angus Reid Forum is Canada’s most well-known and trusted online public opinion community consisting of engaged residents across the country who answer surveys on topical issues that matter to all Canadians