2026 awards
Small business owners and operators work hard to keep their employees healthy and safe. That’s why each year we recognize the health and safety achievements of independently owned and operated businesses with fewer than 50 paid employees through our Small Business Safety Awards.
This year, we’re updating our awards to recognize small businesses that solve workplace health and safety challenges in practical and creative ways.
Why apply
- Reinvest in your business: winners can reinvest the $20,000 in their business so they can continue to make health and safety improvements
- Gain recognition: finalists and winners receive badges to display on their website, email signatures and other promotional materials to show their customers and community their commitment to health and safety
- Celebrate your team's success: recognize your team's work to make your workplace safer
- Share what works: help other small businesses learn from your experience and inspire them to take action in their workplace
Applications open until October 16, 2026.
Applications now open
Tell us how you solved a safety challenge in your small business. Apply today.
What we're looking for
Tell us how you solved a safety challenge in practical and creative ways.
- Show how you made work safer: tell us what you changed and how it improved health and safety in your workplace. Include numbers if you have them, such as fewer injuries, near misses or sick days. If you don't have numbers, a clear before-and-after story works too.
- Share practical ideas: your solution doesn't need to be expensive or high-tech. We want to see a smart, creative change that fits the needs of a small business.
- Explain the steps you took: tell us what it took to solve the safety challenge, including how much time it took, how much it cost, the steps you followed and the tools you used.
- Show how your team was involved: tell us how your employees helped shape, test or use the change, and how it became part of the way your team works.
- Tell a clear story: use simple and clear language to explain the safety challenge, what you did, how you introduced the change and what improved.
Eligibility
To be eligible, your business must meet the following requirements when you apply:
Account status
- Your business must be registered with the WSIB and have an account in good standing.
- You must have paid all premiums and other amounts owing.
- Your business must not have any convictions under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act since you started your business.
Business size
- Your business must be independently owned and operated.
- You must have at least one paid employee, not including the owner or operator, and fewer than 50 paid employees.
Safety record
- Your business must not have had any workplace fatalities since you started your business.
- Your business must not have any convictions under the Occupational Health and Safety Act or the Employment Standards Act since you started your business.
- If your business has a pending fatality claim, you cannot apply until it is resolved.
Additional requirements
- Past winners cannot apply again for five years.
- Your safety solution must have been put in place within the past 24 months.
- Winners and finalists must continue to meet these requirements until we present the awards.
Rules and conditions
Your responsibilities
- You're responsible for making sure your application is accurate and complete.
- When you submit your application, you agree you meet the eligibility requirements and will follow these rules and conditions.
WSIB rights
- We may disqualify incomplete applications or applications that don't meet the eligibility requirements without notice.
- We may ask for more information if we need it to review your application.
Use of submissions
- We may use the information in your application for award production, presentation materials and related communications.
- We may also share your submission with other businesses so they can learn from your success.
Multiple applications
- Businesses may submit multiple entries, but each business may only receive one award in a given award year.
Celebrating our 2025 gold winner
DESO Construction Limited
Congratulations to our 2025 winners
Jeff Lang, President and CEO (far left) and Rod C. Cook, Vice President of Workplace Health and Safety Services (far right), present the gold award to DESO Construction Limited at the 2026 Partners in Prevention conference. DESO Construction Limited team members (left to right): Lisa Sousa, Office Manager, Shane Stewart, Health, Safety and Environmental Manager, and Dennis Sousa, President.
DESO Construction Limited, Caledonia
DESO Construction Limited is Certificate of Recognition (COR) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certified, and Supporting Ontario's Safe Employers (SOSE) accredited. They also won the 2025 Canada’s Safest Construction Employer award (under 300 employees). The business continued to find innovative ways to level up their workplace health and safety over this past year. They chose to proactively address accidental opioid exposure on job sites by deploying naloxone kits — educating their team through discussions on the kits’ purpose and addressing common stigmas around their use. They also implemented safety software that houses all their training records, and they have an annual training day, where they invite health and safety associations to hold learning sessions and to engage with their team members as part of their ongoing commitment to health and safety.
Bayside Geo Science Inc., Thunder Bay
Leaders at Bayside Geo Science Inc. are hands-on when it comes to health and safety. Over the past year they participated in initiatives, led committees and found ways to create channels for their teams to give feedback. As a result, they put into place a range of specialized health and safety trainings, with topics such as mental wellness, physical health and ergonomics that went beyond basic compliance. They also made changes to their procedures, like developing a standardized digital reporting form resulting in faster incident reporting and fewer gaps in reporting.
Jeff Lang, President and CEO (far left) and Rod C. Cook, Vice President of Workplace Health and Safety Services (far right), present the silver award (tied) to Bayside Geo Science Inc. at the 2026 Partners in Prevention conference. Bayside Geo Science Inc. team members (left to right): Troy Lafontaine, Vice President Human Resources, and Athira Anitha Ramachandran, Administrative Assistant.
Jeff Lang, President and CEO (far left) and Rod C. Cook, Vice President of Workplace Health and Safety Services (far right), present the silver award (tied) to Ottawa Home Care Associates Inc. at the 2026 Partners in Prevention conference. Ottawa Home Care Associates Inc. team members (left to right): Marie Boursiquot, Chief Executive Officer, and Vincent Boursiquot, Chief Financial Officer.
Ottawa Home Care Associates Inc., Ottawa
Ottawa Home Care Associates Inc. is committed to keeping their team members safe on the road when visiting clients. To address concerns over winter driving, fatigue and vehicle safety, leaders and team members worked together to launch a transportation safety program. They sent out updates on winter road conditions, employed drivers with clean driving records, performed pre-season tire checks, and set up a system for their teams to confirm their arrival and departure during travel. Team members were at the heart of the planning process, with leaders actively seeking input to make sure the program met people's needs so they could focus on delivering exceptional care.
Simple Strokes Painting Solution Inc., St. Marys
Understanding the importance of people bringing their whole selves to work, Simple Strokes Painting Solutions Inc. used a holistic approach to health and safety that focused on caring for people, not just procedures or equipment. As they moved from a micro to a small business, they formalized their health and safety procedures, making sure team members had the time needed to properly follow safety protocols. As an environmentally conscious firm, the business also uses eco-friendly materials and waste disposal practices. They recognized the direct link between a strong health and safety culture and business performance, which encouraged them in their health and safety goals throughout the year.
Jeff Lang, President and CEO (far left) and Rod C. Cook, Vice President of Workplace Health and Safety Services (far right), present the bronze award to Simple Strokes Painting Solutions Inc. at the 2026 Partners in Prevention conference. Simple Strokes Painting Solutions Inc. team members (left to right) Chris Bungay, Team Lead, and Surinder Bhuller Singh, Project Manager.
Jeff Lang, President and CEO (far left) and Rod C. Cook, Vice President of Workplace Health and Safety Services (far right), congratulate finalists from Goodmen Corporation Roofing & Sheet Metal Services at the 2026 Partners in Prevention conference. Goodmen Corporation Roofing & Sheet Metal Services team members (left to right) Ankica Ivanovic, Health and Safety Administration, and Andrew Birss, Health and Safety Supervisor.
Goodmen Corporation Roofing & Sheet Metal Services, Etobicoke
Goodmen Corporation Roofing & Sheet Metal Services had an impressive year as they took on a health and safety initiative that led to real results. They addressed gaps in tracking inspections by adopting new software and processes and started a company-wide inspection program used before operating equipment; leaders took a hand-on role in risk assessments and developing policies; and they invested in a full-time health and safety manager.
Learn more about Goodmen Corporation Roofing & Sheet Metal Services
Superior Events Group, Inc.
Superior Events Group Inc. transformed their safety culture by addressing the misconception that safety slows down work. They focused on personal protective equipment (PPE) training, including hands-on training for customized PPE, and scenario-based exercises, while also making training more consistent. Leaders made sure team members could share their ideas and concerns in ways that worked for them. They created a points-based incentive system to strengthen engagement and ensured team members were a part of the conversations when shaping safety practices and PPE needs.
Jeff Lang, President and CEO (far left) and Rod C. Cook, Vice President of Workplace Health and Safety Services (far right), congratulate finalists from Superior Events Group Inc. at the 2026 Partners in Prevention conference. Superior Events Group Inc. team member John Paul Dorn, Operations Manager.
Interested in taking health and safety in your business to the next level?
Have you been inspired by the great stories of our 2025 winners and finalists? We can help you take health and safety for your business to the next level.
As a WSIB-registered business, you have free access to the Business Safety Portal, a savings of up to $1,700 a year! It only takes three minutes to sign up. Once you’re in, you can start using industry-specific resources like templates, online courses and fact sheets right away to help make your workplace safer.
Our Health and Safety Excellence program can help you reduce workplace injuries and illness by up to 33 per cent with the help of a WSIB-approved safety expert. By joining, you can earn rebates on your premiums — on average small businesses earn $9,000 and large businesses earn $40,000 a year! Plus, you’ll receive an extra $1,000 when you get started.
Health and Safety Talks are an opportunity for newly-registered smaller businesses (1 to 99 paid employees) to speak with a WSIB consultant about health and safety and get answers to your questions.
You can also review our health and safety resources to learn more about your health and safety responsibilities, the value of investing in health and safety, and how to make your workplace safer.
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