Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
Symbol of the Government of Canada

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) is governed by a tripartite council representing governments (federal, provincial and territorial), employers, and labour, which assists in delivering a trustworthy and complete occupational health and safety service, and ensures that the information CCOHS disseminates is unbiased.


Select a name from the list to view their Biography

Chairperson

Representing
Employer Associations

Representing
Labour Organizations

Representing
Provincial and Territorial
Governments

 

President

Steve Horvath*

President

905-572-2981 ext 4433

Fax: 905-572-4419


Secretary-Treasurer

Bonnie Easterbrook

Chief Financial Officer

905-572-2981 ext 4401

Fax: 905-572-2206


Secretariat

Erin Cunningham

Executive Assistant

905-572-2981 ext 4433

Fax: 905-572-4419


* Executive Board

† Audit Committee

** Term Expired

 Kin Choi

Kin Choi

Government of Canada




Assistant Deputy Minister

Labour Program

Compliance, Operations and Program Development

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

8th Floor, 165 Hotel de Ville Street

Gatineau, QC,

K1A 0J9


On January, 30, 2012 Kin Choi was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister, Compliance, Operations and Program Development, at the Labour Program. He was previously the Senior Advisor at the Privy Council Office, Administrative Services Review.

 

Before joining the Privy Council Office, Kin worked as Assistant Deputy Minister, Health Canada, Corporate Services Branch. Prior to becoming Assistant Deputy Minister, Kin held several senior executive positions in the public service, including Director General for Strategic Direction and Integration at HRSDC and the Director General for Major Projects and Systems in the Canada Border Services Agency. He was also the Director of Special Projects at the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency.

 

Kin began his career in 1992 and has management experience working at both the Federal and Provincial levels. He is a graduate of the Government of Canada's Advanced Leadership Program and the Accelerated Executive Development Program for senior government executives. Most recently, he completed an Executive Certificate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

 

Kin holds a Masters degree in Public Administration and a Bachelors of Arts from the University of Manitoba. He was born in Hong Kong and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

 John Beckett

John Beckett

Federally Regulated Employers




Vice President, Training, Safety & Recruitment

BC Maritime Employers Association


John is currently a Vice President with the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association. He is well known for his work with employers where he designed and implemented many successful human resource and health and safety programs in the municipal, aviation, manufacturing and marine industries.

 

John is responsible for providing leadership and direction of the Maritime Employers Association training, safety and recruitment systems for members and their employees. The BCMEA trains over 900 employees per year in both technical equipment operation and skills education. He holds an MBA from Royal Roads University, is a Canadian Registered Safety Profe ssional (CRSP), is Certified Human Resource Professional (CHRP) and is a past adjunct professor at UBC teaching Modern Safety Management in the Master's of Occupational Hygiene and Environment Program.

 

He has participated on committees to develop regulations for firefighters and First Aid. He cu rrently sits as an employer representative on the Policy & Practices Consultation Committee and the Research Priorities Commi ttee of WorksafeBC and is chief spokesperson for the WCB Employers Forum to WorksafeBC and the Federal Employers in Tr ansportation and Communication Organization (FETCO) safety regulations development committee to Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. He is a member of the Canadian Maritime Advisory Council and the Western Winter Contingency Committee for marine operations.

Helder Botelho

Helder Botelho

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters




AOC Resins and Coatings

Plant Manager

38 Royal Guelph

ON N1H 1G3


Helder Botelho brings a wealth of experience in the manufacturing sector and in the accident prevention field to his role on the CCOHS Council of Governors. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in chemical engineering from the University of Toronto (1990) and a Masters of Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business (2001).

 

Helder began his career at Schenectady International Inc.'s Scarborough, Ontario facility, where he held various roles including process engineer, project engineer and maintenance in addition to plant manager from 1994-2002. From there, he joined Filament Composites as general manager from 2002-2005, before taking on the role of plant manager at AOC, a company specializing in resin technology, in 2005.

 

In addition to being a licensed professional engineer in the Province of Ontario, Helder is involved in a number of boards. He has sat on the Industrial Accident and Prevention Association's (IAPA), Board of Directors, including a stint as Chair of the Board. The IAPA is Canada's leader in workplace health, safety and well-being. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of CETAC (Canadian Education and Training Commission) which provides accreditation to private colleges in Canada.

 Gordon Lloyd

Gordon Lloyd

Chemistry Industry Association of Canada




Chemistry Industry Association of Canada

Suite 805, 350 Sparks Street

Ottawa, Ontario

K1R 7S8


Gordon Lloyd was with the Canadian Manufacturers' Association from 1977 to 1990, working in the areas of legislation and policy. Since October 1990, he has been Vice-President of Technical Affairs for the Canadian Chemical Producers' Association. He develops and implements programs for the continuous improvement of health and safety measures for the industry.

 

Mr. Lloyd holds a Bachelor of Law, a Bachelor of Arts, and a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Mathematics from the University of Manitoba.

 Marie Clarke Walker

Marie Clarke Walker

Canadian Labour Congress (CLC)




Executive Vice-President

Canadian Labour Congress

2841 Riverside Drive

Ottawa, Ontario

K1V 8X7


Marie Clarke Walker has previously held the positions of CUPE Ontario's Equity Vice-President, as well as her Unions' first-ever National Diversity Vice-President. She has also served as a Board member on a number of organizations, including the Canadian Peace Alliance, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Adventure Place, the Scarborough Malvern National Soccer Club and Scarborough Basketball Association.

 

Ms. Clarke Walker is currently Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress, as well as an executive member of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Juliette's Place, a shelter for abused women, and the Malvern Community Coalition.

 

Ms. Clarke Walker has received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from York University – Atkinson College, her Human Service Worker certificate from Durham College, and her Early Childhood Educator diploma from Seneca College.

Sari Sairanen

Ms Sari Sairanen

Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) Union




National Director Health, Safety & Environment

205 Placer Court

Toronto, ON

M2H 3H9


Sari Sairanen has extensive experience as both a union activist and health and safety representative. She is currently National Health and Safety Director at the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) union, responsible for the content of health and safety training programs, submissions for better laws, information on workplace substances, the establishment of programs to eliminate hazardous workplace conditions and the publication of the Health and Safety & Environment Newsletter. Sari comes to the National union from the Airline division which represents members from coast to coast to coast in Canada.

 

Sari began her union activism as a health and safety representative in a call center, where she confronted ergonomic and working condition issues such as computer workstations, task design, stress and electronic monitoring. In addition, she served on the Air Canada bargaining committee as a regional representative and as President of Local 2002 during the CCAA or Companies' Creditors' Arrangement Act (bankruptcy) proceedings.

 

Sari is on the HRSDC's Occupational Health & Safety Regulatory Review Committee, the CSA's Strategic Steering Committee, the Canadian Labour Congress' Occupational Health & Safety Committee and sits on the WSIB's Board of Directors.

Denis St. Jean

Denis St. Jean

Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC)




National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

Public Service Alliance of Canada

233 Gilmour Street

Ottawa, Ontario

K2P 0P1


Denis St-Jean has been a health and safety activist for over 20 years. In his work with PSAC, Mr. St-Jean worked extensively on the amendments to the Canada Labour Code, Part II. He represents labour on many Federal Government Working Groups drafting regulations including Violence in the Workplace Regulations, Prevention Programs Regulations and Ergonomics Regulations.

 

He also represents PSAC on numerous Joint Employer/Union Committees including the National Joint Council Health & Safety Committee where collective bargaining on health and safety matters is held for the federal public service.

 

Mr. St-Jean also represents the PSAC on the Canadian Labour Congress Health & Safety Committee; the Worker's Compensation Committee and the Environmental Committee.

 Shelly Dauphinee

Shelly Dauphinee

New Brunswick




Vice President WorkSafe Services Division

WorkSafe NB

PO Box 160

Saint John NB

E2L 3X9


Shelly Dauphinee was appointed vice-president, WorkSafe Services Division in November 2009. WorkSafe Services is responsible for providing compensation and return-to-work services to injured workers and for promoting and enforcing health and safety in the workplace.

 

Shelly joined WorkSafeNB in 1999, as director of WorkSafeNB's Policy and Planning Department, a position she held until assuming her current role as vice-president of WorkSafe Services. Before that she worked as the Atlantic Director of Policy, Planning and Evaluation for the Canadian Red Cross and as a policy analyst for the Ontario Ministry of Health.

 Sophie Dennis

Sophie Dennis

Ontario




Regional Director,

Assistant Deputy Minister Operations Division

Ontario Ministry of Labour

400 University Avenue,

14th Floor

Toronto ON

M7A 1T7


The Office of the Assistant Deputy Minister provides leadership to the Division and supports the Minister and Deputy Minister.

 

Sophie Dennis is the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Operations Division. She has been with the Ministry of Labour for more than 32 years. She began her career with the MOL as an Industrial Inspector, moving on to a variety of positions and was the Director of the Western Region for 14 years.

 

Sophie has been involved in many change initiatives within the OPS, including the OPS restructuring initiatives, government information centres and co-location of ministries. She is the current chair of the Assistant Deputy Minister's Operations Committee for the Ontario government.

 

Sophie has also taken the lead on various cross-cutting projects and service improvement initiatives, including the Code of Professionalism for staff engaged in enforcement activities across 13 ministries. She led the development of the Workplace Gateway, ServiceOntario Counter Projects and the Small Business Strategy.

 

Sophie is a graduate of Queen's University.

 Leslie Galaway

Leslie Galway

Newfoundland




Chief Executive Officer

Workplace Health,

Safety and Compensation Commission

146-148 Forest Road, PO Box 9000

St John's, Newfoundland

A1A 3B8


Leslie Galway was Deputy Minister of Business, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and Vice-Chairperson of the Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities. She was also the President of Newfoundland Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) and an Assistant Professor with the Faculty of Business, Memorial University.

 

Ms. Galway was appointed to the role of Chief Executive Officer for the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission (the Commission) in 2008. In her role as CEO, Ms. Galway reports to the board of directors and is responsible for the overall direction and leadership of the organization.

 

Ms. Galway holds a Chartered Accountant designation and Master of Business Administration. She has also had several opportunities to participate or chair federal or provincial councils.

 Dave Grundy

Dave Grundy

Northwest Territories


On July 25, 2011, Dave Grundy assumed the duties of President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut (WSCC).

 

Dave joined the WSCC in June 2002 as the Manager of Communications, following a 30-year career in the RCMP. With Dave's guidance, the function of communications within the WSCC evolved to include a more public face for the Commission. As a result, Dave moved into the role of Director of Communications and Information, and then Vice President, Corporate Communications and Planning Services. In July 2010, Dave took on a new role as Vice President, Prevention Services, until his appointment as President and CEO in July 2011.

 

Dave brings a vast array of management and leadership skills to the WSCC. Dave and his family moved to Yellowknife in October 1978. Travelling the North extensively, Dave knows the value of safety here, and how the WSCC can continue to work with its partners to ensure safe workplaces.

Don Hurst

Don Hurst

Manitoba




Chief Prevention Officer

Province of Manitoba

333 Broadway

Winnipeg, Manitoba

R3C 4W3


Mr. Hurst began his career with the Manitoba Department of Finance in 1985. He then went on to work for the Federal Department of Finance as a Tax Policy Analyst from 1990 to 1994, and then returned to the Manitoba Department of Finance as Senior Treasury Board Analyst until May 2000. Mr. Hurst continued his career by working for the Department of Industry Economic Development and Mines from 2000 to 2004, where he worked with labour, employers and other stakeholders on a number of key economic projects and issues critical to the well-being of individual companies and their workers.

 

Mr. Hurst joined the Department of Labour and Immigration as the Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM), Workplace Safety and Health Division, in 2004.

 

Mr. Hurst holds a Master's Degree in Economics at the University of Manitoba.

Shelley A. Rowan

Shelley A. Rowan

Nova Scotia




Vice President, Prevention and Service Delivery

Workers' Compensation Board of Nova Scotia

5668 S St  Halifax, NS B3J 1A6


Shelley Rowan joined the Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) of Nova Scotia in 1998. She has held a number of roles at the WCB including Director, Communications, VP, Human Resources and Communications and VP, Strategy and Employee Engagement as well as her current role of Vice President, Prevention and Service Delivery. In this role, Shelley's responsibilities include leading the WCB's injury prevention and return to work teams.

 

After graduating from Mount Saint Vincent University, Shelley's career has spanned a number of roles in the federal and provincial public sector, from federal crown corporations to regional health authorities. After joining the WCB in 1998, Shelley became involved in addressing safety issues in her community, including leading the development of edgy and award winning social marketing programs, participating on the Board of Directors of a local safety organization, and sitting on the board of Threads of Life, a national organization dedicated to providing support for families impacted by workplace tragedy.

Stephen Mansell

Stephen Mansell

Nunavut




Director of Policy and Planning

Nunavut Department of Justice

Bag 1000 STN 500

Iqaluit, Nunavut

X0A 0H0


Stephen has spent much of his life in Iqaluit, Nunavut. Stephen obtained his BA in Political Science from Carleton University in Ottawa and his law degree from the University of Saskatchewan, where he studied both Aboriginal and Constitutional Law.

 

Stephen began his law career with the law firm McLennan Ross LLP in Edmonton, and later in Yellowknife. In 2009, he became legal counsel for the government with the Nunavut Department of Justice (which has responsibility for Labour issues in the territory) in Iqaluit and is currently serving as the Director of Policy and Planning Division.

 

Stephen brings a good deal of occupational health and safety legal experience to his role on the Council of Governors, having worked on workers compensation files and legislative issues, and also practical experience from his time working in a diamond mine in the Northwest Territories between his undergraduate degree and law school.

 

Recently married and father to a young daughter, Stephen is also Vice President of the Law Society of Nunavut, the past president of the Nunavut Branch of the Canadian Bar Association and a former Iqaluit city councillor.

 Diana Miles

Diana Miles

British Columbia




Vice President

Worker and Employer Services Division

Worksafe BC

PO Box 5350 Stn Terminal

Vancouver, British Columbia

V6B 5L5


Diana Miles has extensive experience in occupational health and safety. From 1998 to 2004, she worked as a Regional Human Resources Manager for the Pacific Region of Sears Canada, and received the Chairman's Award for Human Resources Excellence in 1999.

 

Ms. Miles has shown her commitment to occupational health and safety through her involvement in a number of committees and boards, including the SHARE Family and Community Services Society, the Board of Governors of Douglas College and the CKNW Orphans' Fund Board.

 

Ms. Miles is currently the Senior Vice-President of Operations for WorkSafeBC and is responsible for leading the Worker and Employer Services Division.

 

Ms. Miles holds a BA in English and Geography from Simon Fraser University and is a Certified Human Resources Professional.

 William (Bill) Reid

William (Bill) Reid

Prince Edward Island





Bill Reid is the Director of Occupational Health and Safety for the Workers Compensation Board (WCB) of Prince Edward Island. Mr. Reid is a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP), holds a Bachelor of Engineering Technology Degree in Manufacturing, and is a Certified Mechanical Engineering Technologist.

 

Prior to assuming his role at the WCB, Bill worked for 21 years in the manufacturing industry with Pratt & Whitney Canada Ltd. with a concentration on Environment, Health and Safety. Bill also holds certificates in Occupational Health and Safety Management and Ergonomics Program Management from Dalhousie University. He is an experienced firefighter, emergency responder and hazardous material technician.

 

Bill is the provincial representative for the Canadian Association of Administrators of Labour Legislation – Occupational Health and Safety Committee (CAALL - OSH) and the Association of Workers Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC) – Safety and Prevention Committee.