Ottawa calls for ideas to prevent workplace harassment and violence

Government to provide funding to employers that develop sector-specific tools and resources

BY Jim Wilson 27 Apr. 2022

The federal government is looking for employers to come up with ways to prevent harassment and violence from taking place in the workplace.

Ottawa has launched the 2022 Call for Concepts for the Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention Fund, which aims to guide culture change around harassment and violence in federally regulated workplaces.

"Canadian workers know how to make their workplaces safer and more welcoming for vulnerable people. We're funding projects, led by workers and vulnerable communities, to get it done — because if you're not including everyone, you're not getting the best,” says Seamus O’Regan Jr., minister of labour.

The program provides $3.5 million annually to employers that develop sector-specific tools and resources related to harassment and violence prevention, aiming at supporting behavioural changes in the workplace, and to provide guidance to workers regarding the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations.

Overall, 71.4 per cent of Canadians say they have experienced at least one form of harassment and violence or sexual harassment and violence. And 25 per cent of women and 17 per cent of men say they had to deal with incidents of inappropriate sexualized behaviours at work in 2019.

However, too often, people are afraid to speak up about harassment or uncomfortable situations at work, according to another report.

Previous projects under the Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention Fund included developing and delivering anti-harassment and violence training to managers and workers in the trucking sector, and providing culturally sensitive workplace harassment and violence prevention tools and resources to First Nations communities and individuals, among others.

Interested parties can submit their project proposals through the application webpage until May 24, 2022. Successful applicants will be invited to submit detailed project proposals.