Author name: Phascorp Health & Safety Consulting team

JHSC certification in Ontario is changing on July 1, 2026 but here’s the part most employers are searching for first: if your workplace already has certified Joint Health and Safety Committee members, their certifications stay valid, and nobody has to start over.  On July 1, 2026, Ontario’s Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) is bringing updated standards for JHSC certification training into effect. The changes modernize how the training is delivered and strengthen what it covers. They do not reset the clock on certifications your people already hold.  A Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) is the in-house committee of worker and management representatives that Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) requires most workplaces with 20 or more regularly employed workers to maintain. At least two of its members one chosen by workers, one by the employer must hold CPO certification. This guide breaks down exactly what is changing on July 1, 2026, what stays the same, and what employers, HR and operations leaders, and current committee members across Ontario should do next.  Quick Overview: What Is Changing on July 1, 2026? According to Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD), the CPO is amending the JHSC Certification Training Program Standard, the Training Provider Standard, and the related Training and Other Requirements, effective July 1, 2026. These standards set the rules every CPO-approved training provider in the province must follow. In plain terms, the update does three things: Widens how the training can be delivered including the addition of a hybrid learning option to improve access. Strengthens the safety topics the training must cover with more emphasis on workplace violence and harassment, occupational illness, and a stronger classroom code of ethics. Makes recertification simpler members whose certification has lapsed will be able to recertify through Refresher training instead of retaking the full program. Ontario has confirmed that current certification programs remain valid until June 30, 2026, and that the validity of existing JHSC certifications is unaffected by the change. What’s CHANGING (effective July 1, 2026)  What STAYS THE SAME A new hybrid learning delivery option is being added  The two-part structure Part 1 + Part 2 is still required to certify  Strengthened learning outcomes on workplace violence & harassment and occupational illness The three-year Refresher cycle to keep certification valid A stronger classroom code of ethics The 20-worker threshold and the rule requiring two certified members Expired members can recertify via Refresher instead of redoing Parts 1 & 2 The legal foundation in Section 9 of the OHSA The one-time Refresher exemption process is being removed CPO approval of all programs and providers Clarified, modernized learning expectations  The validity of every certification already issued Do You Need to Recertify? What Existing Certificate Holders Should Know Short answer: no.  If you completed JHSC Part 1 and Part 2 and currently hold a valid certification, the July 2026 update does not invalidate it. Ontario has stated plainly that the validity period of existing certifications is unaffected. You do not need to retake training simply because the standard changed.  What does still apply is the ongoing Refresher requirement. Under Ontario’s rules, a JHSC certification is valid for three years after you complete an approved Part 2 program, and you must complete an approved Refresher program within that window and every three years after, to keep your certification active. That rule is not changing.  In practice, the question we hear most from Ontario employers is what happens to a member whose certification has already expired. Before July 1, 2026, a member who let their certification lapse beyond the Refresher window generally had to retake both Part 1 and Part 2. That is one of the things changing and it’s good news. More on it below. What’s Actually Changing in the Updated JHSC Programs  Modernized Curriculum Delivery  The updated programs keep the same backbone but sharpen the content. Based on the CPO’s published summary of the changes, the refreshed curriculum strengthens learning in areas such as occupational illness and workplace violence and harassment, and tightens the classroom code of ethics that governs how certification training is delivered.  Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS), one of Ontario’s official health and safety system partners, adds that the updated training places dedicated attention on JHSC member mental health, on recognizing dangerous circumstances, on the role of the employer, and on evaluating how effectively a committee actually functions not just how it’s formed on paper.  Simplified Recertification and Refresher Requirements  This is the change most certified members will feel directly. From July 1, 2026:  For employers, that means a lapsed certification is no longer a multi-day rebuild. It’s a far lighter lift to get a committee back into compliance.  Expanded Access: Online, Virtual, and In-Class Options  The update broadens how training can be delivered by introducing a hybrid learning option, described by Ontario as a way to increase accessibility. Hybrid learning blends instructor-led and online components; the exact mode-by-mode availability for each part follows the updated CPO standard and each provider’s approved programs.  Here’s how the formats line up: Format  What it is  Typically available for  In person (classroom)  Instructor-led training, on site or at a training centre  Part 1, Part 2, Refresher  Live virtual (distance)  Instructor-led, real-time sessions delivered online  Part 1, Part 2, Refresher  Self-paced online (eLearning)  Complete the course on your own schedule  Part 1  Hybrid (new — July 2026)  Blends in-class and online delivery  Being introduced to expand access  The takeaway for buyers: Part 1 is the most flexible it can be taken in person, live online, or self-paced while Part 2 and Refresher are instructor-led, delivered either in person or through live virtual sessions.  JHSC Part 1 Training: What to Expect Under the New Framework  Part 1 is the generic foundation, and it’s the same starting point for every sector. It covers the rights, duties, and responsibilities set out in the OHSA, how to recognize and assess workplace hazards, how to apply the recognize–assess–control–evaluate approach, and how a Joint Health and Safety Committee is supposed to function day to day.  Under the updated framework, Part 1 carries the strengthened content described above deeper coverage of occupational illness, workplace violence and harassment, and committee ethics. The structure employers rely on doesn’t change: Part 1 is the prerequisite, and Part 2 must be completed within 12 months of finishing Part 1 to earn certification.  JHSC Part 2 Training: Sector-Specific Updates (Construction, Mining, Manufacturing, Industrial)  Part 2 is where the training gets specific to your workplace. Where Part 1 is generic, Part 2 requires