Special thanks to our articling student Rana Aly for contributing to this update.
Quebec’s multi‑year modernization of its occupational health and safety (OHS) system reached full implementation in late 2025. There are permanent prevention and participation mechanisms under the Act to Modernize the Occupational Health and Safety Regime (AMOHSR) and its accompanying regulation (Regulation Respecting Prevention and Participation Mechanisms in an Establishment) now in force. This represents a significant shift in Quebec occupational health and safety law.
Employers must now comply with the new requirements, if they have not already done so.
Below is an overview of the new requirements Quebec employers must be aware of:
1. Foundational Changes to Quebec’s Prevention Framework
The OHS overhaul stems from major reforms introduced by Bill 59 in 2021, with staggered implementation over several years. The permanent regime, effective October 1, 2025, replaces temporary interim mechanisms that applied during the transition period.
Key features of the new framework include:
- A shift to mandatory prevention planning, scaled by workforce size;
- Stronger worker participation structures;
- An expectation of continuous improvement; and
- New training obligations for worker representatives.
The result is a harmonized and prevention‑first model that applies across industries, regardless of risk profile.Continue Reading Modernizing Quebec’s Occupational Health and Safety Regime: Key Employer Obligations in 2026