Corporate

The Chinese community is a vibrant and important part of Toronto's multi-cultural fabric. There are several China- towns within the city and it's estimated that approximately 40 percent of Chinese Canadians call Toronto home. Business owners in this community, many of whom are new to Canada, face a steep learning curve. They are setting up and operating their businesses in a new city, adapting to a new culture and learning about federal, provincial and municipal laws. It can be overwhelming, particularly when you factor in that many also face a language barrier, so it's not surprising that there is little awareness of workplace health and safe- ty hazards and legal obligations. Some of the larger, more established organizations know what is required of them and have the resources to implement, but many of the smaller businesses still have a long way to go. Over the past year, WSPS has been working with leaders in the community to bridge this gap. It's a gradual process, but one that is critically important as this community con- tinues to grow. Members of the Chinese community share a unique bond and when they need assistance from others, they are cautious – trust must be earned, it cannot be assumed. For WSPS, the entry point into the community came through the Ministry of Labour and the WSIB. They were having difficulty communicating with business owners who didn't understand the inspection process, the orders that were being issued and the resources that were available. So they reached out to WSPS and WSIB for assistance. WSPS consultant Teresa Chan was able to help business owners understand what they needed to do to comply. One step at a time, she became a trusted partner to her customers. It didn't happen overnight, but as each indi- vidual experienced the value of working with WSPS, they passed the word along to others. WSPS and leaders in the community have made great strides toward building awareness of the value of oper- ating a healthy and safe business, including translating and delivering Certification Training Parts One and Two in Chinese, and working with individual businesses to help them build health and safety into their operations. In 2014, WSPS plans to conduct a focus group exercise to explore interest in a group consulting model, which brings similar businesses together to share costs of various health and safety services including training and workshops. It also provides the opportunity for participants to network and share best practices with one another. Trust and success won't come from swooping in with solutions that don't fit the needs of the customer or the community. Our work with the Chinese community is a reflection of WSPS' commitment to understanding the diverse needs of our customers so that we can help them achieve their health and safety goals. c o m m u n i t y s o l u ti o n s d i v e r s i t y Building trust to create healthier and safer workplaces in Toronto's Chinese community 6 2013 annual report  |  Workplace Safety & Prevention Services

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