UPDATE: City of Ottawa to Require OHSMS Certification for Construction Contracts Over $2 Million

Effective October 1, 2026, contractors delivering City of Ottawa construction contracts valued over $2 million will be required to hold an accredited Occupational Health and Safety Management System certification.

The City of Ottawa has issued formal notice of an important update for contractors delivering construction contracts for the City.

Starting October 1, 2026, the City will require contractors to have an Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) certification for all construction contracts valued over $2 million.

This update applies to contractors bidding on City of Ottawa construction work and will become part of the procurement process.

Accepted OHSMS Certifications

According to the City’s notice, accepted OHSMS certifications include:

• ISO 45001:2018 — Occupational health and safety management systems
• CSA Z45001-19 — Occupational health and safety management systems
• IHSA COR™ 2020 — IHSA Certificate of Recognition 2020 Health and Safety Management System Standard
• Responsible Care® RC14001:2023 — Health, Safety and Environmental Management System
• Responsible Care® RCMS:2023 — Health, Safety and Environmental Management System

Proof of Certification Will Be Required

Proof of certification must either be attached to the tenderer’s electronic bid or provided to the City within 24 hours of the City’s request.

If a tenderer fails to provide proof of certification with its electronic bid or within 24 hours of the City’s request, the tender will be deemed non-compliant and rejected.

During the contract period, contractors may also be required to provide proof of certification upon request, within the timeline specified by the City.

Is Your Organization Ready?

For Ottawa-area contractors, this is an important deadline to prepare for. OHSMS certification can take time, especially if your organization needs support with gap analysis, documentation, internal processes, audit preparation, or maintaining compliance after certification is achieved.

The October 1, 2026 deadline may feel far away, but waiting until your next bid is on the line can create unnecessary pressure and risk.

How CrossSafety Can Help

CrossSafety helps contractors achieve and maintain COR, ISO 45001 and Responsible Care® certification, supporting organizations through the process from early-stage readiness to audit preparation and ongoing compliance.

Our consultants can assist with:

• Gap analysis
• OHSMS documentation
• Safety program development and review
• Audit preparation
• COR and ISO 45001 certification support
• Ongoing compliance and maintenance

CrossSafety has helped many organizations achieve certification and stay audit-ready. More importantly, CrossSafety has a 100% success rate helping clients achieve certification.

Don’t wait until a bid opportunity is at risk.

Learn more about our COR, ISO 45001, and Regulatory Compliance Services:
https://crosssafety.ca/service/specialized-hse-consulting/cor-iso-45001-wsib-regulatory-compliance-service/