Technical Standards and Safety Authority
2026 Annual Public Meeting & Safety Awards Presentation
Date: September 17, 2026 (Thursday), 3:00 P.M. ET
Venue: Delta Hotels Toronto Airport & Conference Centre
Meeting Room: Mississauga AB
The TSSA Annual Public Meeting will be recorded and available on TSSA’s website shortly after the event.
After more than 35 years dedicated to public safety regulation in Ontario, Tom Ayres, TSSA’s Vice President, Policy, Legal and General Counsel, is retiring. He leaves behind a legacy that helped shape the modern regulatory landscape for safety, not only at TSSA but across Canada.
“On behalf of the Government of Ontario, I would like to recognize Tom Ayres for his many years of dedicated public service and leadership in advancing technical safety and consumer protection across the province,” said Stephen Crawford, Ontario’s Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement. “His contributions to modernizing Ontario’s safety oversight framework have helped strengthen public safety outcomes for Ontarians and support innovation in regulatory practice.”
Ayres joined the Ministry of the Attorney General in 1988 as a prosecutor assigned to what was then the Technical Standards Division of the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations.
“I actually fell into public safety regulation,” Ayres said. “When I graduated from law school, I articled with the Ministry of the Environment and discovered I really enjoyed regulatory litigation. It felt like a growing area where you could make a meaningful impact.”
At the time, Ontario was experiencing a series of serious safety incidents in regulated sectors, and enforcement was viewed as the primary tool for improving compliance.
“I was hired as a prosecutor because there had been a rash of fatalities, and there was concern that industry had lost its way,” Ayres recalled. “The idea at the time was that prosecution was the way to ensure compliance.”
What began as a legal career rooted in enforcement, however, evolved into something much broader: a decades-long effort to modernize how public safety regulation is approached, implemented and measured.
Building the Foundation
Ayres played a foundational role in the creation of TSSA in 1996 and later helped lead the development of the Technical Standards and Safety Act and its associated regulations, which came into force in 2001.
“Looking back, one of the things I’m most proud of is helping create the legal and regulatory infrastructure that allowed TSSA to operate effectively and efficiently,” Ayres said. “The structure outlined in the Act ended up becoming something other organizations looked to and replicated across the country and in other countries as well.”
But perhaps his most significant contribution was helping transform TSSA from a traditional compliance-focused regulator into one guided by more risk-informed and outcome-based approaches to public safety oversight.
“Much of the progress TSSA has made as a modern, outcome-based regulator is rooted in Tom’s leadership and willingness to challenge traditional thinking,” said Bonnie Rose, President and CEO, TSSA. “His work helped transform how we approach risk, evidence-based decision making and collaboration in support of public safety.”
Rethinking Regulation
In TSSA’s early years, regulatory oversight largely treated all regulated entities the same, regardless of the level of risk they posed. Inspection schedules were standardized, and enforcement approaches were largely reactive.
“Prosecution was considered to be the way to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements,” Ayres recalled. “And so, there was a very aggressive prosecution agenda to try and send a message.”
Over time, however, Ayres began to question whether a purely punitive approach was producing the best public safety outcomes.
“We were prosecuting people left, right and centre and getting significant fines, but it wasn’t necessarily changing behaviour in the way we hoped,” he said. “It became apparent that while some people deliberately break the rules, many others are trying to comply but lack information, resources or support.”
At the same time, Ayres became increasingly focused on developments around regulatory negligence and the need for regulators to demonstrate that their oversight decisions were reasonable, evidence-based and effective.
“That was really the genesis of the risk-informed approach,” he explained.
In 2005, Ayres led the development of TSSA’s Public Safety Risk Management division and championed the organization’s shift toward risk-informed oversight. The transformation involved improving data collection and analysis, implementing risk-based inspection scheduling, and developing more consistent approaches to assessing and prioritizing safety risks.
Building a More Collaborative Approach
The transition toward risk-informed regulation also required a significant cultural shift both within TSSA and among the industries it regulates.
“At one point, regulation was very much a game of cat and mouse. There was this assumption that everyone was trying to cut corners,” Ayres said. “Over time, we realized that most people want to do the right thing. An accident is not good for anybody’s business.”
That realization helped shape a broader regulatory philosophy focused not only on enforcement, but also on industry collaboration, education and compliance support. “There are many tools available to regulators,” Ayres said. “Effective regulation is rarely one-dimensional.”
Continuing the Evolution
Ayres admits that the journey toward modernized regulation was not always straightforward. High-profile events such as the Sunrise Propane explosion in 2008 created renewed pressure for more traditional enforcement approaches and temporarily slowed momentum toward risk-informed oversight.
“There were definitely moments where people questioned whether we were going in the right direction,” Ayres said. “But meaningful change takes time, and you have to stay committed long enough to see whether it’s working.”
In recent years, Ayres says he has been encouraged to see TSSA further embrace outcome-based regulation and modern risk-management approaches.
“We’re at a stage now where we’re increasingly able to demonstrate that these approaches improve safety outcomes for Ontarians while also reducing unnecessary burden on industry,” he says.
A Lasting Legacy
While Ayres is proud of the systems and frameworks developed over his career, he speaks most passionately about the people behind the work.
“What’s always impressed me is how deeply TSSA employees care and are committed to public safety,” he says. “They believe in what they’re doing and try to do the right thing to keep the province safe.”
His advice for future leaders is grounded in the lessons he learned throughout his own career.
“You need to be courageous enough to challenge assumptions and do things that are outside of your comfort zone,” he says. “Most importantly, rely on data and facts and follow the evidence.”
Key Milestones under Tom Ayres' Leadership
Our Annual Public Meeting (APM) and Safety Awards Presentation will be held on September 17, 2026.
The APM is an opportunity to report on our performance and present safety awards to individuals who have made significant contributions to public safety in Ontario.
Please RSVP to apm@tssa.org by September 1, 2026, indicating whether you will be attending in-person or virtually.
We look forward to having you join us.
Toronto, ON, May 26, 2026 – For five years in a row, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) has been honoured with the 5‑Star Safety Culture Award from Canadian Occupational Safety (COS) magazine. Presented annually, the award recognizes Canadian organizations that demonstrate exceptional commitment to building and sustaining a strong culture of safety.
“Receiving this award for five straight years speaks volumes about the unwavering commitment of TSSA’s 450 employees to protecting Ontarians and advancing our vision as an outcome‑based regulator,” said TSSA President and CEO, Bonnie Rose. “Safety is TSSA’s top priority, and our approach is to focus on where our efforts matter most, guided by data we have collected and analyzed. Internally, we continue to build a strong, safety‑minded team that works to ingrain and celebrate safety in their day‑to‑day work.”
Upheld as one of TSSA’s core values, safety is central to the work employees carry out every day. To further embed safety into its workplace culture, TSSA has recently launched new employee‑focused initiatives, including the introduction of an online peer‑to‑peer recognition platform. Designed to promote a culture of appreciation, this initiative empowers TSSA employees to acknowledge each other’s contributions to safety and celebrate other values.
The 5‑Star Safety Culture Award is presented to organizations that exemplify excellence in fostering robust workplace safety cultures and demonstrate a steadfast commitment to proactive risk management, comprehensive training, and employee engagement. Nominated by COS magazine, TSSA was shortlisted as a finalist following a detailed submission outlining its internal safety initiatives. In the next qualifying round, a cross‑section of TSSA employees participated in a safety culture satisfaction survey, resulting in an overall satisfaction rating exceeding 80 percent.
To learn more about the 5-Star Safety Culture Award and the organizations recognized this year, view the special report here.
For more information about TSSA’s outcome-based regulatory model and how it supports risk-informed safety oversight, visit www.tssa.org.
About TSSA
The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) is one of Ontario’s public safety regulators mandated by the Government of Ontario to enforce provincial safety regulations and enhance public safety. Throughout Ontario, TSSA regulates the safety of amusement devices, boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, fuels, operating engineers, and ski lifts. Its range of safety services include public education and consumer information, certification, licensing and registration, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, safety management consultation, compliance support and enforcement and prosecution activities. The organization’s vision is to be a valued advocate and recognized authority in public safety.
For more information, please contact:
Alexandra Campbell
Vice President, Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Technical Standards and Safety Authority
Telephone: 416-734-2728
Email: media@tssa.org
TORONTO, ON, May 14, 2026 –– Seasons “may” change, but safety remains the same. It’s been a long time coming but the May long weekend is finally upon us and with it the return of many favourite seasonal activities. Your safety partners at the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) and Ontario Poison Centre (OPC) are teaming up to shed light on some of the biggest poisoning risks in and around our homes; often the ones we don’t think of, expect – or even notice.
The good news is that many of these poisonings are preventable.
Make your space a safe place.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) Safety
CO – a household poison like many others - can make its way into popular summertime activities such as cottaging, camping, BBQing or RVing.
- Have all fuel-burning appliances inspected annually through the services of a TSSA-registered fuels contractor.
- Have working, certified, CO alarms installed; regularly test and replace them in accordance with manufacturer’s instruction.
- Never use indoors any fuel-burning equipment that is specifically designed and approved for outdoor use only such as generators, portable heaters, BBQs and camping stoves.
- Always keep external exhaust vents – including those at the cottage or your trailer or RV – free of debris or blockages.
If you suspect CO poisoning, get outdoors immediately and call 911.
For additional CO Safety information visit COsafety.ca
Other Poisons
Whether indoors or out, don’t let other potential poisoning hazards that may be in your environment dampen your spirits on these summer days.
- Keep all cleaning products in their original containers. Never put cleaners in containers used for drinking, like water bottles or pop cans.
- Keep harmful products and medications “locked up tight and out of sight” in a cupboard or container.
- Do not leave weed killers, pesticides, insecticides, fertilizers or other lawn or garden products unattended.
- Know the names of all the plants and trees inside and outside your home.
- Be prepared when hiking or visiting an area where rattlesnakes live. If you hear a rattle, move away from the sound of the snake. Do not try to touch it.
If you, your child or anyone in your midst is experiencing suspected poisoning, call OPC toll-free at 1-800-268-9017 or 911 immediately.
For additional poison prevention information visit ontariopoisoncentre.ca
About TSSA
Throughout Ontario, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) administers provincial safety regulations and enhances public safety. TSSA regulates the safety of amusement devices, boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, fuels, operating engineers, and ski lifts. Its range of safety services includes public education, authorization, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, compliance support, enforcement, and prosecution activities.
www.tssa.org
About Ontario Poison Centre
The Ontario Poison Centre (OPC) is a telephone toxicology consultation service that provides expert poison advice 24 hours a day to the public, emergency service personnel and health-care professionals across the province. The OPC supports in the ongoing care of the poisoned patient by following the clinical course of hospitalization, assessing the effectiveness of treatment recommendations and providing additional antidote recommendations. Our toxicology experts also work collaboratively alongside other healthcare professionals to support safe, evidence-informed, and patient-centered care for poisoned patients. The OPC is operated and supported by The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto.
www.ontariopoisoncentre.ca
For more information, please contact:
TSSA:
Ammara Khan
Director, Communications Technical Standards and Safety Authority Telephone: 416-734-2728
Email: media@tssa.org
For more information on TSSA visit www.tssa.org
OPC:
Chad Larabie
Knowledge Translation Program Manager,
Public Ontario Poison Centre
Email: chad.larabie@sickkids.ca
For more information on OPC visit ontariopoisoncentre.ca