The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) will begin a workplace safety award program for young entrepreneurs – the WSIB Chair’s Awards. The announcement was made last night at the Canadian Youth Business Foundation’s (CYBF) Chairman’s Awards Gala.
Totalling $10,000, the WSIB Chair’s Awards will be distributed through two prizes to young entrepreneurs within the CYBF program who demonstrate a commitment to workplace safety. One award will be given to a new business starting in the CYBF program that includes a meaningful health and safety strategy within their business plan. The second award will be given to an existing business already successfully operating within the CYBF program that has developed and is implementing a detailed workplace health and safety plan as part of their ongoing business growth strategy.
“Offering two awards in this way helps the WSIB reach young entrepreneurs as they start out in business and reinforces the vital importance of workplace health and safety to existing business owners succeeding under the CYBF’s guidance,” says Steven Mahoney, WSIB Chair. “This partnership with CYBF helps us send a significant message to Ontario’s young entrepreneurs; an investment in workplace safety is an investment in the success of your business.”
About five to 10 Ontario-based new entrepreneurs apply for consideration under the CYBF National Award program each year, and more than 100 existing Ontario businesses are at various stages of their mentorship and development within the CYBF program.
“As our boomer population ages, this next generation of entrepreneurs must both succeed and apply resources wisely,” says Vivian Prokop, CEO of CYBF. “A safe workplace and a safety attitude are parts of the solution that anyone can use. We hope other provinces follow the lead of the WSIB.”
The Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) is a national charity that provides youth, age 18-34, who have a great business idea but are unable to access funds through other traditional sources, with the start-up financing, mentoring and business resources to create their own successful business. Lending based on character not collateral, CYBF has invested in more than 1,900 young entrepreneurs since 1996, whose businesses have generated approximately $217 million in sales revenue, $51 million in tax revenue, $23 million in export revenue, and have created more than 11,000 new Canadian jobs. CYBF is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, with offices across Canada. Information about CYBF is available at www.cybf.ca.
Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) plays a key role in the province’s occupational health and safety system. The WSIB administers no-fault workplace insurance for employers and their workers and is committed to the prevention of workplace injuries and illnesses. The WSIB provides disability benefits, monitors the quality of healthcare, and assists in early and safe return to work for workers who are injured on the job or contract an occupational disease.
