Cannabis and workplace fatalities: establishing a baseline in Ontario

Reasons for the study

On October 17, 2018, cannabis use for non-medical purposes was legalized in Canada. Cannabis-related workplace injuries have been identified as an important public safety metric to keep an eye on. Yet, no existing population-based data source can readily be used to estimate the current extent of, or to monitor trends over time in, the involvement of cannabis in workplace injuries in Canada.

Coroner records, which provide detailed information on the causes and circumstances of death (including toxicology), may represent an important existing source of data for measuring and identifying trends in cannabis use among workers who are fatally injured on the job. Using coroner data housed at the Office of the Chief Coroner from Ontario, this study aims to assess the feasibility of using coroner data as a source of information on cannabis-related workplace fatalities.

Objectives of the study

Target audience

This project will assess the feasibility of using coroner data to measure and monitor cannabis-related workplace fatalities, and to provide initial pre-legalization information on cannabis involvement in workplace fatalities in Ontario. If using this data is determined to be feasible, this study will establish a standardized process to support ongoing surveillance following legalization and act as a pilot to inform a larger-scale study to expand data collection.