The National Day of Mourning, observed every April 28, honours the Canadian workers who left for work one morning and didn’t come home — parents, partners, and colleagues lost to workplace fatalities, injuries, and occupational illness. The date marks the anniversary of Ontario’s Workmen’s Compensation Act of 1914, one of the first laws in the world to establish no-fault workplace injury compensation. More than a century later, the principle behind it remains urgent: every worker deserves a safe workplace, and every workplace needs people trained to respond when things go wrong.

What Is the National Day of Mourning?

Established by the Canadian Labour Congress in 1984 and recognised by federal legislation in 1991, the Day of Mourning is observed on April 28 across Canada. Flags are lowered on Parliament Hill. Workplaces hold moments of silence. Communities light candles and lay wreaths.

The observance serves two purposes: to honour those who have been lost, and to renew the commitment to preventing future tragedies. First aid training is a direct, practical expression of that commitment.

Ontario’s Workplace First Aid Requirements

Ontario law does not treat first aid training as optional. Under WSIB Regulation 1101, employers must ensure an adequate number of workers hold valid first aid certificates. The requirements scale with workplace size and hazard level.

Non-Hazardous Workplaces

• 1 to 5 workers: First aid kit required; first aid training recommended but not mandatory
• 6 to 15 workers: At least one worker with a valid Emergency First Aid (EFA) certificate
• 16 to 199 workers: At least one worker with a valid Standard First Aid (SFA) certificate
• 200+ workers: One SFA-certified worker for every 100 workers

Hazardous Workplaces

• 1 to 5 workers: At least one EFA-certified worker
• 6 to 15 workers: At least one SFA-certified worker
• 16 to 199 workers: At least two SFA-certified workers, plus a first aid room
• 200+ workers: One SFA-certified worker per 100 workers, plus a first aid room

Source: Ontario WSIB Regulation 1101 (First Aid Requirements) under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act. Confirm current thresholds against the regulation, which WSIB may update.

For a detailed breakdown of these requirements, see our guide on Ontario workplace first aid requirements.

Beyond Compliance: Why Training Actually Matters

Regulation sets the floor, not the ceiling. The real reason to train your team is simpler: when a coworker collapses, chokes, or suffers a severe cut, the first few minutes determine the outcome. Paramedics are not in the building. The trained person next to them is.

Source: Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada; Canadian Red Cross 2025; AHA 2025 BLS (each minute before CPR and a shock costs about 10% of survival).

Common Workplace Emergencies

• Cardiac arrest — sudden collapse, no pulse, no breathing. Requires immediate CPR and AED use
• Choking — common in break rooms and lunch areas. For a conscious choking adult or child, alternate back blows and abdominal thrusts to clear the obstruction (Canadian Red Cross). Note: an infant gets 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts — never abdominal thrusts
• Severe bleeding — from cuts, machinery, or falls. Direct pressure and proper wound packing can prevent fatal blood loss
• Burns — thermal, chemical, or electrical. Cool a thermal burn with cool (not ice-cold) running water for 5 to 20 minutes, then cover loosely (Canadian Red Cross). Always cool thermal burns, including severe ones
• Allergic reactions — anaphylaxis from food, stings, or workplace chemicals. Give the epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen) first and call 911; if there is no improvement, a second dose can be given at about 5 minutes (Canadian Red Cross / Heart & Stroke)

The Cost of Not Training

Beyond the human cost, there are measurable consequences. Ministry of Labour inspectors can issue compliance orders. WSIB premiums may increase. And in the event of a serious incident, the lack of trained first aiders becomes a matter of record.

But the real cost is the one you cannot put a number on: a preventable death or permanent injury because no one in the room knew what to do.

How to Build a First Aid Culture at Work

• Train beyond the minimum. The regulation sets the floor. Train more people than required so coverage isn’t lost to vacation, sick days, or turnover
• Post your trained responders. Employees should know who is first aid certified and where the first aid kit and AED are located
• Run annual drills. Practice activating your emergency response plan. A plan that lives only on paper is not a plan
• Restock first aid kits quarterly. Supplies get used, expire, or disappear. Assign someone to check
• Integrate first aid into onboarding. New employees should know the location of first aid supplies and who to contact from day one

Honour the Day with Action

The best way to honour workers who have been lost is to protect the ones who are still here. A moment of silence is important. Training that prevents the next tragedy is essential. If your workplace first aid certificates are approaching expiry, or if you have never met the minimum requirements, now is the time to act.