Annual event spotlights AI, mental health and community impact in workplace safety
Safety professionals from across Atlantic Canada will gather in Halifax next month as Safety Services Nova Scotia hosts its 44th annual Workplace Health and Safety Conference, one of the largest events of its kind in the region. The conference runs March 25–27, 2026, at the Westin Nova Scotian Hotel.
Business operations manager Dakota Francis says interest is strong, with the majority of space already spoken for. “We’ve already sold out over 75% of our conference, so momentum has been building very rapidly,” she says.
The three-day event brings together workplace health and safety stakeholders from across the region, including leaders, committee members and front-line workers from a range of industries. Francis emphasizes that the programming is deliberately designed to be relevant “whether you’re a leader or on the safety committee or you’re in manufacturing on the floor,” with sessions that “cater to everyone’s title or level of safety.”
Keynotes bookend a packed program
The conference will open with a keynote from Jon Montgomery, Olympic gold medallist and host of The Amazing Race Canada, who will set a motivational tone for the two main conference days. The closing keynote takes the event in a different direction with certified hypnotist Jason Cyrus delivering a session titled Achieve the Unthinkable. Francis says the closing address is intended to be both entertaining and thought‑provoking, exploring how hypnosis can “rewire the brain to unlock untapped potential” and ensure delegates leave on a memorable note.
Between those bookends, the program features close to 40 speakers over two full conference days, organized into multiple concurrent streams. Safety Services Nova Scotia has again structured the agenda around thematic tracks, including health and wellness, safety, professional and advanced, technical and legislation, and a new technology and cybersecurity stream.
Theme looks “a path forward” on AI and technology
This year’s theme, A Path Forward, reflects how quickly technology and artificial intelligence are transforming work — and safety practice itself. Francis says the organization is seeing “a lot of AI, a lot of tech right now, just in general, but especially when it comes to safety,” and wanted the program to help professionals navigate both opportunities and risks.
Sessions within the technology and cybersecurity stream will explore how AI tools can support documentation, analysis and decision‑making, while also addressing ethical concerns, data security and worker privacy. Other streams will focus on issues such as indoor air quality, psychological safety, harassment investigations and leadership in high‑risk environments, reflecting the broad scope of occupational health and safety challenges facing Canadian employers today.
To help delegates manage the busy agenda, organizers are repeating several high‑interest sessions. With seven to eight concurrent sessions running at a time, Francis says some topics will be offered more than once because “we know people are going to want to take those sessions in,” particularly those tied to technology and other hot‑button themes.
Networking, East Coast hospitality and community reinvestment
Beyond the classroom, the conference is positioning itself as a major networking hub for the region’s safety community. A highlight is the East Coast Conference Party on the first evening, featuring live music, prize draws and social time after formal sessions wrap up. This year’s event will feature local band Big Fish, along with food, a bar and opportunities for delegates to connect with peers and exhibitors.
Francis notes that Safety Services Nova Scotia is a non‑profit registered charity, and conference revenues are channelled back into programming and the community. “All the fees that go to the conference, registration fees, they’re reinvested back into our business, which in turn gets reinvested back into the communities,” she says. This year, the organization is distributing $25,000 in grants to community groups, funded in part through conference proceeds.
For health and safety leaders still considering whether to attend, Francis frames the event as both a learning opportunity and a chance to contribute to broader safety culture in the province. With education in occupational health and safety under growing scrutiny, she says the conference offers “a great networking opportunity for safety professionals” and a place “everyone will be able to find something that can teach them something new.”
