Charity outlines plans and priorities during partner recognition event
Threads of Life used its second annual Partner Recognition virtual event on April 8 to thank supporters and outline an ambitious slate of initiatives aimed at deepening family support and driving culture change around workplace safety in 2026.
Partners as “the loom” behind Threads of Life
Board chair Todd Smith opened the event by reminding partners that their backing is the backbone of the organization’s work supporting families affected by workplace tragedy. He described partners as “the structure that holds everything together,” noting that without their support “the safety net we provide for families across this country simply would not exist.”
Executive director Eugene Gutierrez framed 2026 as the first full year of a new chapter for Threads of Life. “We are no longer simply talking about a safer Canada. We are all actively building one,” he said, calling this period the organization’s “season of momentum.”
New training, platforms and outreach for 2026
A key pillar of that momentum is the new CORE 2026 pilot training event, launched in February to create “new networking and training avenues for our volunteers to ensure they feel empowered and connected.” Threads of Life is also piloting an online platform to connect family members and volunteers “in a safe place” and make peer support and knowledge-sharing available “whenever and wherever it’s needed.”
The organization is expanding its prevention voice, too. Gutierrez highlighted a new podcast, Steps That Matter, which shares “tips, insights, and stories” tied to the Steps for Life fundraising walks. Threads of Life is working with creative partners such as Collective IQ to “elevate our storytelling” and is exploring ways for supporters to visibly represent the cause in their daily lives, with more details expected later in the year.
Reaching young workers is another priority. Gutierrez noted the recent launch of a youth worker education task force “to help with more outreach efforts to try and reach the younger generation,” with the goal of instilling a safety-first mindset early so “we can see them carry that into their adult working life.”
Survey insights and a powerful family story
Marketing and communications manager Susan Haldane offered an early look at the 2026 State of Safety Survey, Threads of Life’s third annual national pulse check on employer attitudes and practices. The survey, conducted by Angus Reid with more than 1,000 business owners, hiring managers and decision-makers, is intended to “promote a national conversation about workplace health and safety” and give partners a different, Canada-wide perspective on safety culture.
Preliminary findings suggest employers are less complacent—fewer now say injuries are so rare that no one thinks about them—but there remains a gap between positive beliefs and actual programs and practices. Understaffing has emerged as the top barrier to improving health and safety, cited by 46% of respondents, up from 40% last year. Mental health pressures continue to climb, with 43% of companies reporting increased mental health challenges in the past year; of those, 86% are taking steps such as sick leave, EAPs or mental health training.
Threads of Life is also watching how technology may reshape prevention. A new survey question found only 12% of businesses are fully integrating or testing artificial intelligence to support their health and safety programs, suggesting AI adoption in this space is still in its early days.
The event closed with a powerful personal story from volunteer speaker Maria Tarenta, whose father was killed on the job when she was 13. Threads of Life, she said, gave her “the chance to be vulnerable and real” with her grief and ultimately helped her turn loss into advocacy for safer workplaces.
“In closing, the message I really want you to take home is that you uphold responsibility too, not just your employer,” Tarenta told attendees. “Please look out for one another. And if you see something, say something.”
