The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) has been aware of the ongoing contract negotiations between OPSEU (Ontario Public Service Employees Union) and TSSA (Technical Standards & Safety Authority) since July; and have been vigilantly preparing for the return of the Fair to ensure that any potential labour disruption would not significantly impact our operations nor compromise the safety of our staff, vendors and patrons.
Each year the rides and food installations at the CNE are inspected by regulatory authorities prior to and during all 18-days of the Fair. TSSA management have taken proactive measures including travelling to other Fair sites to conduct inspections in advance of the equipment’s arrival at the CNE.
Safety is a top priority, and the CNE maintains the highest safety standards in the industry. In addition to TSSA inspections and certifications, the CNE dedicates a significant amount of resources to deploy its own third-party safety consultants and certified engineers to ensure that all rides and installations at the event exceed safety standards. We want to assure our patrons that the CNE is safe; irrespective of the ongoing labour dispute between TSSA and OPSEU.
We encourage the OPSEU Local 546 and the TSSA management negotiating teams to return to the bargaining table. It is our hope that a collective agreement can be negotiated on an expedited basis so that the TSSA can return to full staff to facilitate its role in safeguarding the industry.