Ontario has proposed regulations to protect workers in the province from heat-related illnesses amid rising extreme temperatures across Canada due to climate change.

The proposed bill will provide "standalone" regulation for heat stress under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, with different requirements for all workplaces.

The proposal will require workplaces to comply with heat stress exposure limits for light to very heavy workloads according to the methods used to determine heat exposure.

Employers will also be required to implement measures to control heat exposure and provide workers with information and training on how to recognize the signs of heat-related illnesses.

The proposal submitted by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development noted that an analysis is underway to assess the impact of these regulations.

The ministry also stated that extreme temperatures "pose an increasing risk to the health of workers in Ontario" and that heat waves and heat-related illnesses "are expected to become more frequent."