Sofina Foods Inc., as an employer, pleaded guilty on June 18 in the Edmonton Court of Justice to one count under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act for failing to ensure the health and safety of a worker. Under a creative sentence, the company was ordered to pay $330,000 to the Alberta Food Processors Association to develop a training program aimed at the food processing industry with a focused component on working in confined spaces. The Crown withdrew 25 other counts.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred at the company’s food processing facility in Edmonton on March 2, 2023. A worker was found unconscious inside a smokehouse and later died.
The OHS Act provides a creative sentence option in which funds that would otherwise be paid as fines are directed to an organization or project to improve or promote workplace health and safety.
Both the company and the Crown have up to 30 days to appeal the conviction or penalties.
Alberta’s OHS laws set basic health and safety rules for workplaces across the province. They provide guidance for employers to help them ensure their workplaces are as healthy and safe as possible while providing rights and protections for workers. Charges under OHS laws may be laid when failing to follow the rules results in a workplace fatality or serious injury.
Quick facts
- Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration does not provide sentence documents. These are available through the Edmonton Court of Justice.
- Victim fine surcharges apply to fines payable to the Crown. They are not applied to payments to other entities under creative sentences.
- Fatality investigation summaries are posted to alberta.ca/fatality-investigation-summaries 60 to 90 days after court proceedings conclude.