Protecting and Supporting Frontline Parks, Forestry, and Recreation Staff

As a result of these traumatic experiences on the job, their stress levels, mental health, and overall health, safety and wellbeing are greatly affected. When staff apply for a career with the City they are expected to perform work duties that bring them pride and fulfillment by utilizing their specialized skills to beautify public parks and green spaces. They are arborists, horticulturalists and turf maintenance specialists. However, due to the conditions present in parks across the City, exacerbated by the mental health, affordable housing, and addiction crises that the City of Toronto faces and is actively working to address, frontline Parks, Forestry and Recreation workers are in need of more support and new specialized training to address the crises. As an employer, the City of Toronto is responsible for preventing workplace illness and injury, both physically and mentally. We need to ensure we are providing all frontline staff with the training, protective equipment, and mental health supports they need to work safely to ensure their personal health and wellbeing.