Federal investigators probing workplace death in Johnstown, Ont.
Federal regulators are investigating a workplace death that happened last week at the Port of Johnstown, Ont.
Steven Lennon, 53, died on the job just before 2 p.m. last Tuesday, according to police. Lennon was an employee of Logistec, a marine cargo handling company. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Logistec is the parent company of Rideau Bulk Terminals, where the death happened.
The Labour Program, a federal institution that is part of Employment and Social Development Canada, is investigating the fatal incident because port services that cross provincial or international borders are federally regulated.
"The Government of Canada extends its deepest condolences to the families, friends, and coworkers of the victim of the fatal incident that occurred at Johnstown Port on January 24, 2023," an ESDC spokesperson said in a statement.
Lennon was from St-Bruno-de-Montarville, an eastern suburb of Montreal. It's unclear what happened that caused his death.
A spokesperson for Logistec, Katia Reyburn, said the company is providing assistance to the family and co-workers affected, and is fully cooperating with the federal investigation.
Logistec operates in more than 54 ports and 80 terminals across North America. The company employs about 3,200 people and has been operating for more than 65 years in North America.
Reyburn added that working at ports can be risky, and that health and safety is the company's number one priority.
The results of the probe won't be released publicly, the ESDC statement said. The Canada Labour Code limits the sharing of the investigative report to the workplace parties because they contain personal information.
"If non-compliance is identified, the Labour Program will ensure the employer’s compliance by enforcing Part II of the Code through a series of escalating actions, depending on the seriousness of the contravention and the workplace parties’ willingness to comply."
The company spokesperson said they would share more information publicly if they could once the investigation wraps up. It's unclear how long it will take.
Johnstown is on the St. Lawrence River about 90 kilometres south of Ottawa, near Prescott.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.