A City of Toronto recreation worker has died after an incident at a Scarborough community centre early Wednesday.
Emergency crews were called to the Oakridge Community Recreation Centre, near Pharmacy Avenue and Danforth Avenue, after the employee was found unresponsive inside the facility. The worker was pronounced dead at the scene.
The worker’s identity has not been released. CityNews has reached out to the City of Toronto and Toronto police for comment.
In a statement issued Wednesday, CUPE Local 79 — the union representing the city’s recreation staff — said the employee had been working alone at the time of the incident.
“We are heartbroken to confirm that one of our members, a City of Toronto recreation worker, died early this morning while at work at the Oakridge Community Recreation Centre,” the union said. “We mourn the loss of a colleague and extend our deepest condolences to their loved ones and coworkers.”
The union called the circumstances “deeply troubling,” pointing to the City of Toronto’s Working Alone policy, which is intended to ensure staff have immediate access to help in an emergency.
“This tragedy also demands answers,” the statement continued. “It is deeply troubling that this worker was working alone. The City of Toronto has a Working Alone policy intended to protect workers and ensure immediate assistance in the event of an emergency. CUPE Local 79 will be working with the City of Toronto to ensure that this policy is enforced and whether it is adequate to protect workers.”
The Working Alone policy requires departments to assess risks, maintain communication procedures, and ensure workers can quickly summon assistance. The union says the incident raises serious questions about whether those safeguards were in place.
“No worker should be isolated, unprotected, or placed in a situation where help is not immediately available. Worker safety is non-negotiable,” the statement said. “We honour our fellow members by insisting that every worker comes home safe at the end of their shift.”
