SWITCH BC (Safety, Wellbeing, Innovation, Training & Collaboration in Healthcare

What SWITCH BC (Safety, Wellbeing, Innovation, Training & Collaboration in Healthcare does

SWITCH BC (legal name: British Columbia Health Care Occupational Health and Safety Society) is a not-for-profit organization incorporated in November 2020 under the Societies Act and operational since 2022, headquartered in Vancouver, B.C. It is governed by a consensus Board of Directors comprising six union directors, six employer directors, one Doctors of BC director, plus non-voting observers from the Ministry of Health and WorkSafeBC, with the Chair appointed by the B.C. Minister of Health. The organization delivers occupational health, safety, and wellbeing programs to over 330,000 people working in healthcare across British Columbia.

Its product portfolio consists of four core programs. (1) The OHS Resource Centre, a digital meeting and committee management platform for Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees, now live at Interior Health, Island Health, Providence Health Care, and Vancouver Coastal Health, with 2,962 users and 261 JOHSCs at 96% combined health organization adoption. (2) The Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum (PVPC), a mandatory 3.5-hour eLearning course available through LearningHub and iLearn across all B.C. health authorities and via SafeCare BC to affiliate workplaces, with a refreshed version released in February 2026 and facilitator-led training under development for 2026–2027. (3) The Community Physician Health and Safety (CPHS) Program, including a self-serve web portal serving 1,738 physicians and staff, 113 completed clinic assessments at 93% satisfaction, free in-person advisor visits, and the SWITCH Bot chatbot launched in April 2026. (4) The Psychological Health and Safety (PHS) Program, comprising a PHS Toolkit for JOHSCs (167 committees engaged, 469 JOHSC members contributing), a Psychological Health and Safety Management System (PHSMS) aligned with the National Standard of Canada, and the Trust Initiative research partnership with the University of Victoria School of Nursing. The Health and Safety Management System (HSMS) framework and Mental Wellbeing resources round out the portfolio, all aligned with CSA standards.

SWITCH BC generates no commercial revenue. It is funded through the B.C. Ministry of Health, the Nurses' Bargaining Association, the Facilities Bargaining Association, and the Physician Master Agreement negotiated by Doctors of BC and the Ministry of Health, with all programs and resources provided free of charge to healthcare workers and organizations in B.C. GTM is sales-led at the institutional level via health authorities, unions, SafeCare BC, and the Doctors of BC physician network, with digital channels (website, newsletter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube) supporting awareness and monthly webinars supporting onboarding. The organization does not have a parent company, is not publicly traded, and is domiciled in British Columbia, Canada.

Name

SWITCH BC (Safety, Wellbeing, Innovation, Training & Collaboration in Healthcare

Legal name

British Columbia Health Care Occupational Health and Safety Society

Website

https://switchbc.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SWITCH BC is a not-for-profit organization delivering occupational health, safety, and wellbeing programs—including the OHS Resource Centre, PVPC violence prevention training, and the CPHS physician portal—to over 330,000 healthcare workers across British Columbia, funded by government and union stakeholders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Occupational Health and Safety Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Workplace Change Management & Communications (BPABAFAK)

Keywords

• Occupational health safety
• Violence prevention training
• Psychological health safety
• Healthcare worker wellbeing
• Joint health safety committees

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government and Stakeholder Funding: SWITCH BC is funded through the Ministry of Health, Nurses' Bargaining Association, Facilities Bargaining Association, and Physician Master Agreement negotiated by Doctors of BC and Ministry of Health. As a not-for-profit organization, it does not generate commercial revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SWITCH BC is a not-for-profit provincial organization that develops and delivers occupational health, safety, and wellbeing programs for the more than 330,000 healthcare workers in British Columbia. Its core offerings include the OHS Resource Centre (a digital committee management platform for Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees), the Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum (PVPC) eLearning training, a Psychological Health and Safety Program with supporting Toolkit, the Community Physician Health and Safety Program with web portal, and Health and Safety Management System frameworks aligned with CSA standards.

Product overview

SWITCH BC operates as a platform organization offering multiple interconnected occupational health and safety products and programs for British Columbia's healthcare sector. The core portfolio consists of the OHS Resource Centre (a digital committee management platform), Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum (PVPC) with eLearning and upcoming facilitator-led training, Psychological Health and Safety Program with JOHSC toolkit, Community Physician Health and Safety Program with web portal, and Health/Safety Management System frameworks aligned with CSA standards. These products work together to provide provincewide coverage for workplace health, safety, and wellbeing across all healthcare settings, supported by training resources and a chatbot assistant called SWITCH Bot.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OHS Resource Centre A province-wide digital meeting and committee management platform for Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees (JOHSC) that provides training videos, manuals, quick start guides, step-by-step guides, and webinars to support committees in fulfilling their workplace health and safety duties.
• Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum (PVPC) Mandatory health and safety training for everyone working in healthcare in B.C. that prepares workers to recognize and respond to workplace violence. Includes a 3.5-hour eLearning course available across all health authorities and SafeCare BC, with facilitator-led training in development.
• Psychological Health and Safety (PHS) Program A coordinated province-wide approach to improve the wellbeing of over 330,000 people working in healthcare, providing resources, practical tools, and support including a PHS Toolkit for JOHSCs, Measurement and Evaluation Framework, Community of Practice, and Trust Initiative.
• Community Physician Health and Safety (CPHS) Program Program providing tools and resources for community physicians and their support staff to enhance workplace health and safety, including psychological and physical health, violence prevention, injury prevention, and regulatory compliance. Includes a web portal, clinic assessments, and health and safety advisors.
• Health and Safety Management System (HSMS) A provincial framework aligned with Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standards that provides a set of plans, actions, and systems to support the creation of a culture of safety across healthcare workplaces in B.C.
• Psychological Health and Safety Management System (PHSMS) A provincial framework for implementing the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace, promoting psychological wellbeing and actively preventing harm to worker mental health for over 300,000 healthcare workers.
• CPHS Web Portal Web-based portal allowing community physicians to build their own health and safety programs with modules, tools, and resources. Includes a Certificate of Completion feature and SWITCH Bot chatbot assistance.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2x more likely to be injured at work compared to average B.C. worker
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Nurses' Bargaining AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Funding partner for OHS Resource Centre development alongside Facilities Bargaining Association and Ministry of Health.
• Facilities Bargaining AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Funding partner for OHS Resource Centre development alongside Nurses' Bargaining Association and Ministry of Health.
• BC Nurses' Union (BCNU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021Union representing nurses in B.C. Nominated representative serves on SWITCH BC Board. Partners on violence prevention and psychological health and safety initiatives.
• Hospital Employees' Union (HEU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021Union representing hospital and healthcare workers. Nominated representative serves on SWITCH BC Board through Facilities Bargaining Association.
• BC General Employees' Union (BCGEU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021Union representing government and broader public sector workers. Nominated representative serves on SWITCH BC Board.
• Health Sciences Association (HSA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021Union representing health science professionals. Nominated representative serves on SWITCH BC Board.
• Ambulance Paramedics and Ambulance Dispatchers Bargaining Association (APADBA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021Bargaining association for ambulance paramedics and dispatchers. Nominated representative serves on SWITCH BC Board.
• Doctors of BCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021Professional association for physicians in B.C. Nominated representative serves on SWITCH BC Board. Co-development partner for Community Physician Health and Safety Program through Physician Master Agreement.
• Resident Doctors of BCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021Organization representing medical residents in B.C. Nominated representative serves on SWITCH BC Board.
• Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021Association representing healthcare employers. Nominates employer representatives to SWITCH BC Board.
• Interior HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021Regional health authority serving interior B.C. Nominated representative on SWITCH BC Board. User organization for OHS Resource Centre.
• Island HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021Regional health authority serving Vancouver Island. Nominated representative on SWITCH BC Board. User organization for OHS Resource Centre.
• Vancouver Coastal HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021Regional health authority serving coastal B.C. including Vancouver. Nominated representative on SWITCH BC Board. User organization for OHS Resource Centre.
• Fraser HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021Regional health authority serving Fraser Valley region. Nominated representative on SWITCH BC Board.
• Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021Provincial health authority. Nominated representative on SWITCH BC Board. Operates LearningHub platform for PVPC eLearning delivery.
• Ministry of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2020Primary government funder and governance partner. The Ministry of Health has overall accountability for the provincial healthcare system and provides funding for SWITCH BC programs including Psychological Health and Safety initiatives.
• WorkSafeBCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2020Government agency with mandates for occupational health and safety regulations and worker insurance. Participates in SWITCH BC governance as a non-voting Board member and observer.
• SafeCare BCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting continuing care providers with health and safety. Affiliate representative on SWITCH BC Board. Delivers PVPC training to affiliate healthcare workplaces.
• University of Victoria School of NursingsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in the Trust Initiative exploring healthcare worker trust in the B.C. healthcare system, in collaboration with Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC and SWITCH BC.
• Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of British ColumbiasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association collaborating on the Trust Initiative research project examining psychological health and safety in healthcare.
• BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)secondaryOthersProvincial public health service providing surveillance, prevention, and health promotion. Referenced as resource for community physicians.
• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)secondaryOthersFederal government organization promoting workplace health and safety. Referenced as resource for workplace health and safety information.
• Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC)secondaryOthersNational organization leading mental health initiatives. Developed the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace that SWITCH BC implements.
• Canadian Standards Association (CSA) GroupsecondaryOthersStandards development organization. Develops CSA standards for psychological health and safety and physicians' office equipment that inform SWITCH BC programs.
• First Nations Health Authority (FNHA)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederally funded organization improving health services for Indigenous individuals and communities. Collaborates on healthcare workforce initiatives.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WorkSafeBC: B.C.'s workers' compensation and occupational health and safety regulator. Comparable as the primary OHS authority whose regulations and standards SWITCH BC aligns with, and which sits as a non-voting observer on SWITCH BC's Board.
• Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI): International organization driving healthcare quality and safety improvement. Comparable as a broader healthcare quality/safety body offering training, frameworks, and resources at scale — operates globally rather than a single provincial model.
• Healthcare Excellence Canada: National organization advancing healthcare quality and safety. Comparable in addressing healthcare worker safety and patient safety standards across Canada, though operating at a broader national scale rather than a single province's consensus model.
• Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC): National organization leading workplace psychological health and safety in Canada. Comparable as the developer of the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety that SWITCH BC implements through its PHSMS.
• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS): Federal Canadian government organization promoting workplace OHS. Comparable as a national-level provider of OHS information and resources that SWITCH BC references for community physicians.

Regional players

• Saskatchewan Association for Healthcare Safety (SAFEsask): Saskatchewan-based provider of OHS services including for healthcare. Comparable as a provincial OHS organization in the healthcare space where CEO Victoria Schmid previously led safety work, but operating in a different geography.

Direct peers

• BC Patient Safety & Quality Council: B.C.-based council providing leadership on patient safety and healthcare quality. Comparable as a B.C. health-system quality/safety organization with similar stakeholder engagement model and focus on provincial improvement.
• HIROC (Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada): Canadian healthcare safety and risk-management organization serving hospitals and health systems. Comparable as a multi-stakeholder healthcare safety and risk organization with similar advisory and training services for healthcare providers.
• SafeCare BC: B.C.-based health and safety association focused on the continuing care sector. Directly comparable as a B.C. healthcare workplace safety organization with overlapping mandate, affiliate Board representation on SWITCH BC, and delivery channel for PVPC training.

Others

• Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group): Standards development organization whose CSA standards (Health Safety Management System, Psychological Health and Safety, physicians' office equipment) underpin SWITCH BC's HSMS and PHSMS frameworks. Comparable as an enabler/standards-setter rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7CYALuvaxYIMKD4CUSvIMQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/switchbc
• Instagraminstagram.com/switchbchealth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about SWITCH BC (Safety, Wellbeing, Innovation, Training & Collaboration in Healthcare