Fitness For Duty Summit

About

Agenda

Speaker Bios

Sponsors

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2025 Virtual Fitness For Duty Summit - REGISTER TODAY!

Tickets Available Now!

We are excited to announce we will be hosting the 8th Annual Fitness For Duty Summit virtually on Wednesday, October 29, 2025! Stay tuned for the full 2025 agenda.

Tickets:

The more you purchase, the more you save!
If you purchase packages of 3+ or 5+ tickets, you can save up to 20%!

Regular Price: $249.99*

3 Plus Tickets Purchased - Ticket Price: $224.99 ea.*
5 Plus Tickets Purchased - Ticket Price: $199.99 ea.*

*Pricing is in CAD. Price does not include admin fee and HST.

What's Fitness For Duty Summit (FFDS)?

FFDS is an invaluable source of knowledge and practical insights for leaders in safety sensitive/safety critical workplaces, including trucking, transit, transportation, aviation, rail, marine, mining, oil & gas, construction, forestry, energy, manufacturing and healthcare.

This year, our experts will address topical workplace challenges employers face and provide insight on how to create a healthy and safe work environment, giving you the tools to be the spark that ignites change within your organization.

Don't miss this opportunity to connect, learn and transform your organization. Register now and join us as we unite professionals from across Canada in building a healthier and safer world!

Professional Developement Hours

Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals:

This event contains 6 course hours and would be eligible for BCRSP CPD points. See the BCRSP website at www.bcrsp.ca for CPD point criteria.

Agenda

Speakers & Topics:

This year, our experts will tackle the most important issues in drug and alcohol testing and occupational health and safety by providing valuable information and actionable strategies to ensure employees are fit to work.

From cannabis and impairing medications in the workplace to medical surveillance and best practices in employee wellness, FFDS promises an experience that will empower you to keep your workplace healthy and safe.

Dr. Melissa Snider-Adler

MD, CCFP(AM), MRO (AAMRO), DABAM, FASAM, Chief Medical Review Officer, DriverCheck Inc. Physician, Addiction Medicine

Rethinking Drug Testing In 2025: Revisiting the Gold Standard

A Critical Look at Evolving Technologies, THC Detection, and Canada's Leading Guidelines. As drug use patterns, legalization, and workplace expectations evolve, so too must our approach to drug testing. In this presentation, Dr. Melissa Snider-Adler explores why it's time to challenge the long-standing “gold standard” of drug testing. She will discuss the strengths and limitations of current testing modalities, including oral fluid and urine, revisit long-debated cut-off levels, and examine how THC testing must adapt in the context of cannabis legalization. The session will also provide insight into the most recent (2025) updates to Canada’s most influential workplace drug testing guidelines and position statements. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how to modernize testing programs to better reflect today’s scientific, legal, and workplace realities.

Don’t miss out on what could be the most important conversation about workplace testing this year!

Dr. Melissa Snider-Adler’s Bio

Dr. Jonathan W. Davids

MD, CCFP, FCFP, CCBOM, MRO, (AAMRO), Dip. SportMed, CD, Chief Medical Officer, DriverCheck

From Noise to Neurotoxins: Navigating Occupational Health Surveillance

This session breaks down the essentials of occupational health surveillance - what to test, when to test, and why it matters.

From hearing conservation to respiratory risks like silica and asbestos, to blood monitoring for lead or mercury exposure, we’ll walk through what a smart, compliant surveillance program looks like in action. Gain clarity on regulatory thresholds, medical testing triggers, and how to align your health monitoring with actual risk - not just policy.

Designed for Health & Safety leaders, HR, and Occupational Health professionals, this talk cuts through the noise (literally and figuratively) with strategic takeaways you can use right away.

Join our Chief Medical Officer as he reviews everything surrounding medical surveillance in the workplace.

Dr. Jonathan W. Davids’ Bio  

Christine Quick

RN, BScN, COHN (C), Senior Manager, Occupational Health Department, DriverCheck

Real Cases, Real Solutions with Christine Quick: Common Occupational Health Issues

Real Cases, Real Solutions - a crowd favourite at FFDS - is back by popular demand! Join DriverCheck’s Senior Manager of Occupational Health for Real Cases, Real Solutions, a dynamic presentation built around real-life workplace scenarios. You'll dive into powerful case studies that highlight how underlying medical conditions can impact attendance and performance and more importantly, how to tackle these challenges head-on.

Walk away with a deeper understanding of occupational health issues, industry best practices, and expert insights to help you navigate complex situations with confidence and care. If you deal with performance or absenteeism issues in your workplace, this is one session you don’t want to miss!

Christine Quick’ Bio  

Dr. Sebastian Straube 

BM BCh, MA (Oxon), DPhil 
Professor and Director, Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alberta  

A Fresh Look at Cannabis and Cannabis Products, Considering Safety Implications in the Workplace 

As cannabis products continue to evolve and gain popularity, so do the challenges they pose in safety-sensitive and decision-critical work environments. In this session, we’ll explore the latest science and controversies surrounding cannabis products including cannabidiol (CBD), from issues around product labelling and effectiveness to the real risks related to workplace safety. Referencing the updated 2025 OEMAC position statement, this talk will equip attendees with up-to-date knowledge on the safety of these substances, and their broader implications for fitness for duty. 

Dr. Sebastian Straube’ Bio  

Andrew Holmes  

RPSGT, Founder & Corporate Sleep Consultant, Sleep Efficiency Inc.  

The Science of Sleep 

Sleep affects everything from our physical and mental health to our ability to stay safe and focused on the job. In this engaging and informative session, renowned sleep expert Andrew Holmes unpacks the science behind quality rest and explores how fatigue directly impacts our performance, decision-making, and safety. Drawing on real-world examples and the latest research, he dives into the physiological processes that occur while we sleep, highlights the risks associated with sleep deprivation, and sheds light on common sleep disorders like insomnia, sleep apnea, and narcolepsy. Attendees will walk away with a deeper understanding of how poor sleep contributes to workplace incidents and long-term health challenges and, more importantly, with practical, evidence-based strategies to improve sleep quality, boost alertness, and create safer, healthier working environments. Don’t miss this must-attend session designed to educate, energize, and inspire change because better sleep isn’t just a personal win; it’s a workplace necessity. 

Andrew Holmes’ Bio  

Cathie Hartnett 

Executive Director, Global Recovery Initiatives Foundation  

Creating a Recovery Friendly Workplace: Certification, Tools & Real-Life Impact  

Presented by the Recovery Friendly Workplace Institute, a program of the Global Recovery Initiatives Foundation, this session explores how employers can build supportive, substance-aware workplaces. You’ll learn about the research behind the Institute’s employer toolkit and the pillars of their new Recovery Friendly Workplace (RFW) Certification, education, culture, benefits, hiring, and retention. 

Jo McGuire, Executive Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association (NDASA), joins the session to share NDASA’s experience as a certified RFW and its efforts to promote the program across its network. 

The session will include real examples from certified organizations and practical guidance on safety, drug testing, return-to-work policies, recovery coaching, and supporting employees with loved ones facing substance use challenges. 

Cathie Hartnett’ Bio  

View our Speakers’ Bios

2025 Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors and partners. We are always excited to hear from organizations who wish to work with the Fitness For Duty Summit.

If your organization wishes to sponsor the Fitness For Duty Summit or partner with us, please send an email to Stephen Cooper, Marketing Manager, DriverCheck: SCooper@DriverCheck.ca

Check Out OUR SPonsorship Package Here

Gowling WLG

With more than 1,500 legal professionals in cities worldwide, we provide our clients with in-depth experience in key global sectors and a suite of legal services at home and abroad. We see the world through our clients' eyes, and collaborate across countries, offices, sectors and service areas to help them succeed, no matter how challenging the circumstances.  

Learn more about gowlingwlg.com 

PRIVATE MOTOR TRUCK COUNCIL OF CANADA - PMTC 

PMTC is your best source of information on issues affecting fleet operations.  Without the PMTC,  fleet managers could spend a great deal of their own time searching for the information they need to keep up to date with rapidly changing regulations that affect fleet operations. 
 
Membership gives you the equivalent of an extra office – one that is a resource for transportation and labour questions, information, and issues that fleet managers must deal with. The PMTC helps you keep your fleet running smoothly and without incident. 
 
Because our members are seldom in competition with one another they are often willing to share information or advice, and as a PMTC member you have access to the experience of those fleet managers. Our office is adept at finding other fleets willing to share experience in areas in which you have questions. 
 
PMTC ensures that its members have current information with respect to regulatory change and management practices. We do this through a communications program that includes a monthly newsletter, a magazine, an electronic bulletin service, our website, seminars dealing with current issues, and our annual conference.   
 
The PMTC is well known for effectively educating government about the issues affecting the transportation industry.  

To learn more, visit: www.pmtc.ca  

DYNACARE 

A safe and healthy workplace is critical to the success of any organization, that’s why Dynacare Workplace offers a comprehensive menu of services designed to help companies monitor the well-being of their employees, minimize their health risks, and promote wellness in the workplace. 

Canada’s leader in workplace drug testing, Dynacare offers testing at facilities nationally to ensure employees are fit for duty. We offer an extensive drug testing menu with a wide range of regulated (DOT) and non-regulated testing through our SAMHSA, IITF and ISO 17025 certified laboratories.  We also offer a wide range of point of care testing kits. 

You can rely on Dynacare with confidence for workplace testing solutions from accurate sample analysis to results reporting.  We are committed to being your partner for workplace testing improving the health and wellbeing of Canadians.   

For more information about Dynacare Workplace toxicology testing, please contact us at drugtesting@dynacare.ca  

To learn more, visit: https://www.dynacare.ca/ 

LEAD PEDAL MEDIA - LEAD PEDAL PODCAST  

Media Solutions for the Transportation Industry 

To learn more, visit: www.leadpedalmedia.com 

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