ESA President and CEO Named One of Canada’s Top Women in Safety

March 7, 2025

The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) is proud to announce that Josie Erzetic, President and CEO at ESA, has been named one of Canada’s Top Women in Safety by the Canadian Occupational Safety (COS) magazine for 2025. The awards recognize exceptional female leaders who shatter glass ceilings while influencing the health and safety sector — a designation that is especially meaningful as we get ready to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th.

Josie was appointed as the first female President and CEO of ESA in 2022. ESA is Ontario’s electrical safety regulator and has a mandate to improve public electrical safety on behalf of the provincial government. Since her appointment, Josie has advanced ESA’s electrical safety mission by partnering with industry, expanding collaboration with other safety agencies, digitizing processes that foster compliance and using data to identify electrical safety issues of greatest risk to Ontarians. 

Josie has also championed an inclusive workplace culture for everyone at ESA, and serves as the chair of the company’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Steering Committee. In addition to growing ESA’s cultural awareness and education programs, Josie has overseen the creation of a Truth and Reconciliation Action

Plan to foster outreach to Indigenous communities, along with a provincial partnership with Jill of All Trades — an organization aimed at encouraging young women to pursue a skilled trades career.       

“Congratulations are in order for Josie on this well-deserved and prestigious recognition,” said Arjan Arenja, Chair of the Board of Directors at ESA. “As ESA embraces the transformations underway in Ontario’s energy landscape, Josie’s leadership will empower our organization to guide both the sector and the public through these changes with a steady hand and clear vision for safety.”

After learning about her award, Josie Erzetic expressed, “it is an honour to be recognized as a Top Woman in Safety by COS this year. I am incredibly proud to lead ESA’s committed employees, as well as work with industry colleagues and safety partners who firmly believe in our vision of an Ontario where people can live, work and play safe from electrical harm.” Josie noted, “many of ESA’s electrical safety experts are women.  With Ontario embarking on a significant energy transition, we need to ensure we attract all the top talent available, so it is important to continue to encourage women to either remain in or join the electricity and safety sectors.”  

COS Top Women in Safety award winners are selected from hundreds of nominations and are chosen based on their contributions to the health and safety sector and for advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Source