The John Petropoulos Memorial Fund (JPMF) is a charity dedicated to promoting workplace and road safety to ensure everyone, including emergency responders, makes it home safely. Established in memory of Constable John Petropoulos, who tragically fell to his death in 2000 while on duty, the Fund initially focused on raising awareness about creating safe environments for emergency workers. Over time, its mission expanded to address workplace safety for all, driven by the alarming reality that over 20,000 Canadians have lost their lives due to workplace injuries or illnesses since John’s passing. Through safety initiatives, public education, and proceeds from Maryanne Pope’s book “A Widow’s Awakening”, the JPMF strives to cultivate a culture where no worker’s life is lost in the line of duty—because one fatality is one too many.
Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.
The John Petropoulos Memorial Fund (JPMF) is a Canadian charity that raises public awareness about the importance of workplace safety for ALL Canadians, including emergency responders. The JPMF was started in 2000, after the on-duty death of Calgary Police Officer Constable John Petropoulos.
What problem does it aim to solve?
Our goal is to help bring about a culture of safety in Canada whereby everyone gets home safely from work. We are doing this by raising awareness about the importance of workplace safety, by educating people about how and why they can make their workplaces – and the roads – safer for everyone, including first responders.
When did you start/join the charity?
Constable John Petropoulos was a Calgary Police officer who died in the line of duty on Sept 29th, 2000. John was investigating a break-and-enter complaint at a warehouse when he fell through an unmarked false ceiling because there was no safety railing in place to warn him – or anyone else – of the danger. John died of a brain injury. He was 32. Shortly after his death, several of his police recruit classmates started the JPMF and asked me if, when I was ready, would I like to be involved. I said yes. Twenty-five years later the JPMF is still going strong, raising public awareness about the importance of workplace safety for all workers, including first responders.
What made you want to get involved?
John’s death could have easily been prevented if a safety railing had been in place. What happened to John could have happened to anyone, so we decided to tackle the issue that led to John’s death: unsafe workplaces. I knew first-hand how horrific it is to lose a loved one as the result of a workplace fatality that could have easily been prevented. Working with the JPMF in the early days was extremely difficult and painful – but it was worth it because even if our efforts prevented just one fatality or serious injury, that was better than doing nothing in the wake of John’s death.
What was the situation like when you started?
We started the JPMF from scratch. Immediately after John died, his police recruit classmates created memorial pins with John’s police regimental number on them – and sold them to police officers, friends & family. Over $10,000 was raised by the time of John’s funeral. Then the police officers asked me to be involved with how the money was to be spent – and we decided to tackle the issue of workplace safety. In the year that John died, nearly 1000 other Canadian workers died.
Since John’s death in 2000, more than 24,000 Canadians have died as a result of their work – either through injury or occupational illness. The annual average of workplace fatalities in Canada continues to be about 1000 per year. This is a staggering – and unacceptable – cumulative loss of life.
How has it changed since?
Not much, unfortunately. Sadly, the statistics indicate that since John died in 2000, approximately 1000 workers a year have died as a result of their work (injury or illness). Clearly, this is an issue that still very much needs to be addressed.
What more needs to be done?
For starters, more public awareness is needed about the staggering loss of life. Workplace safety is a very complicated issue with many facets. There are no simple solutions – but other countries (such as the UK) have demonstrated that the number of worker fatalities CAN be significantly lowered when there is the political and corporate will to do so.
How can our readers help?
Readers can help by taking some time to view & share some of our safety videos & messages here.
Every little bit of awareness helps…you just never know who sees a safety video that makes them think a little differently – and then perhaps make a small change that ends up saving a life.
Do you have any events coming up?
We will be having a 25th-anniversary event in September 2025. Details are to be announced on the JPMF website.
The JPMF is also in the early stages of producing a limited documentary series (tentatively titled “Complacent”) about the workplace safety issue in Canada. We want to dive deep into this issue and get to the root of WHY 1000 Canadian workers are dying every year…and thousands more are seriously injured.
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PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?
We love a like-minded charity called “Threads of Life; Association for Workplace Tragedy Family Support“. Like the JPMF, Threads of a Life is a charity that was started after the easily preventable death of a Canadian worker.
