Ford’s announcement that $4 billion in rebates will be paid out to Ontario employers is lauded as a positive step for Ontario, but this is a misdirection. The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, WSIB is not taxpayer funded. Employers pay premiums to ensure that when workers get injured on the job, they have coverage to help them recover.
The fact is that successive Conservative and Liberal governments have eroded our workers’ compensation system, limiting the scope of coverage and benefits. It is time to reverse this trend and expand coverage and benefits, prioritizing injured workers over rebates to employers.
Since 2017 the WSIB has, through rate reductions and direct refunds, given Ontario employers over $8 Billion. $5.5 Billion in direct refunds since 2022. But workers get nothing.
The $4 Billion refunding taking place in 2025 is not even tied to improving prevention and safety for workers. At a minimum, the refund should be required to prevent layoffs during the trade war with America.
Meanwhile, the workers at the WSIB are left with fewer resources than they need to provide the service the injured workers of Ontario deserve.
“Instead of handing billions back to the bosses, the Ford government should be looking to expand WSIB coverage to the over 1.56 million workers excluded from the WSIB,” said Harry Goslin, president of OCEU/CUPE 1750. “$4 billion could also be used to end hallway medicine, end the cuts to injured worker benefits and significantly improve accident prevention in Ontario.”
“WSIB refunds should come with a requirement to ensure Ontario jobs are protected during this trade war” added Nicole Francis, chief steward of OCEU/CUPE 1750. “Sadly, the government policy is based on the unrealistic hope that the $4 Billion gift will trickle down to protect Ontario workers.”