Labour unions are pushing back against the Ontario government’s announcement of proposed legislation to extend mandatory Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) coverage to approximately 29,000 frontline care workers, saying the measure leaves more than 1.5 million workers without protection.
The proposed legislation would extend coverage to workers in privately operated residential care facilities, including retirement homes, group homes, and foster homes – workplaces currently not subject to mandatory coverage under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act.
Eligible workers could include personal support workers, registered nurses, social workers, and occupational therapists, subject to final regulatory definitions following consultations.
But Fred Hahn, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario, called the expansion a “half-measure.”
“Over 1.5 million Ontario workers – child-care workers among them – are being told their safety isn’t a priority – and without mandatory coverage, too many employers will make sure it stays that way,” said Hahn. “The Ontario government needs to stop stalling and deliver universal WSIB coverage for every worker in this province. Workers can’t afford to wait.”
Harry Goslin, president of the Ontario Compensation Employees Union (OCEU), which represents approximately 3,800 workers at the WSIB and the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association, said the coverage gap is a crisis that incremental measures cannot fix.
“Nearly one in four workers in Ontario doesn’t have coverage,” said Goslin. “Slowly patching holes over the course of years is not an adequate solution. We need universal coverage, now. No worker should be left behind,” Goslin said.
OCEU also raised concerns about internal capacity at the WSIB, warning that a government-imposed hiring freeze will force existing workers to absorb higher caseloads, compounding delays for claimants and worsening recruitment and retention challenges at the board.
“Universal coverage is the only way to provide workers the confidence and safety they deserve. It will also be an economic boon, adding $205 million to Ontario’s economy while saving $100 million in OHIP costs,” said Goslin.
Ontario has noted that more than 75% of employers across most sectors are already subject to mandatory WSIB coverage requirements. The proposed legislation has not yet passed.
