Ontario Government Announces Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Coverage Expansion For 29,000 Frontline Care Workers

The Ontario Government says it is taking action to strengthen workplace safety protections for 29,000 additional frontline care workers by extending mandatory Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) coverage, announced in Hamilton on Wednesday.

Screenshot.

The expansion applies to all privately operated residential care facilities, retirement homes, and group homes. Examples of possible eligible workers include personal support workers, registered nurses, social workers, occupational therapists and operations staff.

It closes a long-standing gap that has left thousands of workers without protection if they are injured or become ill on the job and is another step in our government’s plan to protect workers and build a more resilient Ontario, stated David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

“Every day, frontline care workers show up to support people who rely on them,” he said. “They do this work with compassion and dedication, and they deserve to know they’ll be protected if something goes wrong. By extending WSIB coverage across the sector, we’re closing long-standing gaps and making sure no worker caring for others in these facilities is left without support when they need it most.”

The legislation, if passed, would provide workers in all privately operated residential care facilities with the same protections as workers doing the same job in a publicly operated facility, creating a level playing field, improving safety outcomes, and ensuring consistent protections for workers doing the same work regardless of who operates the facility.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Tiktok, Youtube and LinkedIn. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for our newsletter here.