Safe workplaces rewarded with rebates
By: Sandi Krasowski, Local Journalism Initiative ReporterSource: The Chronicle-Journal
Eligible businesses in Thunder Bay and area will receive a portion of $17 million in surplus funds from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).
On Monday, the WSIB announced the return of another $2 billion in surplus funds to eligible safe Ontario businesses, each of which received its portion by Oct. 31. The fall rebate is the second surplus distribution this year and the third in the WSIB’s history.
The portions returned equate to about 61 per cent of the premiums paid by average businesses in 2024.
In Thunder Bay, the fall $17 million is in addition to a spring rebate of $18 million, totalling $25 million in 2025.
“Our job is to help people recover and safely return to work after an injury, and we’re doing it better than ever,” Jeff Lang, WSIB president and chief executive officer, told The Chronicle-Journal.
“This means we’re able to offer certainty to people that we’ll be here to help if they need us, and certainty to businesses that we’re offering value for the premium dollars they pay and can deliver a surplus rebate at a time when they need it most.”
Lang says that on top of the surplus rebates, the average premium rate will be cut for the seventh time in the last 10 years, starting Jan. 1, 2026.
“The average premium rate is now less than half of what it was in 2016 and the lowest in more than 50 years, ” Lang said.
“In total, average premium rate reductions have resulted in cumulative savings for businesses of approximately $21.5 billion over the last decade.”
Jules Tupker, a board member and spokesperson for the Thunder Bay Injured Support Workers Group, says it’s pretty obvious where that money should go.
“Clearly, the surplus money that WSIB has, most of that should be going to the injured workers,” Tupker said.
“It’s money that is paid by employers to make sure that Injured workers are provided proper compensation.”
He added that there are thousands of workers who are fighting the compensation board, trying to receive proper compensation and fighting for years, and others who need to get back to work and there are no jobs, so they’re not receiving compensation at all.
“Over the last six years, they’ve returned $10 billion to employers, including this fall’s $2 billion.
“The employers are paying way less for compensation and yet they still make $2 billion extra in March of this year, and then $2 billion in November of last year, and $2 billion the year before,” Tupker said.
“There’s so much money that should be going to injured workers and fundamental injured workers’ support groups.”
Tupker added that they receive phone calls regularly from workers who are struggling to make ends meet, trying to obtain compensation for a workplace injury and end up being denied by the compensation board.
“And that’s where they’re saving a lot of their money.”
Charla Robinson, president of the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce, explained that premiums paid by businesses differ and are based on a percentage of their total payroll.
“The government is basically rebating that money back to those businesses that have a good safety record,” she said. “Businesses have to meet certain requirements and employers that meet the criteria based on not having work time accidents actually receive the credit right back on their WSIB account.
