Greetings,

As you know, the Doug Ford government has just called a provincial election to take place on February 27. The Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups (ONIWG) will be active during the election to bring our issues forward to all the political parties and engage them in discussions about how to improve our workers compensation system for everyone.

We recently have heard from the New Democratic Party about their position on changes to workers compensation, and it is pasted and attached below.

ONIWG will hold a gathering on zoom on Saturday, February 8 at 2 PM to reconnect with Injured workers and our allies and talk about how we can get our issues into the provincial election discussions.

I encourage you to share this information with your friends, families, and colleagues, your networks, and join us next Saturday to talk about how we can make the system better for all workers.

Thanks,

ONTARIO ELECTION JUST CALLED

 

What are each political party plans for 

the workers compensation system?

January 31, 2025

 

The Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups (ONIWG) has received the following policy statement from the Ontario New Democratic Party.  We hope to hear from all the other parties soon.

 

ONDP POLICY STATEMENT RE CHANGES TO THE WSIA:

 

The NDP will create a balanced system that will better protect the health and safety of all Ontario workers, protect them and their families in case of injury or disease at work, and provide price stability for Ontario businesses.

 

We stand behind a workers compensation act that will:

1.    The WSIB should provide compensation for as long as the disability lasts for all workers with a work-acquired disability.

2.    Raise the loss of earnings from 85-90%, as long promised by the Ford government, when workers are when injured or disabled; 

3.    End the practice of “deeming”, i.e., deducting payments based on phantom jobs – a practice that forces workers into poverty and homelessness.  (This is when the WSIB deducts payments for a job that, in their opinion, a worker could do, even though no such job exists.)

4.    Stabilize employer costs by returning to a collective liability system;

5.    Recognize workplace clusters of disease when patterns exceed the level in the community.  Take an active approach to identify and prevent occupational diseases from workplace exposures and compensate the families affected;

6.    Listen to treating physicians instead of ignoring valid medical evidence. Workers will not be denied benefits when their doctors say they should not be working, or that modified work will make their symptoms worse.
Support our public healthcare system by ensuring the treating healthcare professionals are key decision-makers in the WSIB system, and are fairly paid for their valuable services;

7.    Broaden worker coverage for mental health benefits and ensure injured workers that suffer a workplace injury from Chronic Mental Stress or Traumatic Mental Stress are covered. Support good mental health among everyone at work by identifying hazards, supporting best practices in prevention, and supporting workers facing mental health challenges;

8.    Ensure the occupational health and safety and the workers compensation systems are accountable to the people of Ontario. Board of Directors should be elected by injured workers and employers registered with the WSIB: Four employer side, four injured worker side with one government appointed chairperson agreed to by employers and workers on the board.

9.      Collect and maintain data to provide evidence of what prevents injury or disease and helps workers recover to the maximum amount possible.