Ontario to extend WSIB coverage to 29,000 frontline care workers

The Ontario government is proposing legislation to extend mandatory Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) coverage to an estimated 29,000 additional frontline care workers in privately operated residential care facilities, retirement homes and group homes.

The move is intended to close what the province calls a long‑standing protection gap for staff who are injured or become ill at work. The Ontario government says the change is part of its plan to protect workers and “build a more resilient Ontario.”

“Every day, frontline care workers show up to support people who rely on them,” Labour Minister David Piccini said, adding that they “deserve to know they’ll be protected if something goes wrong.” He said extending WSIB across the sector will ensure “no worker caring for others in these facilities is left without support when they need it most.”

If passed, the legislation would align privately operated facilities with publicly operated counterparts that already fall under mandatory WSIB coverage. The Ontario government says the goal is to create “a level playing field, improve safety outcomes and ensure consistent protections for workers doing the same work regardless of who operates the facility.”

Scope of coverage

Following consultations, the province identified personal support workers, registered nurses, social workers, occupational therapists and operations staff in private care settings as among those likely to gain coverage.

Many of these workers currently lack full access to wage‑loss benefits, medical coverage and structured return‑to‑work supports if they experience a work‑related injury or illness.

The Ontario government notes that about 165,000 people worked in the nursing and residential care facilities sector in 2025.

The WSIB already covers more than five million workers in over 300,000 workplaces. It provides no‑fault collective liability insurance funded by employer premiums, along with industry‑specific health and safety information, the Ontario government notes.

“The team at the WSIB is delivering world‑class results to help people recover and safely return to work,” WSIB President and CEO Jeff Lang said. “We hope people never need us, but if they do, we’re here to help.”

Labour and employer reaction

Labour groups have welcomed the announcement as the result of long‑running advocacy. SEIU Healthcare Canada President Tyler Downey called it “a decades‑long fight to bring security and fairness to care workers.” He said expanding WSIB coverage is “recognition of the dignity of care work” and “the value of those who do it.”

Ontario Federation of Labour President Laura Walton said most affected workers are women and from equity‑deserving communities. Acknowledging “workers’ compensation is a right” is a needed step toward ensuring access to benefits, she says.

Employer‑side and community‑based organisations have also endorsed the direction while flagging implementation challenges. Omar Mahamed, Executive Director of Choices, said supporting workers when they are injured is “critical to maintaining a stable, high-quality system of care” and called for a sustainable and equitable rollout.

CLAC Provincial Director Ian DeWaard said WSIB delivers “comprehensive coverage, real protection and peace of mind,” especially for caregivers working multiple part‑time jobs who were previously exposed to “the economic ravages of lost-time injuries and occupational diseases.”

The Ontario government has indicated the WSIB expansion will be part of a broader legislative package to be introduced in the coming days.