‘This is a pivotal moment in our work’
A senior figure in Ontario’s workplace injury compensation system has been reappointed to the London Police Services Board, restoring the civilian oversight body to full strength.
The Ministry of the Solicitor General has named Jeffery Lang, president and chief executive officer of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), to a three-year term on the London police board, the board announced Wednesday, according to The London Free Press. Lang was scheduled to be sworn in Thursday before the public portion of the board meeting, the newspaper reported.
Lang, a London businessman, previously served on the seven-member board, which consists of the mayor, two city councillors, one city appointee and three provincial appointees. He was first appointed in March 2019, but resigned in January 2021 after being named head of the WSIB, “the employer-funded agency that administers a no-fault compensation system for workplace injuries,” The London Free Press reported.
“This is a pivotal moment in our work as we continue to strengthen governance, accountability and community trust in policing,” board chair Ryan Gauss said in a statement quoted by The London Free Press. “With an impressive business and community-oriented background, deep roots in London, and prior police board experience, Mr. Lang is a valuable addition to this board.”
As WSIB chief, Lang oversees Ontario’s no-fault compensation system for work-related injuries and illnesses, including some psychological injuries. His return to the London board places the head of the province’s workplace injury insurance system in a governance role over a large public-sector employer whose workers face elevated occupational risks, including violence, trauma exposure and critical incident stress.
The London Free Press reported that the police board has operated with one vacancy since the fall, when provincial appointee Hayley Faulkner, a paediatric dentist, resigned after attending three meetings. The Ministry of the Solicitor General did not provide a reason for her resignation when asked, the newspaper said.
