Providers who choose not to join the network will be supported through a transition plan but will no longer be able to treat workers' compensation cases after 2026
The Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia (WCB) will introduce a new, centralised provider network for workplace injury care beginning January 2026, in a move designed to streamline services for workers with physical and psychological injuries.
Lifemark Health Group has been selected to lead the new Work-Connected Recovery Program, which will coordinate a province-wide network of health providers, including physiotherapists, chiropractors, psychologists, and occupational therapists. The WCB says the new model will deliver faster and more consistent care to injured workers, while standardising processes and compensation for providers.
Currently, more than 500 providers deliver care to Nova Scotians injured at work. Under the new system, only providers who join the Lifemark-led network will be able to treat workers’ compensation cases after January 2026. The WCB is encouraging all current providers to apply, noting that joining the network will offer benefits such as a single point of contact for referrals, streamlined billing, standardised procedures, and central administrative and technological support. All providers in the network will be compensated equally under a standard fee structure.
For workers, the WCB says most will recover and return to work before the new network launches. Those whose care continues into 2026 will be supported to ensure uninterrupted treatment. The new network will match workers with providers based on injury type, location, and availability, with a focus on connecting workers to care quickly. Providers will be available in every community, and virtual care options will be offered to ensure accessibility, including for those in rural and remote areas.
Employers can expect a simplified process with one point of contact, standardised reporting, and improved support for workers’ return to work. The WCB anticipates that, over time, the new approach will help reduce employer premiums and improve worker benefits, addressing concerns about Nova Scotia’s high compensation costs.
Providers who choose not to join the network will be supported through a transition plan but will no longer be able to treat workers’ compensation cases after 2026.
The WCB supports more than 10,000 workers each year with physical and psychological injuries. On average, someone with a traumatic psychological injury waits 42 days before receiving treatment. The goal of the new program is to cut that wait time by half or more, according to a City News report.
The WCB is encouraging occupational health and safety professionals, employers, and current providers to familiarise themselves with the new system and prepare for the transition ahead of the January 2026 launch.
Previously, WCB Nova Scotia reported that, in 2024, there was a 30% reduction in the injury rate within the province’s largest sector—health and social services.
