ONTARIO EXPANDING WSIB COVERAGE TO MORE FRONTLINE CARE WORKERS
Proposed legislation would protect 29,000 additional workers at residential care
facilities, retirement homes and group homes
April 08, 2026
Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills DevelopmentHAMILTON — The Ontario government is taking action to strengthen workplace
safety protections for 29,000 additional frontline care workers by extending
mandatory Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) coverage to all privately
operated residential care facilities, retirement homes and group homes. This
expansion closes a long-standing gap that has left thousands of workers without
protection if they are injured or become ill on the job and is another step in
our government’s plan to protect workers and build a more resilient Ontario.
“Every day, frontline care workers show up to support people who rely on them,”
said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills
Development. “They do this work with compassion and dedication, and they deserve
to know they’ll be protected if something goes wrong. By extending WSIB coverage
across the sector, we’re closing long-standing gaps and making sure no worker
caring for others in these facilities is left without support when they need it
most.”
The legislation, if passed, would provide workers in all privately operated
residential care facilities the same protections as workers doing the same job
in a publicly operated facility 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. Following consultations, examples of
workers that could be eligible include personal support workers, registered
nurses, social workers, occupational therapists and operations staff.
The WSIB is one of the largest insurance organizations in North America,
covering more than five million workers in over 300,000 workplaces across
Ontario with wage-loss benefits, medical coverage and support to help ill or
injured workers recover and safely return to work
“The team at the WSIB is delivering world class results to help people recover
and safely return to work,” said Jeff Lang, President and CEO, WSIB. “We hope
people never need us, but if they do, we’re here to help.”
These proposed changes are part of a broader package of measures the government
will introduce in the coming days to continue delivering on its plan to protect
workers and make Ontario the most competitive place in the G7 to invest, create
jobs and do business.
QUICK FACTS
* About 165,000 workers in Ontario were employed in the nursing and residential
care facilities sector in 2025.
* Over 75 per cent of employers in Ontario in most sectors are subject to
mandatory coverage.
* The WSIB is funded by premiums paid by Ontario businesses and provides
no-fault collective liability insurance and access to industry-specific
health and safety information.
QUOTES
“Protecting workers and cutting red tape go hand in hand. By modernizing
outdated rules and extending WSIB coverage across the residential care sector,
we’re giving workers the protection they deserve while providing clarity and
consistency for employers. This is smart, responsible regulation that
strengthens Ontario’s workforce.”
– Andrea Khanjin
Minister of Red Tape Reduction
“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, protecting Ontario’s world-class
frontline care workforce is a top priority for our government. The extension of
mandatory WSIB coverage across the sector ensures that all residential care
facility and group home service providers, regardless of which model they are
providing care under, are protected in the workplace.”
– Sylvia Jones
Deputy Premier and Minister of Health
“Frontline care workers in Hamilton Mountain show up every day to support some
of the most vulnerable members of our community and they deserve to know that
they are protected when they do so. By extending mandatory Workplace Safety and
Insurance Board coverage to privately operated residential care facilities and
group homes, our Ontario government is closing long-standing gaps and ensuring
fairness across the sector.”
– Monica Ciriello
Member of Provincial Parliament for Hamilton Mountain
“By expanding WSIB coverage, we are taking an important step to better protect
thousands of frontline care workers here in Hamilton and across Ontario. These
workers are essential to our communities and this change will help ensure they
have the support they need, when they need it.”
– Neil Lumsden
Member of Provincial Parliament for Hamilton East – Stoney Creek
“A decades-long fight to bring security and fairness to care workers has been
won. For workers in group homes and retirement homes, expanding WSIB coverage to
their workplaces is more than a policy change. This is recognition of the
dignity of care work, the value of those who do it, and the responsibility we
all share to stand behind the people who spend their lives caring for others. We
applaud the Government of Ontario for listening to workers and taking action to
better protect the workers who care for some of the most vulnerable people in
our communities.”
– Tyler Downey
President, SEIU Healthcare Canada
“We welcome this step toward strengthening protections for frontline staff
across residential and community-based care. Ensuring that workers are supported
when they experience workplace injury is critical to maintaining a stable,
high-quality system of care. We look forward to seeing how this approach can be
implemented in a way that is sustainable and equitable across the sector.”
– Omar Mahamed
Executive Director, Choices
“The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) applauds Minister Piccini’s decision to
expand access to WSIB coverage to workers employed in residential care and group
homes in Ontario, the majority of whom are women and from equity deserving
communities. By acknowledging that workers’ compensation is a right, the
Minister has taken a much-needed step toward ensuring that all Ontario workers
have access to the benefits to which they are entitled.”
– Laura Walton
President, Ontario Federation of Labour
“WSIB delivers what workers need most: comprehensive coverage, real protection
and peace of mind. For the front-line caregivers to whom WSIB will now be
extended, especially those holding down multiple part-time jobs, these benefits
are not abstract. The introduction of WSIB coverage to these workplaces means
real support for workers who, until now, were vulnerable to the economic ravages
of lost-time injuries and occupational diseases. We are incredibly grateful to
Minister Piccini and the Ford Government for standing up for these workers
across this province. This is the right outcome and a credit to the workers who
persisted in bringing attention to this matter.”
– Ian DeWaard
Provincial Director, CLAC
“At Threads of Life we see daily the lifelong impacts a work-related injury or
illness can have on an individual, family and community. Extending coverage to
mitigate those impacts is good news. Even better news will be the day when such
coverage is no longer needed because injuries, illnesses and deaths at work have
been eliminated. Together with our partners, Threads of Life is committed to
achieving that vision.”
– Eugene Gutierrez
Executive Director, Threads of Life – Association for Workplace Tragedy Family
Support
“Workers in care settings play a critical role in supporting Ontarians to live
well and with dignity. These are essential roles that carry significant physical
and mental demands over time. Today’s announcement is an important step towards
recognizing both the value of care providers and the inherent hazards that come
with the job.”
– Liv Mendelsoh
Executive Director, Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
* Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997
* WSIB
* 2026 Ontario Budget: A Plan to Protect Ontario
