Advocacy groups and unions warn that injured workers could lose a key protection with removal of the “lock-in” rule under proposed Ontario Bill 105, 2026 headed for third and final reading after the Legislative Assembly resumes in the fall (October 27).
“It will open up a lot more appeals, adjudication, fights and surveillance” (Kathrin Furniss, Injured workers Community Legal Centre lawyer)
Under the lock-in rule, injured workers with permanent or long-term injury receive a fixed amount of benefits for loss of earnings after six years until age 65, usually without the stress and uncertainty of having their claim perpetually open for re-challenge or reassessment. Though not a permanent guarantee (for example the WSIB can still review benefits if there is a significant change in circumstances), access to stable benefits without constant Board scrutiny and employer appeals allows workers to move on with their lives and recovery. Not having to “repeatedly revisit” traumatic experiences to re-justify entitlement to benefits is particularly critical for workers with mental stress injuries.
While acknowledging the Bill goes some way to addressing concerns long raised by the injured worker community (coverage, benefit rate increases, age discrimination), advocates argue these should not come at the cost of losing the lock-in.
CBC News was unable to receive a response from the Province on why it wants to remove the lock-in.
Read or listen to the full article: Raveendran, R. 2026 Sep. 10. “Injured workers could lose key protection under proposed Ontario bill, advocates warn.” CBC News
More info:
- Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups (ONIWG). 2026 Summer. Lobby Kit: Bill 105.
- Injured Workers Community Legal Clinic (IWC). 2026 May 14. IWC Submissions to the Minister on Bill 105 – schedule 9. Toronto
- ONIWG. 2026 May 14. Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs re Bill 105. Thunder Bay
- IWC. 2026 Apr. 28. Labour Pains podcast #7: Understanding Bill 105’s impact on injured workers.