• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Injured Workers Online

Injured Workers Online

Working Together for Justice

  • Blog
  • Sign Up
  • About
  • Twitter
Working Together for Justice
  • Workers’ Compensation
    • History
    • Law Reform
    • Workers’ compensation bills
    • Chronic Pain Victory
    • Research and Education
    • Bancroft Institute
    • Meredith Conference: “No-Half Measures”
    • RAACWI
  • Issues
    • Appeals
    • Benefits
    • Cost of living adjustments
    • Deeming
    • Pre-existing conditions
    • Experience Rating
    • Funding
    • Mental Health
    • Poverty
    • Return to Work
    • Stigma and surveillance
    • Universal Coverage
  • Community
    • Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups (ONIWG)
    • Workers’ Comp Is a Right campaign
    • Injured Worker Groups
    • IW Speakers School
    • Injured Workers’ Stories
    • Organizing and Action
    • Arts & social justice
  • Events
    • Calendar View
    • RSI Awareness Day
    • Day of Mourning
    • Injured Workers Day
    • Women of Inspiration Vigil
    • Labour Day – a workers’ festival
  • Media
    • Press Releases
    • Fact Sheets
    • Headlines on workers’ compensation
    • Videos
  • Resources
    • Law and Policy Submissions
    • Reports, Articles & Papers
    • Practical guides & booklets
    • IWHP Bulletins
    • Library
    • Find Legal Help
    • Links
Home / Blog / Claims / Calling for occupational disease reform

Calling for occupational disease reform

September 9, 2021

A recent National Observer investigation detailed how an Ontario paper mill poisoned nearby First Nations and their decades-long fight for environmental justice. The toxic chemicals and contaminants also had long-term and grave impacts for construction workers at the Dryden Mill. A report by the Occupational Health Clinic for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) following an intake clinic documented the poisoning (chronic toxic encephalopathy). However workers and their survivors continue to be frustrated in having their occupational disease claims recognized by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). In response, the Thunder Bay & District Injured Workers’ Support Group, assisted by Injured Workers Community Legal Clinic, has organized a Dryden Occupational Disease committee (Dryden RB4) to collect stories and get justice for these workers.

Occupational Disease Reform Alliance

Dryden is one of many occupational disease clusters across the province. A newly formed group – the Occupational Disease Reform Alliance (ODRA) – seeks to have the necessary changes made to provide fair and just compensation to victims of work-related disease. The ODRA has four main demands. The WSIB must :

  1. Compensate occupational disease claims when workplace patterns exceed the community level;
  2. Use the proper legal standard; not scientific certainty;
  3. Expand the list of communicable diseases presumed work-related;
  4. Accept multiple exposures combine to cause diseases.

Members of ODRA come from communities across Ontario with various backgrounds for a common goal, fighting for justice for the victims of occupational disease. Email odreform@gmail.com. Follow them on Twitter https://twitter.com/odreform and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ODreformalliance [Read ODRA backgrounder]

Filed Under: Claims, Law Reform, Occupational disease

Copyright © 2025 Injured Workers Online
  • Accessibility
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy

The information in this website is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for legal advice. For legal advice, see Find legal help