This past Monday advocates from Thunder Bay & District Injured Workers Support Group (TBDIWSG) released The Meredith Act, 2025, proposed legislation to replace the current Workplace Safety and Insurance Act. Developed by the TBDIWSG over the past year together with the Ontario Network of Injured Workers’ Groups and allies, the draft Act rewrites the existing law with reforms that put the emphasis on the needs of injured workers first.
While following principles laid out over a century ago by Sir William Meredith in establishing Ontario’s workers’ compensation system, the Meredith Act 2025 includes provisions that would:
- ensure protection for workers and their families in case of work-related injury or disease as long as the disability lasts;
- move back to a collective liability (and so less adversarial) system;
- promote prevention for safer and healthier workplaces;
- hold the system publicly accountable with a new governance model;
- require data collection on how well the system serves workers and employers;
- give higher priority to the worker’s treating healthcare provider
As made clear in the press conference, the draft Act responds to longstanding concerns with the state of workers’ compensation. In particular it considers the impacts of the current workers’ compensation system on injured worker poverty and mental health – issues that urgently need greater public attention and discussion, especially as Ontario heads to the Feb. 27 provincial election. TBDIWSG Treasurer Steve Mantis noted they will continue to work with all political parties to push for change to worker’s compensation. The group hopes that the Meredith Act, 2025 will be brought forward once a new government is formed.
Read the full Act and media coverage of the press conference:
* Thunder Bay & District Injured Workers Support Group. 2025 Feb. 10. The Meredith Act, 2025
* Diaczuk, Doug. The Chronicle Journal. 2025 Feb. 11. “Advocates push for Meredith Act.”
* CBC News: Thunder Bay. 2025 Feb. 10. “Injured workers’ advocates push to replace Workplace Safety and Insurance Act.”
* Goater, C.J. 99.9TheBay (Acadia Broadcasting). 2025 Feb. 10. “Injured workers support group in region advocating for workers compensation reforms.”