Proposed amendments to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act and workers’ compensation-related provisions in employment legislation in the 42nd-44th Parliaments of the Ontario Legislative Assembly. Click on the title to see the full content of each bill, status and links to debate.
44th Parliament, 1st session (Apr. 14, 2025 – )
Bill 30, Working for Workers Seven Act, 2025 Introduced May 28, 2025 by Hon. David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training & Skills Development. Schedule 7 amends Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (prohibits employer making false or misleading statement to Board about a claim; related changes to administrative penalties)
Bill 8, WSIB Coverage for Workers in Residential Care Facilities and Group Homes Act, 2025 Introduced Apr. 30 by John Fraser, Lib (MPP – Ottawa South). Bill seeks coverage for all workers in these facilities by ensuring that employers operating these facilities are considered a Schedule I employer. (This is the 6th time this bill has been introduced).
43rd Parliament, 1st session (Aug. 8, 2022 – Jan. 28, 2025 )
Bill 190, Working for Workers Five Act, 2024 Introduced May 6, 2024 by Hon. David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training & Skills Development; passed 3rd reading Oct. 28. Schedule 6 expands WSIB presumptive coverage to include wildland firefighters and wildland fire investigators.
Bill 179, Fewer Backlogs and Less Partisan Tribunals Act, 2024 Introduced Mar. 25, 2024 by Ted Hsu, Lib (MPP – Kingston & Islands); lost on vote at 2nd reading. Based on draft by Ron Ellis, bill establishes the Adjudicative Tribunal Justice Council and improve the transparency, independence and capacities of administrative tribunals.
Bill 149, Working for Workers Four Act, 2023 Introduced Nov. 14, 2023 by Hon. David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training & Skills Development; passed 3rd reading Mar. 19. Schedule 4 (1) enables “super indexing”, adjustments to WSIB benefits above the annual rate of inflation; and 2) improving cancer (esophageal) coverage for firefighters.
Bill 127, Captain Craig Bowman Act, 2023 (WSIA amendment). Introduced Jun. 7, 2023 by Jeff Burch, NDP (MPP – Niagara Centre); 1st reading only. Bill lowers to 20 years firefighter presumption coverage for esophageal cancer.
Bill 118, Injured Workers Day Act, 2023. Introduced May 31, 2023 by Jamie West, NDP (MPP – Sudbury); passed 3rd reading Dec. 11. Bill proclaims June 1 in each year as Injured Workers Day.
Bill 57, Respecting Injured Workers Act, 2022 (WSIA amendment). Introduced Dec. 7, 2022 by Wayne Gates, NDP (MPP – Niagara Falls); 1st reading only. Bill would end the practice of deeming unless the worker refused a job in bad faith. (Previously introduced as Bill 119 in 2019)
Bill 54, WSIB Coverage for Workers in Residential Care Facilities and Group Homes Act, 2022. Introduced December 7, 2022 by John Fraser, Lib (MPP – Ottawa South); lost on vote at 2nd reading. Bill provides that employers operating these facilities are considered a Schedule I employer.
Bill 46, Less Red Tape, Stronger Ontario Act, 2022. Introduced November 23, 2022 by Hon. Parm Gill, Minister of Red Tape Reduction; passed 3rd reading Mar. 21. Schedule 9 addresses definition of health care practitioner, average earnings of apprentices, learners or students.
Bill 2, Plan to Build Act (Budget Measures), 2022. Introduced August 18, 2022 by Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvey, Minister of Finance; passed 3rd reading Sep. 1. Schedule 6 repeals requirement WSIB head office be located in Toronto.
42nd Parliament, 2nd session (Oct. 4, 2021 – May 3, 2022)
Bill 88, Working for Workers Act, 2022. Introduced February 28, 2022 by Hon. Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development; passed 3rd reading Apr. 7. Bill addresses selected Digital Platform Workers (gig workers) rights; amends Occupational Health & Safety Act (naloxone in the workplace).
Bill 43, Build Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2021. Introduced November 4, 2021 by Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance; passed 3rd reading Dec. 9. Schedule 9 amends determination of the minimum wage under the Employment Standards Act.
Bill 28, Preventing Worker Misclassification Act, 2021. Introduced October 26, 2021 by Peggy Sattler (NDP MPP – London West); lost on vote at 2nd reading. Bill amends Employment Standards Act regarding gig and contract employees.
Bill 27, Working for Workers Act, 2021
Introduced Oct. 25, 2021 by Hon. Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development; passed 3rd reading Nov. 30. Schedule 6 amends WSIA to allow distribution of “surplus” funds; Schedule 2 (Employment Standards Act) addresses temp help agencies (though regulations under WSIA s83(4) still not in effect).
Bill 16, WSIB Coverage for Workers in Residential Care Facilities and Group Homes Act, 2021 Introduced Oct. 7 by John Fraser (LIB MPP – Ottawa South); 1st reading only. Amendment to WSIA would make an employer operating one of these facilities a Schedule I employer for purposes of the Act.
42nd Parliament, 1st session (July 11, 2018 – Sep. 12, 2021)
Bill 284, COVID-19 Putting Workers First Act, 2021 Introduced by Minister of Labour Monte McNaughton Apr. 29; passed Apr. 29, 2021. Bill amends Employment Standards Act to provide 3 paid days for COVID-related leave for sickness; allows eligible employers to apply to WSIB for reimbursements (with exceptions, until Jan 22, 2022).
Bill 267, Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act (Access to Mental Health Support for Essential Workers), 2021 Introduced Mar. 23 by Monique Taylor (NDP MPP – Hamilton Mountain); lost on vote at 2nd reading. Bill seeks to guarantee ‘essential workers’ presumptive coverage for WSIB mental health benefits for chronic or traumatic mental stress injuries.
Bill 238, Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act, 2021 Introduced Dec. 8, 2020 by Hon. Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development; passed 3rd reading Apr. 13. COVID-related measure to “help protect businesses from unexpected increases in their WSIB premiums while maintaining an increase to the earnings cap for worker benefits…”
Bill 194, WSIB Coverage for Workers in Residential Care Facilities and Group Homes Act, 2020 Introduced July 6, 2020 by John Fraser (Lib MPP – Ottawa South); 1st reading only. “This would make everyone who operates one of those a schedule 1 employer. There’s a basic inequity where people are doing the same work with different coverage. It’s the third time I’ve introduced the bill.”
Bill 191, Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act (Presumption Respecting COVID-19), 2020 Introduced May 19, 2020 by Wayne Gates (NDP MPP – Niagara Falls); 1st reading only. Bill would provide presumptive coverage for COVID-19 as an occupational disease for workers tested positive in an essential business.
Bill 119, Respecting Injured Workers Act (Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment), 2019 Introduced May 27, 2019 by Wayne Gates (NDP MPP – Niagara Falls); 1st reading only. Question period discussion June 1, 2021. Bill seeks to abolish deeming unless the worker refuses employment in bad faith.