WCB also announces plans for province's first employer rate cut in over 30 years
The government of Nova Scotia has introduced new legislation aimed at significantly strengthening benefits for injured workers and their families.
At the same time, the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) of Nova Scotia has announced plans for the province’s first employer rate cut in over 30 years.
The amendments to the Workers’ Compensation Act are designed to make it easier for people injured at work to access support, recover, return to work, and care for their families. Employers will also gain new tools to better support employee recovery.
“These amendments will provide meaningful improvements to the benefits that injured workers and their families rely on and modernize the system to ensure it is clear, fair and effective for everyone,” said Nolan Young, Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration.
Changes for injured workers
Key changes in the legislation include:
- Increasing the cost-of-living adjustment for benefits from 50 per cent to 100 per cent of the consumer price index, up to three per cent annually
- Expanding presumptive cancer coverage to include wildland firefighters and fire investigators
- Modernizing the definition of “spouse” from “husband and wife”
- Extending the appeals period for claim decisions from 30 to 90 days
- Expanding survivor benefits, including payments to an estate when no dependents exist
- Requiring employers to report workplace injuries within two days instead of five
- Clarifying that employers can access reports on functional abilities to better support recovery
Cut to employer rate in Nova Scotia
The WCB’s plan to reduce the average employer rate in 2027 is contingent on ongoing financial sustainability.
The expected reduction in employer rates is “made possible due to the efforts of workers, employers and many partners over the years to reduce the impact of workplace injury through prevention and return to work,” said the government.
Details of the 2027 employer rate reduction will be announced in 2026.
The Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia provides workplace injury insurance to more than 20,000 employers and their 395,000 workers across the province.
Recently, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal dismissed a worker’s application alleging that the province’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) discriminated against him in employment on the grounds of family status.
2024 consultations informed reforms
The legislative changes follow the release of the first comprehensive review of Nova Scotia’s workers’ compensation system in over 20 years. The Workers’ Compensation Review Committee’s report, published in August 2024, was informed by consultations with more than 1,000 Nova Scotians.
The report focused on 10 key priorities, including system sustainability, injury prevention, claims administration, compensation and benefits, and psychological health and safety.
Douglas Reid, Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Review Committee, noted at the time: “In Nova Scotia, we have some of the highest employer premiums, the lowest benefits for workers who are unable to work due to injury, the longest duration of injured workers off work due to injury, and among the lowest percentage of workforce coverage in Nova Scotia. The recommendations in this report offer a path for Nova Scotia to make substantive changes to the workers’ compensation system that will address some of these key issues and more while considering both employer and employee or injured worker needs.”
Back in 2022, B.C. made major changes to its workers’ compensation rules.
