Ontario plans to increase income support workers injured on the job

Workers in Ontario who are injured on the job could soon receive higher income support, as the provincial government proposes new legislation aimed at boosting financial protection during recovery. 

The proposal marks the first increase in nearly three decades to income replacement benefits provided through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). If passed, the changes would raise loss-of-earnings (LOE) benefits from 85 per cent to 90 per cent of a worker's take-home pay. 

"No worker should have to worry about paying their bills while they recover from a workplace injury," said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. 

"By proposing the first increase to income replacement benefits in nearly 30 years, our government is helping ensure injured Ontarians can focus on getting better. Ontario's workers built this province, and we will always have their backs."

The province says the increase would help injured workers amid the rising cost of living, as under the proposed changes, a worker earning $60,000 annually would receive approximately $2,411 more in benefits over the course of a year.

The legislation, if passed, would also allow eligible workers to receive LOE benefits even after the age of 65, as opposed to automatically losing these benefits under the current rules. 

The shift, the provincial government says, comes as more Canadians delay retirement. According to Statistics Canada, approximately 444,000 Ontario residents who were 65 and older remained in the workforce in 2025, representing roughly 5.4 per cent of the province's labour force last year.