The Ontario government says it will return $2.1 billion in Workplace Safety and Insurance Board premiums to businesses across the province, the latest in a series of WSIB rebates the Ford government has used to put cash back into employers' hands.
The announcement was made Friday at a business crowd in the Toronto area by the province's labour minister, framing the rebate as relief for employers facing higher costs and an uncertain trade picture with the United States.
The WSIB has run surpluses in recent years on strong investment returns and lower-than-expected claims, and the province has repeatedly chosen rebates — alongside premium rate cuts — rather than benefit expansions as the way to return the money.
Labour groups have argued in past rounds that surplus funds should also go toward improving benefits for injured workers. The government counters that rebates help small businesses keep staff on payroll. Eligible employers can expect the rebate to flow through the WSIB's usual premium channels.
