The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) is calling for a reversal of a recent decision by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) to cancel a long-standing financial protection program. The WSIB recently announced that the Second Injury and Enhancement Fund (SIEF) has been eliminated, effective retroactively to June 16, 2026. This sudden policy shift removes a vital safety net for employers and disrupts decades of established protocol.
The SIEF was designed to protect employers from absorbing the full cost of workplace injury claims when a prior, unrelated medical condition worsened the workplace injury. The core rules of the program were created in 1970 to balance employer accountability with fair financial protection. The fund survived multiple major policy reviews over the last 56 years, consistently receiving strong support from both employer groups and labour organizations.
Th industry is concerned there was no consultation as the policy was cancelled without a formal stakeholder review or discussion with Ontario employer groups. Also, the change applies to dates starting in mid-June 2026, giving businesses no time to adjust their financial planning. Without SIEF, Ontario employers face higher cost exposures for complex injury claims involving pre-existing health factors.
The OTA is formally requesting the WSIB vacate its decision to eliminate the program and instead launch a broad, transparent consultation process with employers across the province to ensure fairness in the workers’ compensation system.