Human Resources Legislative Update
Mandatory WSIB Coverage for Construction Industry to Commence January 1, 2013
Date: December 11, 2012
As previously reported, effective January 1, 2013, amendments to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 outlined in Bill 119, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act, 2008 will extend mandatory WSIB coverage to certain persons in the construction industry. These amendments will apply, with certain exceptions, to independent operators, sole proprietors, executive officers and partners in a partnership who carry on business in construction.
A pre-registration period has been in effect since January 1, 2012, together with a year-long education campaign designed to educate persons in the construction industry about the new mandatory coverage.
More information about mandatory coverage in the construction industry, together with the supporting policies that have been developed by the WSIB, are found on the WSIB’s website. These policies include, among other matters, requirements relating to clearance certificates and an offences and penalties policy which states that, with certain exceptions, penalties or enforcement for non-compliance will be waived for one year, or up until December 31, 2013.