Toronto, ON — Small businesses apart of Ontario’s Safe Employers Program are receiving a rebate of up to $1.5 billion as Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) surplus funds are returned for the first time, beginning in April. Employers with roughly 80 to 125 workers could receive $28,000 to re-invest in their business and workers.
There is no application process for the rebate. The only requirement is that a business is recognized as a safe employer and must have a track record of ensuring workers are kept healthy and safe.
The minister announced on Feb 16 that small businesses apart of Ontario’s Safe Employers program will receive up to $1.5 billion in rebates.Only employers deemed safe employers and accredited by Ontario’s Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) will be eligible.
“We are getting cheques in the mail for businesses on Main Street who need this relief so they can pay their workers more, create new jobs, and grow our economy. In the coming weeks, I will announce a series of unprecedented supports for the people of Ontario that continue to rebalance the scales in favour of workers,” said Monte McNaughton, minister of labour, training and skills development.
The rebate will give around 300,000 businesses back approximately 30 per cent of their annual premium payments, and rebates will begin in April. The minister also stated that around 95 per cent of all Ontario businesses receiving the WSIB rebate would be employers with 50 employees or fewer.