MFL calls on government to step in and launch an independent review of WCB’s failing workplace injury prevention system

(Winnipeg) – Workers in Manitoba continue to suffer the highest workplace injury rate in the country according to analysis of provincial workers compensation data across Canada, announced Manitoba Federation of Labour president Kevin Rebeck today.

“Every Manitoban deserves to be safe and healthy at work, but this troubling new data makes it clear that Manitoba workers are more likely to be hurt at work than workers in any other province in Canada,” said Rebeck. “It’s time to get Manitoba out of the basement when it comes to workplace injuries.”

Rebeck noted that based on the MFL’s cross-Canada review of every 2025 report of provincial agencies responsible for workers compensation, Manitoba ranked last for the third year in a row. Manitoba’s time loss injury rate, which measure injuries that are serious enough to cause workers to miss time from work, was 2.5 injuries per 100 workers in 2025. That injury rate was 25 per cent higher than any other province and over 60 per cent higher than the Canadian average.

In 2014, provincial legislation was amended to remove responsibility for workplace injury prevention from the provincial government and instead assign it to the Workers Compensation Board (WCB). In turn, the WCB has largely downloaded responsibility to industry-run safety associations, which are failing to hold employers to account. During the 15 years prior to the WCB being made responsible for workplace injury prevention, Manitoba’s workplace injury rate was reduced by 45 per cent (2000-2014). Since the WCB has been tasked with workplace injury prevention, progress on reducing workplace injuries has stalled out. Manitoba’s workplace injury rate has not improved since 2019.

Rebeck added that the current provincial government has taken a number of steps to strengthen workplace health and safety laws and increase workplace health and safety enforcement, including hiring 12 new safety and health officers and increasing workplace inspections by 22%. Rebeck laid the blame squarely on the WCB and its ineffective and unaccountable industry-led system for failing to reduce workplace injury rates. He called for government to launch an independent review into the WCB’s injury prevention regime.

“It is clear that the WCB is not getting the job done when it comes to a strong workplace injury prevention program,” said Rebeck. “To add insult to injury – literally – Manitoba employers pay the lowest WCB premiums in Canada and receive generous annual rebates on their premiums, regardless of their workplace health and safety records. It is time for government to get directly involved and call an independent review into what is going on at the WCB when it comes to preventing workplace injuries. Manitoba workers deserve better than last place.”

Some of the most common workplace injuries in Manitoba include sprains and strains, fractures, lacerations, burns and diseases of the organs and nervous system.

Source: 2025 Annual reports of provincial workers compensation agencies and Ontario’s WSIB’s “Safety Check” database.

Note: The Quebec time-loss rate is not yet available for 2025. Quebec’s overall 2025 workplace injury rate (time-loss rate plus rate of injuries where no time was lost) was 2.4, meaning the time-loss injury rate would be lower than that.