Workers Compensation Board of Prince Edward Island

WCB reports fewer claims for workers and reduced rates for employers

June 29, 2016

The Workers Compensation Board (WCB) released its 2015 Annual Report today at their Annual Public meeting, demonstrating the WCB’s ongoing commitment to protecting Island workers and employers through fair and affordable workplace safety and compensation services.

 

“The WCB has been serving Islanders since 1949 and it is amazing to see the significant growth and progress of safety in the workplace,” said WCB Chair Stuart Affleck. “It’s about collaboration and the collective effort of our stakeholders to make safety a priority.  We all have a common interest, to protect Island workers and businesses and to keep our workplaces safe.”

 

In 2015, the total number of claims for workplace injuries, illness or disease fell by 3.5%. The WCB sadly acknowledges a fatality that occurred in 2015 as a result of an occupational disease with an extended latency period. The WCB will continue to monitor to determine trending factors, identify potential causes and take appropriate actions to reduce the frequency and impact of workplace injury and illness.

 

As an independent organization, the WCB is funded through premiums charged to Island employers. Due to positive investment performance over the past number of years, employers were able to receive a surplus distribution of $13.2 million in November 2015. At of December 31, 2015 the WCB’s funded positions remains strong at 123.9%.

 

For the 6th consecutive year, employers saw a reduction in the average assessment rate, a continuation of a decade-long trend, and a result of safety efforts.

 

“In order to provide the best service to employers and injured workers, we must continue to monitor trends in the workforce related to the clients we serve,” said Luanne Gallant, CEO for the Workers Compensation Board. “We continue to use our data to inform our prevention and intervention efforts, policies and legislation to adapt to meet evolving needs.”

 

Highlights from the WCB 2015 Annual Report also included: enhanced education efforts to improve workplace safety culture and return to work outcomes; record high satisfaction rates among employers; the elimination of a two- day wait period for workers, consultations with farmers, and efforts to modernize WCB’s Information Technology System.

 

For more information, you can download a full copy of the WCB Annual Report

 



Media Contact:
WCB Communications
902-894-0362 or news@wcb.pe.ca