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Helping Ontario employers with their workplace safety and insurance claims and related costs since 1985, and OHSA s. 50 unlawful reprisal claims since 2012

Bill 30: Working For Workers Seven Act, 2025

Bill 30, the Working for Workers Seven Act, 2025, received Royal Assent on November 27, 2025 and is now in force. It amends seven statutes, including the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (WSIA) and the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).

 

Changes to the WSIA

Prohibits an employer from making a false or misleading statement to the WSIB regarding a worker’s claim for benefits and imposes a new administrative monetary penalty (AMP) on an employer in violation.

  • This financial penalty is on top of any other penalty imposed by a court for an offence: individuals may be fined up to $25,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 6 months for each conviction; corporations are liable to a fine of up to $500,000 for each conviction.

Imposes a new AMP on a Schedule 1 employer who does not keep accurate payroll records and/or does not give them to the WSIB upon request.

  • This financial penalty is on top of any other penalty imposed by a court for an offence: individuals may be fined up to $25,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 6 months for each conviction; corporations are liable to a fine of up to $500,000 for each conviction.

Charges a Schedule 1 employer who fails to correctly calculate and pay premiums to the WSIB on time with an offence under the WSIA.

  • If convicted, individuals may be fined up to $25,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 6 months for each conviction; corporations are liable to a fine of up to $500,000 for each conviction. The court may also order the employer to pay any money owing for any period before the conviction.

Imposes a new AMP on a Schedule 1 employer who does not pay their premiums to the WSIB on time.

  •  This financial penalty is in addition to the amount of premiums owing plus interest, the cost of providing benefits to the employer’s workers during the default period, and any other penalty imposed by a court for an offence.

Allows the WSIB to enter an employer’s business, inspect the premises, and examine the employer’s books and accounts.

  • This enables the WSIB to determine whether the employer made a false or misleading statement to the WSIB, kept accurate payroll records, and calculated and paid their premiums on time.

Increases fines for corporations convicted of 2 or more counts of the same offence in the same legal proceeding up to $750,000 for each conviction (up from $500,000), taking aggravating factors into consideration.

  • The court will consider previous convictions under the WSIA, previous convictions of the same offence, a history of non-compliance with the WSIA, and any other relevant information when determining the penalty amount.

 

Changes to the OHSA

Requires the WSIB to reimburse certain employers for the cost of equipping their workplace with a defibrillator, from the Schedule 1 insurance fund (subject to regulation).

  • The WSIB will determine how and when these time-limited reimbursements will be made, overpayments will be amounts owing to the WSIB, determinations regarding entitlement will be final, and WSIB staff and board members are immune from legal action.

Establishes a new AMP framework allowing MLITSD inspectors to fine a person who has violated or failed to comply with a provision of the OHSA or its regulations.

  • A notice identifying the nature of the violation, the AMP amount, and any other information will be served, with 15 days to request a review by the OLRB. A person who complies with the terms of the notice and pays the AMP will not be charged with an offence under the OHSA for the same violation. The MLITSD can make this information public. As of June 14, 2026, only one violation has been prescribed in O. Reg. 365/25: Administrative Penalties.

 

Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997

Issue Pre-Bill 30 Bill 30 Impact Comments
False / misleading statement by employer Offence for claim suppression New s. 22.2 – employer prohibited from making false statement about worker’s claim New AMP, Schedule 1 and 2 employers AMP + penalty for an offence:

  • person: <$25,000 and/or <6 months jail each conviction
  • corporation: <$500,000 each conviction
Payroll records Schedule 1 employer must keep accurate payroll records and give to the WSIB upon request New subs. 80(3) – Schedule 1 employer must keep accurate payroll records and/or give to the WSIB upon request New AMP AMP + penalty for an offence:

  • person: <$25,000 and/or <6 months jail each conviction
  • corporation: <$500,000 each conviction
Calculating and paying premiums Schedule 1 employer must calculate and pay premiums on time New s. 152.1 – Schedule 1 employer must correctly calculate and pay premiums on time New offence Penalty for an offence:

  • person: <$25,000 and/or <6 months jail each conviction
  • corporation: <$500,000 each conviction
  • + premiums owing + interest
Payment of premiums Schedule 1 employer must pay premiums on time or incur interest New subs. 89(4) – Schedule 1 employer must pay premiums on time New AMP AMP plus:

  • premiums owing + interest
  • cost of worker’s benefits during default period
  • penalty for offence
Enter employer’s premises and examine records WSIB can enter business, inspect premises, examine books re: claim suppression Revised subs. 135(1)(4) and 135(2)(5) – access also to determine if false statement (s. 22.2), accurate payroll (s. 80), premiums paid on time (s. 88) Expanded powers New consequences for violations:

  • new s. 22.2 = AMP + penalties for offence
  • new subs. 80(3) = AMP + penalties for offence
  • s. 88 = offence
Multiple convictions Person: <$25,000 and/or <6 months jail each conviction; corporation: <$500,000 each conviction New subs. 158(1.1), (3) and (4) – corporation convicted of 2+ counts of same offence in same legal proceeding liable to <$750,000 fine for each conviction Fines against Schedule 1 and 2 employers increased Factors considered when determining penalty:

  • previous convictions under WSIA
  • previous convictions of same offence
  • history of WSIA non-compliance
  • other relevant information

 

Occupational Health and Safety Act

Issue Pre-Bill 30 Bill 30 Impact Comments
Health and safety management systems (HSMSs) CPO may accredit a HSMS New subs. 7.6.1(4) – all HSMSs accredited under OHSA are equal Certain public sector infrastructure project owners/constructors must accept all CPO-accredited HSMAs Terms:
Defibrillator reimbursement n/a New s. 22.0.1 – WSIB reimbursing certain employers from the Schedule 1 insurance fund for defibrillators Applies to Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 construction businesses (under the WSIA) that meet the eligibility criteria Features:
Administrative Monetary Penalty framework n/a New Part IX.1: Administrative Penalties – new AMP framework for violations of OHSA/its regulations, or an order/ requirement by a MLITSD inspector/
Director/Minister		 As of June 14, 2026, a violation of s. 3 of O. Reg. 364/25: Health and Safety Management Systems and Procurement is the only violation prescribed, with the penalty of $100,000 or 10% of the value of the procurement contract whichever is less Features:

  • subject to O. Reg. 365/25: Administrative Penalties
  • notice served, with 15 days to request review by OLRB
  • public information
  • compliance with notice + payment of AMP = won’t be charged with offence for same violation

 

Please contact the OEA if you have questions about the information in this handout or anything related to your WSIB claims or costs, or OHSA s. 50 unlawful reprisal claims. We are independent of the WSIB and the OLRB, our legal services are available at no additional cost to you, and all conversations are confidential.

 

Call us at: (416) 327-0020 / 1-800-387-0774 or
Email us at: askoea@ontario.ca

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