New and Revised WSIB Independent Living Policies Now in Effect: A Summary of Changes for Employers
October 7, 2026
Effective September 21, 2026, the WSIB has implemented extensive revisions and additions to its suite of Independent Living policies.
These changes follow the 2020 Value for Money Audit that was conducted on the WSIB’s Serious Injury Program. The audit was followed by a period of stakeholder consultation regarding proposed policy amendments.
Key takeaways for employers:
Important changes include the addition of two new policies and revision of seven existing policies, with the intent of moving away from a “one-size-fits-all” approach and towards a more individual, case-by-case assessment of worker needs.
To this end, the new Independent Living policies place emphasis on case-by-case assessment of the way that a serious injury or illness affects a worker’s ability to perform their activities of daily living – especially considering the extent and duration of functional limitations.
One of the WSIB’s most significant changes is its overhaul of the eligibility threshold for most benefits related to independent living. Under the new framework, all workers suffering an impact to their independent living may now be considered. In addition, the WSIB has identified “serious injury and illness” as a defined term and the point at which a worker’s entitlement to additional benefits will be evaluated.
“Serious injury or illness” is now defined as having functional limitations that are expected to cause extreme difficulty or prevent a person from carrying out activities of daily living for more than four weeks. Once a need for independent living benefits and/or “serious injury or illness” is identified, the extent and nature of each entitlement must be considered necessary, appropriate and sufficient on the facts of the individual case.
Importantly, the policy updates also eliminate the previously applicable 60% NEL (or, for older claims, 100% permanent disability) entitlement threshold, which their previous iterations required before a worker could be considered for entitlement under many of the Independent Living policies.
These policy changes have been influenced by a key concern identified within the Independent Living Policy consultation, which was that the previous policies unduly excluded workers who do not explicitly meet the set threshold, but nonetheless experience a significant impact (from their work-related injury or illness) upon their ability to live independently. This prevents them from accessing supports which may be necessary even in the absence of such a rating. This represents a fundamental shift in the WSIB’s eligibility framework to a more individualized form of adjudication, which is centered around workers’ day-to-day reality and their more immediate functional needs, including in cases where maximum medical recovery (MMR) has not been reached or recovery is expected within a certain timeframe.
Employers can expect these changes to result in faster access to independent living supports for their workers, as well as clearer and more consistent WSIB decision-making regarding entitlement to independent-living-related benefits.
Detailed summary of Independent Living policy revisions and additions:
The two new Independent Living policies introduced as of September 21, 2026, are as follows:
- Independent Living and Quality of Life Measures – Overview and Definitions (OPM 17-06-01)
- Quality of Life Benefits (OPM 17-06-09)
The first of these new policies, OPM 17-06-01, now clarifies that all workers whose independent living is impacted by a work-related injury or illness may be considered for entitlement to independent living benefits and services. The policy contains definitions for the terms “serious injury or illness” and “severe impairment” as markers for when a worker’s eligibility for independent living and quality of life benefits can be considered; and if a worker is found to have a “serious injury or illness”, entitlement to additional independent living benefits and services may flow.
OPM 17-06-01 further specifies that all workers with a “severe impairment”, defined as “a serious injury or illness that is expected to permanently impact a worker’s ability to live independently”, can be considered for quality-of-life benefits and services. Specific quality-of-life-related benefits are to be adjudicated under OPM 17-06-09, “Quality of Life Benefits”.
This policy provides for three different types of benefits to which workers may be entitled for the purpose of quality-of-life improvement:
- A quality-of-life allowance;
- Reimbursement of expenses related to a hobby; and/or
- Mental health supports for family members.
Quality of life benefits may be considered in addition to any independent living benefits and services to which workers are entitled pursuant to a “serious injury or illness” under OPM 17-06-01.
Further key changes to the seven existing Independent Living policies are as follows:
- Independent Living Allowances (OPM 17-06-02)
- Introduction of three separate allowances (home maintenance, transportation, and additional expenses), each with their own entitlement criteria, in place of the previous policy’s one general allowance;
- Clarification that each independent living allowance (“ILA”) under the policy is paid as a monthly flat rate, and that workers already in receipt of an ILA will continue to receive its full value, indexed annually; and
- No longer using ILAs to cover devices under $250, with reimbursement to be separately assessed under OPM 17-06-03.
- Independent Living Devices (OPM 17-06-03)
- Eliminating the prior $250 minimum for expense reimbursement in respect of independent living devices, amending the policy to also consider reimbursement for devices under $250; and
- Updating the policy to allow for consideration of “generally excluded” devices such as hot tubs, pools, all-terrain vehicles, tractors, snowplows, and riding lawnmowers in exceptional circumstances.
- Guide Dogs and Service Dogs (OPM 17-06-04)
- Revision to include more detailed criteria that must be met in order for entitlement to a guide/service dog to be in order; and
- Identification of specific “designated conditions” for which there is strong and consistent evidence of the effectiveness of animal-assisted intervention, and where consideration for entitlement is limited.
- Personal Care Attendants and Allowance (OPM 17-06-05)
- Removal of the “severely impaired” criterion as prerequisite to entitlement;
- Introduction of five (5) personal care allowance levels and specific criteria for determining a worker’s required level of care;
- Transition from the prior, hourly rate model to a monthly model of payment for attendant services;
- Outlining how material change reviews and redeterminations of care levels are to be conducted; and
- Clarification that the personal care allowance may be paid to a person’s continuing power of attorney for property, and that a person acting under a power of attorney for personal care may not also act as the worker’s attendant.
- Home Health Care (OPM 17-06-06)
- Revision of eligibility criteria to remove the requirement that a worker’s family, where applicable, be willing/able to participate in the approved program, as well as the requirement for residence in an area designated as covered by the home care program; and
- Clarification that home health care program services are paid directly to the provider at the WSIB-approved rate.
- Vehicle Modifications (OPM 17-06-07)
- A five-point set of entitlement criteria that must be met before entitlement to vehicle modifications can be allowed; and
- Clarification that a “vehicle” under the policy must be the worker’s primary vehicle, but not necessarily their primary mode of transportation.
- Home Modifications (OPM 17-06-08)
- Delineation between “major” and “minor” home modifications (as defined terms), and more detailed guidance on when major/minor home modifications will generally be considered necessary, appropriate and sufficient;
- Clearer guidelines for modification of rental properties and when modifications to secondary properties can be allowed; and
- Introduction of reimbursement for moving costs, where authorized.
A full summary of the WSIB’s Independent Living policy consultation can be accessed here. Further, the revised OPM section containing the new and amended policies is available here. The policy amendments are accompanied by a new Table of Rates, which is also in force from September 21, 2026 onward.
The Office of the Employer Adviser (OEA) provides free and confidential advice, assistance and representation to eligible Ontario employers. Employers with questions about how the Independent Living policy changes may affect your organization are encouraged to contact the OEA for assistance.
Please contact us 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
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