New Workers’ Safety and Compensation Act tabled in the Yukon Legislative Assembly

Today, Minister Richard Mostyn tabled Bill No. 8, the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Act, which would modernize and amalgamate the Workers’ Compensation Act and Occupational Health and Safety Act.

A simple, clean and effective Workers’ Safety and Compensation Act will ensure that worker safety and caring for injured workers is always kept at the forefront, in step with changing workplace conditions.

It is important that we modernize the Yukon’s workplace safety and compensation systems. The Workers’ Safety and Compensation Act would be the most progressive Act in the country and would dramatically improve  Yukoners safety, both mentally and physically, and ensure injured workers receive the care and support they deserve.     

Minister responsible for the Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board Richard Mostyn

Today marks another important stage in this process for the Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board. I am proud of the work that has gone into modernizing Yukon’s workplace safety and compensation systems, and am excited for the future of the Yukon’s workers and workplaces under this new legislation.

Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board Chair of the Board of Directors Mark Pike

This legislation, will bring the Yukon in line with many other Canadian jurisdictions, ensuring that Yukon’s workplaces and workers will be protected under legislation that has their interests in the forefront, all the while ensuring that the compensation fund is kept in a balanced position to support Yukoners when they need it most.

Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board President and CEO Kurt Dieckmann

Quick facts 
  • In the fall of 2019, the Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board hosted a public engagement to ask Yukon employers, workers and stakeholders for their input. It included stakeholder and public meetings, one-to-one meetings, outreach events, two online surveys and written submissions.

  • The public engagement concluded in January 2020.

  • The public engagement was summarized in a What We Heard report. It noted that Yukon employers, workers and stakeholders support the modernization of legislation that enhances safety and compensation systems within the territory.

  • The Workers’ Safety and Compensation Act will replace the Workers’ Compensation Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Media contact 

Jacob Wilson
Cabinet Communications
867-332-7627
jacob.wilson@yukon.ca

Heather Avery
Communications Analyst, Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board
867-332-4794
heather.avery@wcb.yk.ca

News release #: 
21-398