What COVID-19 financial relief measures have AWCBC Members introduced?

In quick response to new financial stresses brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, Canada's provincial and territorial workers’ compensation Boards...

What COVID-19 financial relief measures have AWCBC Members introduced?

In quick response to new financial stresses brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, Canada’s provincial and territorial workers’ compensation Boards and Commissions have introduced financial relief measures for their jurisdiction’s employers. 

Note: For more COVID-19 Information & Updates, visit here.

Here is a summary of the COVID-19 financial relief measures being provided by the Members of AWCBC, and their projected time spans:

Board/CommissionCoronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Claims Adjudication Information
WorkplaceNLAssessment premium payments from Newfoundland and Labrador employers have been deferred until August 31, 2020.

More from WorkplaceNL here.
WCB PEIPEI employers do not have to pay premiums until September 30, 2020. Neither will interest nor penalties accrue during this time.

More from WCB PEI here.
WCB Nova ScotiaWCB Nova Scotia has deferred all employer premium payments for six months until July 2021.

More from WCB NS here.
WorkSafeNB Premiums paid monthly by New Brunswick employers, due in February, March and April 2020, have been deferred for three months without interest charges.

More from WorkSafeNB here.
CNESST (Quebec) CNESST's premiums payment deadline has been extended until August 31, 2020, during which no interests or fees on outstanding payments will be applied.

More from CNESST here.
WSIB (Ontario)WSIB's financial relief package allows businesses to defer premium reporting and payments until August 31, 2020. To help reduce the financial burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on Ontario businesses, WSIB provided the opportunity to defer premiums due between March to August 2020. While businesses may choose to make deferred premium payments at any point, to help further support businesses during this difficult time, repayment is not required to begin until January 2021. All businesses that chose to participate in the financial relief package will have until June 30, 2021 to repay deferred amounts, interest-free. Deferred amount payments can be made in one or multiple installments between January and June 30, 2021. More information here.

More from WSIB here.
WCB ManitobaWCB Manitoba is deferring premium payments until May 31, 2020, and waiving late payment penalties until further notice. They have also extended their payroll reporting deadline without penalties until May 31, 2020, and ensuring that all clearances will remain in good standing.

More from WCB Manitoba here.
Saskatchewan WCB Saskatchewan WCB waived penalties and interest charges for late premium payments initially until June 30, 2020, which has been further extended until July 31, 2020 and will be monitored monthly. They are also forgiving interest and penalties for late payments applied to the month of March, prioritizing employer payroll revisions, and suspending payroll audits until further notice (except in situations where an employer may be eligible for a refund).

WCB’s 2020-22 COVID-19 employer cost relief measures conclude (as on June 30, 2022), read more here

The Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) discontinues COVID-19 cost relief, effective Jan. 1, 2022

More from Saskatchewan WCB here.
WCB AlbertaAll private sector employers in Alberta have had their 2020 premiums deferred to 2021. When invoicing is resumed for 2020 premiums in 2021, small- and medium-sized private sector employers will have 50% of their 2020 premiums waived.

More from WCB Alberta here.
WorkSafeBCWorkSafeBC has deferred quarterly premium payments for an additional quarter. Employers who report payroll and make payments on a quarterly basis can defer their Q1 and Q2 payments without penalty until October 20, 2020. WorkSafeBC recognizes that some businesses may still be facing challenges during this time, and they are offering help if businesses can't make payment by October 20. Businesses can also discuss an option to pay premiums in monthly installments of ¼ of your outstanding balance. More information here.

More from WorkSafeBC here.
WSCB - YukonWCSB - Yukon (formerly YWCHSB) has revised their annual payroll estimates, making Yukon employers (who have experienced significant change in their account due directly to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic) eligible for a refund of their 2020 premiums. WSCB - Yukon has also deferred premium payments without penalty or interest charges to a date appropriate for the employer’s financial situation.

More from WSCB - Yukon here
WSCC (NWT & NU)WSCC has extended their assessment premium payment deadline for Northwest Territories and Nunavut employers, and has suspended late payment interest charges to August 1, 2020. The deferral of employer assessment payment means that employers currently registered with the WSCC can move to two equal installments paid in August and October 2020.

More from WSCC here.

Disclaimer:
**This table has been designed for general information purposes only. The AWCBC makes no representations as to the completeness or accuracy of the information (which is not exhaustive) and individual workers’ compensation boards/commissions should be contacted for specific or additional information and clarification. See AWCBC’s website for links to Boards/Commissions.

Source: Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada

Related Links