Two years after system review: Accountability and results
In 2024, the government review of Nova Scotia’s workers’ compensation system highlighted the need for significant changes. It called on WCB to do better and restore accountability to a system focused on helping Nova Scotians stay or return to work.
For the past two years, we've worked with employers, workers, health care providers, government, and safety partners on that goal, guided by our 2024-2030 Protect More Strategic Plan.
At the time, Nova Scotia was the only workers' compensation system in Canada that wasn't fully funded. Employer rates hadn't changed in more than 40 years. And worker benefits were indexed to just 50 per cent of inflation, the lowest in the country.
Today, the system is 117 per cent funded. That funding lets us cut employer rates by 15 per cent in 2027, from $2.65 to $2.25 per $100 of payroll. We're also indexing worker benefits to 100 per cent of inflation, up to 3 per cent a year, starting in 2027, an improvement the system review called for.
We've put accountability into action by setting clear targets, measuring our progress each month, and sharing our results with Nova Scotians.
Preventing workplace injuries: lowest on record
The best outcome for any worker is not getting injured in the first place. In 2026, we reached our 2030 injury prevention target three and a half years ahead of schedule. Our time-loss injury rate has fallen to 1.15 injuries per 100 covered workers as of July 2026, the lowest rate on record.
Behind that number are workers who avoided the pain and disruption of an injury, and employers who avoided the impact an injury can have on their people and operations.
Our prevention work is grounded in the Safer Workplaces Together plan, which brings WCB, safety associations, employers, and workers together around shared prevention priorities, in partnership with the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration.
Return to work: More Nova Scotians back to work
When someone gets hurt on the job, time matters. The review called this the biggest opportunity for change, and the numbers backed that up: in 2024, Nova Scotia had one of the longest claim durations in the country and the lowest share of workers back on the job within 90.
“Addressing the duration of claims, including better supports for a safe and timely return to work for injured workers, may be the highest impact change that can be made,” said Douglas Reid, who led the review.
Today, 82 per cent of workers are back within 90 days, up from 68 per cent in 2024. In 2025, that added up to 83,000 more working days back in the workforce.
We’ve introduced a new practice model and retrained our people this year to help more Nova Scotians return to work who have been off for more than 90 days. We’re also restoring accountability back into the recovery process with the new Work-Connected Recovery Program, and continuing implementation of the Duty to Cooperate Legislation, which gives employers and workers shared accountability in getting Nova Scotians back to work.
We still have progress to make, especially for workers off longer term. In 2026 we're strengthening how we support longer, more complex claims and looking at vocational rehabilitation options that can help.
Delivering exceptional service: Better claims administration
Claims used to move too slowly, and we didn't communicate well with workers and employers, from first contact through decisions and payment. We built a plan with clear targets to fix that.
Since 2024, we’ve made significant progress. First contact within two days rose from 77 per cent to 95 per cent. Entitlement decisions and first payments saw similar gains: today, 82 per cent of entitlement decisions are made within seven days, and 78 per cent of first payments go out within 15 days. We're surpassing our 2026 targets across the board.
Investing to fix the system
The review found Nova Scotia had among the most expensive workers' compensation systems in Canada, including administrative costs well above the national average. Addressing that took investment. Transforming the system meant spending more, for a while, as we upgraded technology, modernized processes, and responded to customer needs. We expect those costs to stabilize over time.
What’s next
There’s more work to do, particularly for workers with longer and more complex claims. We’ll keep measuring our progress, being open about the results, and making changes where they’re needed.
That’s how we’ll continue building a stronger workers’ compensation system for Nova Scotians.