WCB seeing better outcomes through a more targeted approach.

WCB has changed how it works with employers—and it's making a difference. 

WCB insures more than 20,000 employers across Nova Scotia. Each year, about 1,500 have claims. Within that group, only 25 employers account for about 40 per cent of time-loss injuries.

That’s not because those employers are unsafe. In many cases, they’re safety leaders in the province. But because of their size, with many of them being our largest employers, their impact is greater.

That insight led to a shift.

In 2025, as part of our Protect More strategic plan and our commitment to accountability, we began focusing more closely on employers with the greatest impact on the system.

“It forced us to think about how we deliver,” says Chief Engagement Officer Shelly Dauphinee. “So, we changed. We built senior-level relationships. We co-created solutions together.”

The Department of Public Works is one example of this approach in action.

“We’ve really been trying to redefine safety,” says Public Works Executive Director Dan Leopold. “It’s not about the absence of injuries, but rather the presence of controls.”

Working together, WCB and Public Works have strengthened both injury prevention and return-to-work efforts. That shift is improving outcomes. “We’ve had more success in returning people earlier, so therefore we see those lost time days reduce, and claims reduce,” says Leopold.

This is just one example of a broader shift. As noted in WCB’s 2025 strategic plan progress report, the province’s injury rate is at its lowest level ever, at 1.21 injuries per 100 covered workers. That means fewer disruptions to people's lives and more Nova Scotians staying connected to work.