Ontario WSIB premiums to drop again in 2027
The average rate falls to $1.18 per $100 of insurable earnings, though trucking firms' actual rates will depend on their class and claims history.
Ontario employers, including trucking companies, will pay lower average Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) premiums in 2027.
The WSIB announced on Oct. 22 that the average premium rate will fall to $1.18 per $100 of insurable earnings, down from $1.23 in 2026 and $2.35 in 2018. The board says the cut leaves $160 million in Ontario's economy and that more than 80 per cent of businesses will get a rate reduction.
Ontario's average rate is now almost 30 per cent below the national average, according to the WSIB.
What it means for carriers
The average is not what every fleet pays. Rates are set by industry class and each employer's own claims experience. Truck transportation falls in Class F1 (rail, water, truck transportation and postal service), which has a 2027 class rate of $3.43 per $100 of insurable earnings.
The WSIB says employers with projected increases or decreases move up or down a maximum of three risk bands a year, roughly 15 per cent, until they reach their projected rate. The 2027 rates are based on claims and earnings data as of April 30, 2026.
Individual 2027 rate statements will be available only online, through WSIB online services, starting in November.
Safety programs and rebates
The WSIB highlighted two programs that can help lower costs:
- Free access for registered businesses to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety's Business Safety Portal.
- The Health and Safety Excellence program, which pays rebates for completing topics such as injury prevention, mental stress and return-to-work support. The WSIB says small businesses in the program earn about $9,000 a year in rebates on average and large businesses about $40,000.
Ontario Labour Minister Trevor Jones said lower costs help businesses facing pressure from U.S. tariffs stay competitive.