NO WORKER LEFT BEHIND: SEIU APPLAUDS NEW LEGISLATION TO EXPAND WSIB TO ALL RESIDENTIAL CARE AND GROUP HOME WORKERS

RICHMOND HILL, ON, April 8, 2026 /CNW/ - SEIU Healthcare applauds today's announcement by Ontario's Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, David Piccini, introducing new legislation that would extend mandatory WSIB insurance coverage to all residential care and group home workers, finally bringing them in line with hospital and nursing home staff.

Mandatory WSIB Announcement - April 8, 2026 (CNW Group/SEIU Healthcare)

SEIU Healthcare President Tyler Downey at April 8 announcement (CNW Group/SEIU Healthcare)

DSW Advocate Sandee Green with Minister Piccini and President Downey (CNW Group/SEIU Healthcare)

SEIU Healthcare, which represents more than 75,000 frontline workers in Ontario, has played a central role in shaping this outcome through more than a decade of advocacy. This includes lobbying efforts, private member bills, presentations to the WSIB operational review panel, and a recent roundtable with Minister Piccini where care workers shared firsthand stories of the urgent need for expanded coverage.

This legislation represents a major step forward in ensuring care workers are treated fairly, protected on the job, and able to provide the highest-quality care to some of Ontario's most vulnerable residents.

Statement from SEIU Healthcare President Tyler Downey:

"A decades-long fight to bring security and fairness to care workers has been won, and I'm proud of our union's role at the forefront of that fight. Expanding WSIB to workers in group homes and retirement homes is more than a policy change. It recognizes the dignity of care work and the value of those who do it. Access to WSIB means more economic security for workers, fewer barriers from private insurance, and the ability to focus on healing, not on paying bills. We applaud the Ontario government for listening to workers and taking action, and we look forward to seeing this legislation pass into law as quickly as possible."

SEIU Healthcare is a union proudly representing more than 75,000 frontline healthcare workers across Ontario. Learn more at www.seiuhealthcare.ca 

SOURCE SEIU Healthcare

For media inquiries, contact: Corey Johnson, SEIU Healthcare, 416-529-8909, [email protected]