In order to create stable and competitive premium rates for the future and ensure a sustainable workplace safety and insurance system for workers and employers, premium rates will increase by 2.5% for all employer rate groups in 2013. This increased rate is a necessary step to reducing the WSIB’s unfunded liability (UFL), which has grown to $14.2 billion.

This decision by our Board of Directors was made based on sound and detailed actuarial and financial analysis, and will enable us to meet the funding requirements set by the government earlier this year.

The increase is being applied to all rate groups. Our experience rating program remains in place to recognize employers who are performing well and reward them accordingly.

2013 Premium rates table

Note: 2013 premium rates have been calculated based on a 2.5% increase across all rate groups, rounded to the nearest cent.

Read the 2013 Premium rates manual (PDF).

The WSIB maximum insurable earnings ceiling for 2013 is $83,200. This is an increase of 1.8% from $81,700 in 2012. Changes to the Maximum Insurable Earnings Ceiling are directly linked to changes in average earnings in Ontario as measured by Statistics Canada, and provisions under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act.

Rate Group	Description	2013 Premium Rate ($)	2012 Premium Rate ($)
030	Logging	13.04	12.72
033	Mill Products And Forestry Services	8.80	8.59
036	Veneers, Plywood And Wood Preservation	5.37	5.24
039	Pulp, Newsprint And Specialty Papers	2.93	2.86
041	Corrugated Boxes	3.24	3.16
110	Gold Mines	8.15	7.95
113	Nickel Mines	5.20	5.08
119	Other Mines	6.69	6.53
134	Aggregates	6.52	6.36
159	Livestock Farms	7.09	6.92
167	Field Crop, Fruit And Vegetable Farms	2.84	2.77
174	Tobacco And Mushroom Farms	5.15	5.03
181	Fishing And Miscellaneous Farming	3.67	3.58
184	Poultry Farms And Agricultural Services	3.27	3.19
190	Landscaping And Related Services	4.93	4.81
207	Meat And Fish Products	4.66	4.55
210	Poultry Products	3.50	3.42
214	Fruit And Vegetable Products	2.68	2.62
216	Dairy Products	2.26	2.21
220	Other Bakery Products	4.00	3.91
222	Confectionery	1.80	1.76
223	Biscuits, Snack Foods And Other Food Products	2.79	2.73
226	Crushed And Ground Foods	1.69	1.65
230	Alcoholic Beverages	1.55	1.52
231	Soft Drinks	3.58	3.50
238	Other Rubber Products	4.13	4.03
258	Foamed And Expanded Plastic Products	2.92	2.85
261	Plastic Film And Sheeting	2.46	2.40
263	Other Plastic Products	3.23	3.15
289	Cloth, Carpets And Textile Products	3.71	3.62
301	Clothing, Fibre And Yarn	2.43	2.37
308	Millwork And Other Wood Industries	5.57	5.44
311	Wooden Cabinets	4.16	4.06
312	Wooden Boxes And Pallets	7.14	6.97
322	Upholstered Furniture	3.34	3.26
323	Metal Furniture	2.33	2.28
325	Wooden And Other Non-Metal Furniture	4.30	4.20
328	Furniture Parts And Fixtures	4.17	4.07
333	Printing, Platemaking And Binding	1.75	1.71
335	Publishing	0.56	0.55
338	Folding Cartons	2.65	2.59
341	Paper Products	3.18	3.11
352	Steel And Other Smelting And Refining Industries	2.62	2.56
358	Foundries	4.29	4.19
361	Non-Ferrous Metal Industries	3.59	3.51
374	Doors And Windows	3.56	3.48
375	Structural And Architectural Products	4.71	4.60
377	Coating Of Metal Products	4.19	4.09
379	Hardware, Tools And Cutlery	2.74	2.68
382	Metal Dies, Moulds And Patterns	2.22	2.17
383	Heating, Refrigeration And Air Conditioning Equipment	2.78	2.72
385	Machine Shops	2.61	2.55
387	Other Metal Fabricating Industries	3.68	3.59
389	Metal Closures And Containers	2.59	2.53
390	Other Stamped And Pressed Metal Products	3.59	3.51
393	Wire Products	3.37	3.29
402	Major Appliances And Transmission Equipment	2.32	2.27
403	Other Machinery And Equipment	1.74	1.70
406	Elevators And Escalators	2.70	2.64
408	Boilers, Pumps And Fans	2.46	2.40
411	Agricultural, Construction And Mining Machinery	2.89	2.82
417	Aircraft Manufacturing	1.56	1.53
419	Motor Vehicle Assembly	3.59	3.51
420	Motor Vehicle Engine Manufacturing	1.89	1.85
421	Other Motor Vehicle Parts And Equipment	3.59	3.51
424	Motor Vehicle Stampings	3.59	3.51
425	Motor Vehicle Wheels And Brakes	3.59	3.51
428	Motor Vehicle Fabric Accessories	4.58	4.47
432	Trucks, Buses And Trailers	4.39	4.29
442	Railroad Rolling Stock	2.74	2.68
460	Lighting And Small Electrical Appliances	2.65	2.59
466	Communication And Energy Wire Products	2.45	2.39
468	Electronic Equipment & Other Communication Devices	0.39	0.39
477	Industrial Electrical Equipment	1.55	1.52
485	Bricks, Ceramics And Abrasives	4.54	4.43
496	Concrete Products	5.42	5.29
497	Ready-Mix Concrete	3.93	3.84
501	Non-Metallic Mineral Products	3.00	2.93
502	Glass Products	3.05	2.98
507	Petroleum And Coal Products	1.17	1.15
512	Resins, Paint, Ink And Adhesives	1.75	1.71
514	Pharmaceuticals And Medicines	0.96	0.94
517	Soap And Toiletries	1.68	1.64
524	Chemical Industries	1.96	1.92
529	Jewelry And Instruments	1.02	1.00
533	Signs And Displays	3.19	3.12
538	Sporting Goods And Toys	4.28	4.18
542	Other Manufactured Products	2.13	2.08
551	Air Transport Industries	2.09	2.04
553	Air Transport Services	1.93	1.89
560	Warehousing	3.43	3.35
570	General Trucking	6.72	6.56
577	Courier Services	3.02	2.95
580	Miscellaneous Transport Industries	5.11	4.99
584	School Buses	3.04	2.97
590	Ambulance Services	6.46	6.30
604	Food, Sales	2.54	2.48
606	Grocery And Convenience Stores	2.20	2.15
607	Specialty Food Stores	3.73	3.64
608	Beer Stores	4.17	4.07
612	Agricultural Products, Sales	2.48	2.42
630	Vehicle Services And Repairs	3.54	3.46
633	Petroleum Products, Sales	2.60	2.54
636	Other Sales	1.46	1.43
638	Pharmacies	0.70	0.69
641	Clothing Stores	1.59	1.56
657	Automobile And Truck Dealers	0.81	0.79
668	Computer, Electronic And Electrical Equipment, Sales	0.50	0.49
670	Machinery And Other Vehicles, Sales	1.84	1.80
681	Lumber And Builders Supply	3.01	2.94
685	Metal Products, Wholesale	3.25	3.17
689	Waste Materials Recycling	6.17	6.02
704	Electrical And Incidental Construction Services	3.69	3.60
707	Mechanical And Sheet Metal Work	4.16	4.06
711	Roadbuilding And Excavating	5.29	5.16
719	Inside Finishing	7.51	7.33
723	Industrial, Commercial & Institutional Construction	4.55	4.44
728	Roofing	14.80	14.44
732	Heavy Civil Construction	7.03	6.86
737	Millwrighting And Welding	6.90	6.73
741	Masonry	12.70	12.39
748	Form Work And Demolition	18.31	17.86
751	Siding And Outside Finishing	10.25	10.00
755*	Non-Exempt Partners and Executive Officers in Construction	0.21	N/A
764	Homebuilding	9.10	8.88
810	School Boards	0.81	0.79
817	Educational Facilities	0.36	0.36
830	Power And Telecommunication Lines	4.45	4.34
833	Electric Power Generation	0.78	0.77
835	Oil, Power And Water Distribution	1.07	1.05
838	Natural Gas Distribution	0.69	0.68
845	Local Government Services	2.24	2.19
851	Homes For Nursing Care	3.29	3.21
852	Homes For Residential Care	3.30	3.22
853	Hospitals	1.10	1.08
857	Nursing Services	3.31	3.23
858	Group Homes	3.14	3.07
861	Treatment Clinics And Specialized Services	1.10	1.08
875	Professional Offices And Agencies	0.73	0.72
905	Apartment And Condominium Services	3.04	2.97
908	Other Real Estate Services	1.31	1.28
911	Security And Investigation Services	1.74	1.70
919	Restaurants And Catering	1.72	1.68
921	Hotels, Motels And Camping	3.10	3.03
923	Janitorial Services	3.73	3.64
929	Supply Of Non-Clerical Labour	5.05	4.93
933	Equipment Rental And Repair Services	3.08	3.01
937	Recreational Services And Facilities	2.19	2.14
944	Personal Services	3.26	3.18
956	Legal And Financial Services	0.21	0.21
958	Technical And Business Services	0.38	0.38
962	Advertising And Entertainment	1.09	1.07
975	Linen And Laundry Services	4.12	4.02
981	Membership Organizations	0.79	0.78
983	Communications Industries	0.37	0.37
* New Rate Group for 2013

Financial discipline to get the most value out of your premium dollars

Employers can be confident that we are using their premium dollars wisely. We’ve brought increased financial discipline to the way we manage our insurance fund, and our hard work is getting results. Today workers are getting decisions on their claims faster than before, and they are getting back to work faster and safer. In 2011, for the first time in 10 years, we are reporting an operating surplus in terms of revenues compared to expenses, and so far results in 2012 are even more encouraging.

Did you know?

• 91% of injured workers are getting back to work within a year
• The WSIB has one of the lowest costs for new claims and administration among all of the provinces
• The WSIB had its first surplus in a decade in 2011: $352 million

More consistent and rigorous case management and better support for recovery and return to work is resulting in improvements that benefit workers, employers, and the Ontario economy. These results include:

• 93% of eligibility decisions made within two weeks, compared to 65% in 2008
• 98% of telephone calls from employers are answered live within one minute, compared to 50% in 2010
• A significant drop in the average length of time on claim, and the number of workers needing 100% wage loss support

Everyone is contributing to improved results

Workers and employers continue to make their workplace safer and healthier, resulting in fewer Lost Time Injuries (LTIs). At the same time, more consistent and rigorous case management and better support for recovery and return to work have assisted in getting workers back to work earlier and more safely.

These improvements have reduced annual benefit payments by almost $500 million over the past couple of years alone. We are managing well, and we are now in a position to eliminate the UFL.

Addressing the unfunded liability (UFL)

The WSIB is carrying a $14.2 billion debt, or UFL. This is the shortfall between the money the WSIB needs to pay benefits in the future and the money that is actually there in the system. Because of this UFL, workplace insurance premiums in Ontario are among the highest in Canada.

Did you know?

• 30% of premiums go to paying down the UFL

For various reasons premiums in the past were not sufficient to cover the cost of claims. This has created an unfortunate situation where current employers are faced with paying the costs of the past.

Absent the need to service the UFL, Ontario would have among the lowest premium rates in the country. That is where we want to be.

While the premium rate increase for 2013 may add costs today, the retirement of the UFL will result in lower premiums and strengthened competitiveness for Ontario businesses in the longer term.

What can employers do to keep their workplace insurance costs down in 2013?

About 95% of premiums paid by most employers are experience-rated. That means employers who have safe workplaces and effective return-to-work programs can reduce their annual premiums paid.

Employers should also stay focused on preventing injuries and illnesses in the workplace. When incidents do occur, make sure they are reported early, because early intervention can help workers return to work earlier and more safely.