Overview
- The WSIB announced Thursday that it will consolidate some claims and account‑management functions, close nine regional offices now and a tenth later, and notify affected staff of role changes.
- Union leaders say about 466 positions across Ontario were declared redundant in video notifications and that another roughly 155 Waterloo roles are flagged for later cuts.
- The WSIB says injured‑worker services will continue unchanged, that local return‑to‑work teams and health‑care providers remain in place, and that affected staff are being offered relocation, resume help, job search support and continued benefits.
- Unions and opposition politicians warn the moves concentrate work in the Greater Toronto Area and London, risk hollowing out northern and regional economies in places such as Sudbury, Thunder Bay and Windsor, and could lengthen claim processing and return‑to‑work timelines.
- The decision follows a provincial review of arm’s‑length agencies and comes as the WSIB promotes a separate $125‑million investment in a Sudbury mine‑rescue training academy, leaving outcomes to be shaped by collective‑agreement rules, relocation capacity and the union’s challenge efforts.