Winnipeg, April 23, 2026 - The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is disappointed to see that, once again, legislation from Manitoba’s Progressive Conservatives to bring greater clarity and fairness to the handling of Manitoba’s Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) surplus funds has been voted down in the legislature.
Bill 228, The Workers Compensation Amendment Act (Distribution of Surplus Funds), which went through second reading today but did not pass, would require the WCB to distribute surplus funds when the board becomes overfunded.
For years, CFIB has advocated for a transparent, rules-based approach to surplus distribution. This should be a non-partisan issue. Employers fund the system, and once the WCB reaches its own self-determined surplus threshold, excess funds should be automatically returned. While refunds have been issued multiple times in recent years, the absence of a legislated framework has left many small businesses uncertain about when and how those funds will be returned.
“Putting clear, surplus rebate standards into law is a practical step toward improving predictability and easing cost pressures for employers,” said Brianna Solberg, CFIB Director for the Prairies and the North. “Small businesses pay into the system with the expectation that it will remain financially stable—not accumulate excess reserves without a clear plan to return them.”
CFIB has recently made a formal submission as Manitoba undertakes a review of The Workers Compensation Act, calling for the introduction of a mandatory, legislated surplus rebate policy. While CFIB welcomes recent rebates, surplus returns remain discretionary. A legislated framework—similar to the approach adopted in Ontario—would ensure surplus funds are returned in a fair, transparent, and predictable manner.
Returning surplus funds to employers allows business owners to reinvest in their operations—whether through hiring, increasing wages and benefits, purchasing new equipment, improving workplace safety, or expanding their business. It is also a practical way for government to support small businesses and ease cost pressures without requiring new public spending.
CFIB recognizes the importance of maintaining strong reserves to protect injured workers. However, holding funds well beyond established thresholds without a reliable mechanism for return risks undermining trust in the system.
“Employers directly fund this system. When it becomes significantly overfunded, they deserve certainty that excess funds will be returned,” concluded Solberg.
For media enquiries or interviews, please contact:
Brianna Solberg, CFIB
306-713-8071
Brianna.Solberg@cfib.ca
About CFIB
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 100,000 members across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners’ chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at cfib.ca.
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