Moncton, September 3, 2025 – The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is calling on the Board of WorkSafeNB to review its performance refund policy and return all surplus funding above its basic target level to New Brunswick businesses in this year’s rate setting decisions.
With the announcement of last year’s first refund to businesses, the Board of WorkSafeNB put in place an updated performance refund policy (Policy 37-100). Once the fund is above its basic target of 125%, the board now moves items it used to consider into a separate envelope. This new envelope can grow until the fund reaches 150%.
“Premium stabilisation, financial circumstances, current and future expected economic conditions, future business requirements, planned investments or changes to the system are all regular going concerns that the Board used to manage within its funding range,” said Louis-Philippe Gauthier, Atlantic Vice-President of Advocacy at CFIB. “Taking these normal considerations out of the regular decision-making process and moving the goal post to new funding levels was, in essence, a cash grab.”
To be fair and transparent in its affairs, the Board should eliminate the discretionary margins it provided itself above its basic funding target range.
“If the Board can justify the need for more money to ensure the stability of the workers’ compensation fund, then they should change the basic levels,” added Gauthier. “Outside of that, all surplus funding beyond what is needed should be returned to businesses in a timely manner.”
CFIB continues to congratulate the Board and management of WorkSafeNB for its performance over the recent years that has led to record surpluses in funding.
For more information on Workers’ Compensation Systems in Canada and their funding, please review the most recent version of CFIB’s report Funding Fairness: State of Workers’ Compensation Funding.
For media enquiries or interviews, please contact:
Louis-Philippe Gauthier, Atlantic Vice-President, Advocacy, CFIB
506-961-5706
Louis-Philippe.Gauthier@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 including 3,700 members in New Brunswick. 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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