This morning, our President Tyler Downey and frontline developmental service workers stood alongside Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, David Piccini, to announce new legislation that would guarantee mandatory WSIB coverage for workers in retirement homes, group homes, and other residential care settings, bringing them in line with hospital and nursing home workers.
This is a major milestone in a fight our union has led for more than a decade. For members affected, access to WSIB means greater economic security and fewer barriers from private insurance. It ensures that when injuries happen, workers can focus on healing, not bills. Today’s announcement brings us closer to making that protection a reality.
We look forward to this historic legislation being introduced in the coming weeks and will continue to advocate for all MPPs to vote in favour to make it the law.
Click here to watch this milestone moment
When We Fight, We Win! A Snapshot Of How We Got Here:
- 2016: SEIU DSW Sandee Green attends our Leadership Academy and is inspired to take political action to expand WSIB to all healthcare settings.
- 2016-2025: Our union worked with MPP John Fraser to drive five private member bills on WSIB coverage.
- 2019: We present to the WSIB operational review panel, which later recommends mandatory coverage for these workers.
- Ongoing: DSW and retirement home activists meet with more than 60 MPPs across all parties and gather thousands of petition signatures.
- January 2026: SEIU President Tyler Downey raises WSIB expansion directly with Premier Doug Ford during meeting at Queen’s Park.
- March 2026: Sandee joins Tyler in a meeting with Minister Piccini, sharing firsthand impacts of the current gap in coverage and the urgency to resolve it.