Workplace injury rates down in Saskatchewan, according to annual WCB report

Numbers show workplace injuries at a historic low in Saskatchewan, though 27 fatalities were recorded unchanged from last year. Sierra D’Souza Butts reports.

A new record low in Saskatchewan workplace injury rates has been reported. However, the number of employee fatalities have stayed the same compared to last year.

The time lost when a workplace injury is reported dropped by 67 per cent since 2002, according to the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) report for 2025.

“Our time loss injury, which is time loss claims plus fatality claims, dropped to 1.66 per 100 workers in 2025, which is a 3.5 per cent decrease from 2024,” WCB’s chief executive officer, Phillip Germain explained on Wednesday.

“Every year in the province approximately 2,500 workers suffer serious injuries. Between 11 and 15 per cent of all claims in the province are serious injury claims, which make up approximately 80 per cent of the costs of the Saskatchewan Worker’s Compensation system.”

Operating as an insurance company, the WCB aims to protect workers and employers from workplace injuries, while aiming to reduce the number of injury claims and costs of claims.

This is the fourth year in a row the board has reported a decline in workplace injury rates across Saskatchewan.

Complexity of injury claims

In 2025, the board received 17,401 injury workplace claims, a reduction of 74 submissions compared to the previous year.

“We have seen our durations go up over the last few years … We’re seeing the complexity of claims change,” Germain said. “We’re seeing more psychological claims, more occupational disease claims. These are longer term, more complex claims and they are more costly, including duration.”

• Download the CTV News app to get breaking news alerts sent to your device

The overall decision time by WBC for all claims improved to 13 days from its 22 days in 2024.

The board has implemented strategic initiatives which “have not taken full effect yet,” Germain added.

27 fatalities reported

Although 89 per cent of Saskatchewan workplaces reported zero injuries and fatalities in 2025, there were 27 workers who died from workplace injury or illness, the same as 2024.

Germain said the fatal accidents are categorized by occupational disease and traumatic events.

“Asbestos related fatalities which make up most of the occupational disease related fatalities, the average fatality age of those individuals is 81-years-old. They were exposed a long time ago,” Germain explained.

“Unfortunately, not all occupational diseases work that way, but even some of the cancers. Our focus is trying to prevent these things because the reality is we don’t notice them for many years.”

The cause for majority of traumatic fatalities are due to motor vehicle crashes and falls, he added.

“A lot of the strategies we put in place on the traumatic side, we think are starting to have an impact, but it could take years to see those trends,” said Germain.

As part of the board’s 2023-2028 Fatalities and Serious Injuries Strategy, WorkSafe Saskatchewan remains focused on three high-risk industries: health care, transportation, and construction.

Findings from the report covered approximately 473,086 full time equivalent workers in the province.

There were 49,063 employees registered with the WCB who funded the system.

“I think 2025 has been another good year for WCB,” Chief Financial Officer Dale Markewich told media Wednesday morning.

“I think we’re in a strong financial position and that’s reflected in the balance sheet and the income statement, but it’s also reflected in the reduction in our rates for the year to which we’re very confident in the future.”