And, finally, Mr. Speaker, I have a return to written question 19-18(3). It's a return to written question provided by the Honourable Alfred Moses, Minister responsible for the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission regarding Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission rates.
Mr. Speaker, I have a return to written question asked by Mr. Testart on June 6, 2019 regarding the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission fees and compensation.
- Please account for the total amount of fees in dollar amount paid to the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission by the private sector in the fiscal year 2017-2018.
Answer: The WSCC classifies employers into 17 different subclasses as listed below.
- Subclass 10 / Renewable Resources and Outdoor Recreation
- Subclass 22 / Mining Operation
- Subclass 27 / Mining Services
- Subclass 37 / Oil & Gas Servicing, Development, Refining and Pipeline Operations
- Subclass 41 / General Construction
- Subclass 43 / Mobile Equipment Operations, Logging and Marine Construction
- Subclass 46 / Mechanical Installation & Servicing
- Subclass 51 / Air Transportation
- Subclass 53 / Ground Transportation
- Subclass 54 / Trucking, General and Long Distance and Water Transportation
- Subclass 62 / Retail, Wholesale and Light Manufacturing
- Subclass 66 / Automotive Sales and Services and Metal Fabrication
- Subclass 71 / Business, Communication and Amusement Services
- Subclass 74/ Health, Welfare and Emergency Services
- Subclass 76 / Accommodation, Catering, Food & Beverage Services
- Subclass 81 / Government of the NWT and Nunavut & Public Utilities
- Subclass 82 / Authorities and D.E.W. Line
The subclassification system provides a realistic proxy for a private versus public sector breakdown. Subclass 81 and 82 comprise what would best be considered the public sector, with all other subclasses comprising the private sector.
The total fees paid by the subclasses comprising the private sector in the calendar year 2018 were $49,414,151. The WSCC operates on a calendar year basis, with a December 31 fiscal year end.
- Please provide a four-year average of fees in dollar amounts paid to the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission by the private sector.
Answer: Using the same subclass grouping as above in question 1, the average annual fees paid by the private sector during the period 2015 to 2018 were $47,003,281.
- Please indicate the dollar amount of Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission compensation paid out to private sector employees in fiscal year 2017-2018.
- Answer: Costs associated with workplace injuries include the following:
- Direct costs for compensation and pension payments;
- Costs for medical treatment and ongoing care;
- Costs for vocational rehabilitation;
- Travel associated with provision of care and rehabilitation;
- The administrative costs of case management.
The above costs can and are paid out over the lifetime of a claim, which can vary in length from very short term to decades.
The amounts paid in fiscal year 2018 for private-employer claims as listed above totalled $43,934,069. The portion of administrative costs not charged directly to compensation and the management of claims and not included in the above applicable to private employers on an apportioned basis totalled $17,369,292.
- Please provide a four-year average in dollar amount of Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission compensation paid out to private sector employees.
Answer: Utilizing the same methodology outlined in question 3 above, the average paid out during the period 2015 to 2018 to private-sector employees for a claim was $40,303,094. The average over the period 2015 to 2018 of administrative costs not charged directly to compensation and the management of claims and not included in the above on an apportioned basis was $17,282,700. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.