Province confirms plans to move WSIB headquarters to London
The Ontario government announced on September 28 that it is moving forward with the relocation of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board’s (WSIB) head office to London.
The announced location, at 300 Tartan Drive, near Veterans Memorial Parkway and Highway 401, was previously occupied by 3M.
The province says the relocation will save about $70 million annually for the WSIB. It also says the board’s current location, on Front Street in downtown Toronto, is one of the most expensive blocks of real estate in the country.
The new office will open its doors in 2025 with at least 500 workers and is expected to generate at least 2,000 jobs in the London area over the next five years.
“Today’s announcement is fantastic news for the City of London and all of Southwestern Ontario, as our government brings thousands of good jobs and millions in investment to the region," said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “This common-sense move will allow the WSIB to save $70 million annually and focus on what matters most: delivering for injured workers and the 300,000 businesses across Ontario who rely on them.”
The move is part of the government’s Community Jobs Initiative, a strategy to save taxpayer dollars while bringing jobs and economic development to more communities across Ontario.
“This is a great day for London and for the WSIB,” said President and CEO Jeff Lang. “We found a great space and are looking forward to taking on a bigger role as part of this community.”
“This is phenomenal news for London. The arrival of 2,000 high-quality, recession proof jobs will only further enhance London’s status as one of the fastest growing and most resilient economies in all of Ontario,” said Josh Morgan, Mayor of London. “I am grateful to the Government of Ontario for this commitment and commend them for taking the bold step of moving the WSIB’s head office to our city. The economic impact of this relocation is undeniable and wide-ranging. It will also provide spin-off opportunities to countless numbers of individuals throughout the region.”
The announcement is the latest step the government has taken in modernizing the WSIB in addition to exploring raising compensation for injured workers while returning $1.5 billion to safe employers.
The WSIB cut premium rates in 2022 by $168 million, bringing the total reduction in premiums since 2018 to $8.5 billion.
The WSIB, which is completely funded by employer premiums, provides wage-loss benefits, medical coverage and support to help people get back to work after a work-related injury or illness.
It is one of the largest insurance organizations in North America, covering over five million people in more than 300,000 workplaces across Ontario.