THUNDER BAY — Injured Workers' Day was recognized provincially for the first time on Saturday.
The date has been well noted since its inception on June 1, 1983. However, the province did not formally recognize it until the Injured Workers Day Act, or Bill 118, was passed in late 2024.
The day is to serve as an opportunity for the province to recognize those who have been injured at work or suffered injuries as a result of their workplace conditions.
“It’s officially by the provincial government branded like every other group that didn’t have to wait 41 years to get recognition,” said Eugene Lefrancois, the Thunder Bay and District Injured Workers Support Group’s president.
“… Like a proclamation with a little kick behind it. Basically, the same thing.”
Lefrancois said it took this long because the province sees injured workers as an “expenditure."
“First thing in the rule of business, get rid of all your liabilities. I’m a liability,” said Lefrancois.
As of April, the Ford government gave companies $2 billion in rebates through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) as part of an $11 billion corporate relief package aimed at helping companies impacted by U.S. tariffs.
These rebates were provided to employers with strong safety records, in addition to a previous $2 billion rebate distributed in March.
To have this recognition after businesses received the funding, Lefrancois said they’re going to continue working, but “it’s in the pudding now.”
“I mean, that’s it… words don’t matter no more. Let’s see some action,” said Lefrancois.
For instance, he said, the New Direction Speakers’ school — offering a public speaking program specifically for injured workers — is getting cut $10,000 a year.
“We’re just about out of business now. We can’t train advocates,” said Lefrancois.
However, with the Injured Workers' Day, he said they’re certainly going to try to get some traction on recognition for injured workers in the province.
“Now that we’re legitimate. We are a somebody. That’s not a very good thing to say, but maybe we will get something,” said Lefrancois.
Over 20 representatives from the TBIWSG, the city, Lakehead University’s EPID@Work and other stakeholders in the community working alongside the group came together to raise the TBIWSG’s flag outside of the city hall on Friday.
Coun. Kasey Etreni was the acting mayor for the flag raising, announcing the proclamation after reflecting on behalf of city council, the mayor and City of Thunder Bay.
“Most flag raisings are a day of celebration. Today is not that,” said Etreni.
“Today is a day of reflection and a day of commitment to the injured workers that are out there that we are listening and we hear them and we want to support them.”
She said she was really happy to be part of the important day.
“December 2024 (was) when the provincial government passed legislation to award this day to injured workers and recognize this day. It was an important time in our history for this to occur,” said Etreni.
Etreni said it’s important for the city to showcase support for injured workers because all of the employers within the community that have workers who are injured.
“We need to take good care of those workers. They’ve dedicated their lives to their employers and we want to support those employees,” said Etreni.
For the injured workers in Thunder Bay, she added that she wants to let them know, “We hear them, we see them and we as a community are listening to them.”
“We know everyone one of those numbers is a name, a life (and) a family forever changed,” said Etreni.
