OntarioDid Not Pass44th Parliament, 1st Session

Bill 86 explained in plain English

Meredith Act (Fair Compensation for Injured Workers), 2026

Labour & Employment Justice & the Law Social Services & Income Support

Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.

How This Type of Bill Becomes Law Official source

At a glance

Jurisdiction

Ontario Legislature

Legislature / Parliament

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Session

44th Parliament, 1st Session

Bill number

Bill 86

Full title

Meredith Act (Fair Compensation for Injured Workers), 2026

Current status

Did Not Pass

Latest event

Lost on division

Last updated

Apr 15, 2026

Sponsor

Lise Vaugeois

Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 44th Parliament, 1st Session. Representative vote breakdowns appear when the Assembly publishes an Ayes and Nays page for the bill.

Chamber

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Current Stage

Lost on division

Latest Activity

Apr 15, 2026

Sponsor

Lise Vaugeois

Plain-language explanation

In plain English (our explanation)

Our plain-language take, written for civic education.

Source: By PoliticalData.ca

AI-assisted, reviewed before publishing

Short Version

Bill 86, the Meredith Act (Fair Compensation for Injured Workers), 2025, would repeal the current Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997, and enact a new system for compensating injured workers and providing them with rehabilitation and training services.

What It Means

This bill, titled the Meredith Act (Fair Compensation for Injured Workers), 2025, proposes to repeal the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997, and replace it with a new scheme for compensating workers who have suffered workplace accidents or developed workplace diseases. The new Act aims to provide compensation, rehabilitation, and retraining services. It also establishes a commission to administer the Act and a tribunal to handle disputes. The bill includes provisions for the transition from the old Act to the new one.

What This Bill Does

Repeals the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.
Enacts the Meredith Act (Fair Compensation for Injured Workers), 2025.
Establishes a system for compensating workers injured in workplace accidents or afflicted by workplace diseases.
Provides for rehabilitation and retraining services for injured workers.
Continues the Workers’ Compensation Commission of Ontario (formerly the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board) to administer the Act.
Establishes the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Tribunal of Ontario to hear disputes.
Includes provisions for the transition of cases from the old Act to the new Act.
Specifies principles for the interpretation and application of the Act, including prompt, no-fault compensation, proportionality of benefits to loss, and security of payment.

Who Is Affected

Workers who sustain workplace accidents or develop workplace diseases.
Dependants and estates of deceased workers.
Employers.
The Workers’ Compensation Commission of Ontario.
The Workers’ Compensation Appeals Tribunal of Ontario.
Medical practitioners.
Workplace health and safety committees and representatives.

Rights, Duties, Or Obligations

Injured workers have the right to compensation, rehabilitation, and retraining services.
Employers have an obligation to notify the Commission of workplace accidents or diseases and to accommodate injured workers.
The Commission has a duty to administer the Act, process claims promptly, and provide benefits.
Workers have a right to appeal decisions made by the Commission to the Tribunal.

Important Dates

The Act comes into force on the first anniversary of the day on which it receives Royal Assent.
Reviews of cases for injured workers receiving benefits under the previous Act must begin no later than the first anniversary of the day the new Act comes into force, with all reviews completed no later than the sixth anniversary.

Financial Or Tax Impacts

Employers will pay premiums to the Commission to fund compensation and administrative costs.
Compensation for lost earnings is set at 90 per cent of the worker's deemed income.
The Act outlines entitlements for compensation in the form of lost earnings, medical coverage, pension contributions, and intangible loss.
The Commission shall maintain a fund paid by employer premiums to cover all compensation, expenses, and administrative costs.

Enforcement Or Penalties

The bill does not explicitly detail specific penalties for non-compliance; however, it does mention that an overpayment of compensation constitutes a debt owed to the Commission and may be recovered.
The Commission can apply to the Superior Court of Justice for relief if required information or documents are not provided.

Uncertainties Or Limits

The bill text does not specify the exact amount of compensation for intangible loss, pain, and suffering, stating it will be determined by the Commission.
Details regarding the specific regulations for the reporting system are not included in the provided text.
The specific benefits to dependants of deceased workers, beyond funerary expenses, are to be determined by regulations.
While the bill mentions employer premiums, the exact premium rates and calculation methods are to be established by the Commission through regulation.

Laws Or Regulations Affected

Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997

repeals

This Act would be replaced by the Meredith Act (Fair Compensation for Injured Workers), 2025.

Source: Section 50

Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997

enacts

This Act is being enacted to replace the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.

Source: Title page and Section 52

Meredith Act (Fair Compensation for Injured Workers), 2025

enacts

This new Act will establish a scheme for compensating workers injured at work or who develop workplace diseases.

Source: Title page and Section 52

Workplace Safety and Insurance Board

continued as

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board would continue under the name Workers’ Compensation Commission of Ontario.

Source: Section 23 (1)

Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal

continued as

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal would continue under the name Workers’ Compensation Appeals Tribunal of Ontario.

Source: Section 38

Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.

Official text

Process Snapshot

Step 1

First reading

Dec 8, 2025

Step 2

Second reading

Apr 15, 2026

Step 3

Committee review

Not reached yet

Step 4

Third reading

Not reached yet

Step 5

Royal assent

Not reached yet

Vote Summary

Yes

Abstain

Absent / Other

Final recorded vote

Apr 15, 2026

103 representative positions are recorded in this official snapshot for this vote.

Sponsor

Lise Vaugeois

New Democratic Party of Ontario | Thunder Bay—Superior North

Jurisdiction

Ontario Legislature

Representative Voting Breakdown

Vote badges include text labels so the table stays readable for everyone, even without color cues alone.

Representative	Role	Riding	Party	Vote	Notes
Lise VaugeoisSponsor MPP	MPP	Thunder Bay—Superior North	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Adil Shamji MPP	MPP	Don Valley East	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Aislinn Clancy MPP	MPP	Kitchener Centre	Green Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Alexa Gilmour MPP	MPP	Parkdale—High Park	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Andrea Hazell MPP	MPP	Scarborough—Guildwood	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Bobbi Ann Brady MPP	MPP	Haldimand—Norfolk	Independent	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Catherine Fife MPP	MPP	Waterloo	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Catherine McKenney MPP	MPP	Ottawa Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Chandra Pasma MPP	MPP	Ottawa West—Nepean	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
France Gélinas MPP	MPP	Nickel Belt	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Guy Bourgouin MPP	MPP	Mushkegowuk—James Bay	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jamie West MPP	MPP	Sudbury	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jeff Burch MPP	MPP	Niagara Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens MPP	MPP	St. Catharines	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jennifer K. French MPP	MPP	Oshawa	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jessica Bell MPP	MPP	University—Rosedale	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
John Fraser MPP	MPP	Ottawa South	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
John Vanthof MPP	MPP	Timiskaming—Cochrane	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Jonathan Tsao MPP	MPP	Don Valley North	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Karen McCrimmon MPP	MPP	Kanata—Carleton	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Kristyn Wong-Tam MPP	MPP	Toronto Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Lee Fairclough MPP	MPP	Etobicoke—Lakeshore	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Lisa Gretzky MPP	MPP	Windsor West	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Lucille Collard MPP	MPP	Ottawa—Vanier	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Marit Stiles MPP	MPP	Davenport	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Mary-Margaret McMahon MPP	MPP	Beaches—East York	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Mike Schreiner MPP	MPP	Guelph	Green Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Peggy Sattler MPP	MPP	London West	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Peter Tabuns MPP	MPP	Toronto—Danforth	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Rob Cerjanec MPP	MPP	Ajax	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Robin Lennox MPP	MPP	Hamilton Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Sandy Shaw MPP	MPP	Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Stephanie Bowman MPP	MPP	Don Valley West	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Stephanie Smyth MPP	MPP	Toronto—St. Paul's	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Stephen Blais MPP	MPP	Orléans	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Ted Hsu MPP	MPP	Kingston and the Islands	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Terence Kernaghan MPP	MPP	London North Centre	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Teresa J. Armstrong MPP	MPP	London—Fanshawe	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Tom Rakocevic MPP	MPP	Humber River—Black Creek	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Tyler Watt MPP	MPP	Nepean	Ontario Liberal Party	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Wayne Gates MPP	MPP	Niagara Falls	New Democratic Party of Ontario	Yes	Recorded without an additional note.
Amarjot Sandhu MPP	MPP	Brampton West	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Andrew Dowie MPP	MPP	Windsor—Tecumseh	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Anthony Leardi MPP	MPP	Essex	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Aris Babikian MPP	MPP	Scarborough—Agincourt	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Bill Rosenberg MPP	MPP	Algoma—Manitoulin	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Billy Denault MPP	MPP	Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Billy Pang MPP	MPP	Markham—Unionville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Brian Riddell MPP	MPP	Cambridge	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Chris Scott MPP	MPP	Sault Ste. Marie	Independent	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Dave Smith MPP	MPP	Peterborough—Kawartha	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
David Smith MPP	MPP	Scarborough Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Dawn Gallagher Murphy MPP	MPP	Newmarket—Aurora	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Deepak Anand MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Malton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
George Darouze MPP	MPP	Carleton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hardeep Singh Grewal MPP	MPP	Brampton East	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Andrea Khanjin MPP	MPP	Barrie—Innisfil	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Caroline Mulroney MPP	MPP	York—Simcoe	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Charmaine A. Williams MPP	MPP	Brampton Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Doug Downey MPP	MPP	Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Doug Ford MPP	MPP	Etobicoke North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Ernie Hardeman MPP	MPP	Oxford	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. George Pirie MPP	MPP	Timmins	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Graydon Smith MPP	MPP	Parry Sound—Muskoka	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Greg Rickford MPP	MPP	Kenora—Rainy River	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Lisa M. Thompson MPP	MPP	Huron—Bruce	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael A. Tibollo MPP	MPP	Vaughan—Woodbridge	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael Parsa MPP	MPP	Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Michael S. Kerzner MPP	MPP	York Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Mike Harris MPP	MPP	Kitchener—Conestoga	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta MPP	MPP	Mississauga Centre	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Nina Tangri MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Streetsville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Nolan Quinn MPP	MPP	Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Paul Calandra MPP	MPP	Markham—Stouffville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy MPP	MPP	Pickering—Uxbridge	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria MPP	MPP	Brampton South	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Raymond Sung Joon Cho MPP	MPP	Scarborough North	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Rob Flack MPP	MPP	Elgin—Middlesex—London	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Sam Oosterhoff MPP	MPP	Niagara West	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Steve Clark MPP	MPP	Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Victor Fedeli MPP	MPP	Nipissing	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Hon. Zee Hamid MPP	MPP	Milton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Jess Dixon MPP	MPP	Kitchener South—Hespeler	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
John Jordan MPP	MPP	Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Joseph Racinsky MPP	MPP	Wellington—Halton Hills	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Laura Smith MPP	MPP	Thornhill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Logan Kanapathi MPP	MPP	Markham—Thornhill	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Lorne Coe MPP	MPP	Whitby	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Matthew Rae MPP	MPP	Perth—Wellington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Michelle Cooper MPP	MPP	Eglinton—Lawrence	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Mohamed Firin MPP	MPP	York South—Weston	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Monica Ciriello MPP	MPP	Hamilton Mountain	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Natalie Pierre MPP	MPP	Burlington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Paul Vickers MPP	MPP	Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Ric Bresee MPP	MPP	Hastings—Lennox and Addington	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Robert Bailey MPP	MPP	Sarnia—Lambton	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Rudy Cuzzetto MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Lakeshore	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Sheref Sabawy MPP	MPP	Mississauga—Erin Mills	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Silvia Gualtieri MPP	MPP	Mississauga East—Cooksville	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Stéphane Sarrazin MPP	MPP	Glengarry—Prescott—Russell	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Steve Pinsonneault MPP	MPP	Lambton—Kent—Middlesex	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Tyler Allsopp MPP	MPP	Bay of Quinte	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.
Will Bouma MPP	MPP	Brantford—Brant	Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario	No	Recorded without an additional note.

Official sources

Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.

How this data is sourced