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RICHMOND, B.C. — B.C. employers will see no change to the average base premium rate from WorkSafeBC this year.

According to a release, this is the ninth consecutive year the organization has set the average base rate at $1.55 per $100 of assessable payroll.

Annual base premium rates are driven by provincial injury rates, return-to-work performance and the resulting cost of claims as well as investment returns.

In 2026, 39 per cent of employers in B.C. will experience a decrease in their industry base rate, 47 per cent will see their industry base rate increase, and 14 per cent will see no change.

“Given the economic uncertainties facing the province, WorkSafeBC made changes to the maximum increases and decreases in 2026 rates for B.C. industries, which have normally been capped at 20 per cent,” the release reads.

“For 2026, rate increases were capped at 10 per cent, while rate decreases were allowed to reach up to approximately 40 per cent. This change is intended to provide greater rate stability for B.C. employers during challenging economic times.”

Some of the construction-related sectors benefiting from rate reductions include:

• Sawmills (-40 per cent)
• Framing or residential forming (-39.9 per cent)

In 2026, WorkSafeBC is also returning an estimated $570 million of surplus funds to employers by pricing premium rates below system costs.

The average base premium rate of $1.55 in 2026 is 15 per cent less than the average cost rate of

$1.83, with the difference funded by the surplus.

“Between 2019 and 2026, WorkSafeBC projects that $3 billion of surplus funds will have been returned to employers by pricing premium rates below the cost to run the workers’ compensation system,” the release adds.

WorkSafeBC did note it is continuing to see upward claim-cost pressuresand a continued reduction in thesurplus.

It this continues, there could be a moderate increase in rated in the “near future.”

The preliminary rates for 2027 will be announced in July.