The Edge Benefits will be offering workers’ compensation benefits to farm owners and their employees in Alberta.
The decision comes after Alberta adopted the Farm Freedom and Safety Act (Bill 26), which dropped the previous mandatory requirement for workers’ compensation benefits (WCB) for small farms. Large farmers are still required to have workplace insurance, but they can either opt for the province’s workers’ compensation benefits program, or private insurance.
Read more about WCB Injury Payouts in Canada in this article.
The EDGE Farming Packages are designed to provide essential protection but can be customized to meet the needs of farm owners and workers. They offer additional programs, including health & dental, critical illness, and life illness, a release explained.
According to The Edge Benefits chief business development officer Scott Moffatt, the key difference between EDGE and the province’s WCB is that the former’s coverage is around the clock, not just for work-related injuries.
“In addition, farm owners should also consider protecting their own income and fixed expenses, including the cost of a replacement farmer should they be unable to work due to an unforeseen injury,” Moffatt said.
Moffatt added that The Edge Benefits believes its offering provides a more comprehensive suite of benefits for farm owners who usually fail to consider their own impact on the operation of a farm.
“Long hours, working around machinery, and working in less than ideal conditions can result in an injury that could have a lasting impact on the viability of a farm,” the chief business development officer remarked.
