By Lyle Adriano
Hundreds of grain farmers staged a protest right outside Alberta’s legislature on December 8, decrying the provisions of Bill 6; a regulation proposed by the NDP that would extend workplace safety standards and worker’s compensation to the agricultural sector.
At present, Alberta is the only province in Canada without any farm-specific safety legislation. Bill 6 would be its very first.
Some of the protesters did not like what Bill 6 implied, which could (among many things) force them to outfit themselves with safety equipment all throughout their work, require their farm children to have WCB coverage, or be a source of confusion when even home accidents within farms can be counted as workplace injuries.
Others protesters were actually in support of the idea of the bill—to encourage more safety in the agricultural sector—but do not trust the NDP with forcing the legislation down everyone’s throats.
Farmers are not the only ones with issues on Bill 6; the local insurance industry potentially has a problem with the legislation, as well.
Typically, the province’s farmers would rely on private insurance plans for all their injury coverage needs. If the bill is passed, however, it will require farmers and their workers to turn to the WCB for coverage, preventing them from choosing their own carrier or plans.
Read more: WCB Injury Payouts in Canada
Alberta’s brokers stand to lose hundreds of customers should Bill 6 be ratified.
