LAWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

OHS Enforcement 

Dec 28: Since April 1, 2025, Manitoba has carried out 5,576 WSH inspections, resulting in the issuance of 421 Stop-Work Orders and 11,226 Individual Improvement Orders. There were also 5 reported OHS work refusals and 53 alleged reprisals.   

Action Point: Find out how to implement an OHS inspections policy in case inspectors show up at your door.  

Cold Stress 

Jan 29: With temperatures across the prairies plunging, SAFE Work Manitoba reminded employers to ensure they have proper procedures in place to safeguard workers against cold stress injury hazards. Such procedures should provide for assessment of weather conditions before outdoor work begins and throughout the day.  

Action Point: Find out how to implement a complete, compliant, and effective Cold Stress Compliance Game Plan at your workplace. 

Emergency Response 

Jan 29: Manitoba is investing $11.4 million to support 22 different municipal fire services capital projects through the Growth, Renewal, and Opportunities for Municipalities (GRO) program. The money will be used to replace aging fire trucks and equipment, upgrade fire halls, and bolster emergency response capacity across the province.   

Industry Challenges 

Jan 25: The Governments of Canada and Manitoba launched a new pilot offering lower AgriInsurance crop insurance premiums to farmers that adopt sustainable management practices.  The average premium for annual crops will be $11.46 per acre in 2026, compared to $13.01 per acre in 2025. The list of Wildlife Damage Compensation program damaging species will also expand during the 2026 crop year to cover damage from blackbirds and raccoons, and livestock injury or death caused by vultures, eagles, hawks, ravens, and other corvidae species. 

New Laws 

Jan 23: The Manitoba Health Care Retention and Recruitment Office says that it has so far recruited 13 U.S.-trained physicians to practise in the province as of the end of January. Manitoba added a record increase of 285 doctors to its health-care system in 2025.  

Accessibility 

Feb 20: February 20 is the deadline for Manitoba businesses, non-profits, charities, municipalities, and on-reserve entities to apply for up to $50,000 in Manitoba Accessibility Fund (MAF) support for projects that raise accessibility awareness, improve access to electronic, print, or in-person communication, or develop tools, resources, and training to support compliance with accessibility standards. 

Action Point: Find out how accessibility laws affect your OHS program. 

Workplace Violence 

Jan 15: Under new Education Administration Act regulations designed to bolster student safety, when a teacher or clinician who's being investigated for misconduct agrees to stop teaching or practicing, their registry entry will display a status of voluntarily surrendered until a final determination is made. That status will be removed from the registry once the matter is resolved and the teacher is either exonerated or their certificate is suspended or cancelled. This change aligns Manitoba with rules in other jurisdictions, including Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.  

Action Point: Find out how to implement an effective Workplace Violence and Harassment Compliance Game Plan at your site that provides for prompt, fair, and thorough investigation of harassment complaints. 

Workers' Compensation 

Feb 28: February 28 is the deadline for Manitoba employers to submit their actual 2025 and estimated 2026 workers' compensation payroll figures to the WCB. Missing the deadline may result in interest, late fees, and penalties.  

Action Point: Find out how much each province and territory is charging for workers' compensation premiums in 2026.  

Workers' Compensation 

Mar 31: That's the deadline for Manitobans to participate in public consultations reviewing The Workers Compensation Act. The government will review the comments and publish a report setting out its recommendations in December 2026.  

CASES

There are no cases to mention this month.