Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal 2019 Annual Report

I am pleased to share the WSIAT 2019 Annual Report, which outlines the Tribunal’s achievements in 2019, and provides an update on the Tribunal’s plans for the future. While the Tribunal has engaged in a variety of initiatives, all of the Tribunal’s activities are directed toward our chief goal: delivering justice for our stakeholders.

In 2019, the Tribunal continued to reduce its caseload and shorten the time to hearing, while also improving the timeliness of decisions.

In 2020, the Tribunal committed to continue to use the operational framework of sustainability, efficiency, and agility. In particular, agility – the ability to adjust to changing circumstances – had been identified as a key focus for 2020. Agility has proven to be essential during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I am proud to report that Tribunal staff and OICs have shown an extraordinary capacity and willingness to adapt to the recent challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although OICs and the majority of staff are working remotely, the Tribunal is pressing forward to keep up the momentum in the reduction of the caseload and improved time to hearing, as well as improving our processes and the level of service we provide to stakeholders.

Our primary motivation at the Tribunal is to provide timely access to justice to our stakeholders in a manner that is consistent with the principles of natural justice and fairness, and recent jurisprudence, and compliant with applicable public health recommendations. We are committed to adapting to the current circumstances and offering alternative hearing methods during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the uncertainty of what lies ahead, I have great confidence that the OICs and Tribunal staff will continue to maintain the high standard of service excellence that our stakeholders expect and deserve.

Rosemarie McCutcheon
Tribunal Chair