The Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia (WCB) and the provincial Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration (LSI) have unveiled Safer Workplaces Together, a new injury-prevention strategy aimed at reducing workplace injuries and enhancing occupational health and safety across the province.

The joint initiative builds on two decades of injury-prevention progress in Nova Scotia, where the injury rate has dropped from more than three injuries per 100 workers to 1.25.

Despite this decline, officials say preventable incidents continue to affect too many workers, prompting a renewed focus on collaboration and evidence-based action.

“The review of the system was very clear: to have a big impact on injury prevention, we need to work differently and think differently – and that means stronger collaboration,” said WCB Board Chair Saeed El-Darahali in a statement. “Through this plan, we’re choosing a different future for people working in Nova Scotia.”

The Safer Workplaces Together strategy outlines three province-wide prevention priorities for 2025–2026:

• • Reducing strains and sprains, the most commonly reported workplace injury in the province.
  • Supporting employers in addressing psychological harm, with a focus on workplace harassment and traumatic incidents.
  • Strengthening frontline leadership by equipping supervisors with the tools and training needed to build strong safety cultures.

The strategy also calls for ongoing engagement with employers, unions, industry associations, and safety professionals to ensure actions remain responsive and data-driven.

“Every worker deserves to come home safe at the end of the day,” said Labour, Skills and Immigration Minister Nolan Young. “By focusing on the biggest risks and supporting employers and supervisors with practical tools, we’re taking real steps to build safer, healthier workplaces across Nova Scotia.”

The initiative supports the WCB’s long-term goal of reducing the workplace injury rate to 1.16 per 100 workers by 2030, as outlined in its Protect More Strategic Plan.

Several stakeholder groups have endorsed the strategy, including the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME), the Construction Association of Nova Scotia, and the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour. Each organization highlighted the importance of collaboration, leadership, and safety education in achieving meaningful results.

“Industry has long called for real collaboration,” said Duncan Williams, President and CEO of the Construction Association of Nova Scotia. “The only path to zero is true collaboration and solution building.”

The Safer Workplaces Together strategy and supporting resources, including data reports and video materials, are now available on the WCB Nova Scotia website.