DIEPPE, N.B. – WorkSafe NB announced the new assessment rate for 2019 recently, and for the third year in a row, New Brunswickers will see an increase to their rates – this time, a whopping 72% increase.

The Workers’ Compensation program is supposed to be a balanced and fair system for both employers and employees but this is obviously not the case in New Brunswick.

“This increase will cost the trucking industry millions, every trucking business will be impacted severely.” said Jean-Marc Picard, executive director of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association. “This is ridiculous and it’s gone on long enough, the new government needs to step in and make legislative changes because the bleeding won’t stop.  It’s a joke and nobody wants to make any tough decisions. The Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association advised the government 3 years ago on what needed to happen to make this a more balanced system and nothing was done. Now look at us…another massive rate increase.”

The trucking industry is one of the largest employers in New Brunswick and is faced with a critical driver shortage.  This rate increase is yet another barrier that will not help our industry bring drivers to this province. Companies can barely stay afloat as is therefore this increase will make the cost of goods go up dramatically.

The trucking industry has created more jobs than any other industry in the last couple of years but they cannot continue to sustain these increases and continue to grow as an industry.

“Most trucking companies have terminals in other provinces and moveable assets therefore they can move things around including jobs.  Some already advised me that they would do so immediately” said Picard.