WorkSafeBC has announced that the preliminary average base premium rate for employers will remain unchanged at 1.55 percent of assessable payroll in 2025, marking the eighth consecutive year at this level.
The rate is pending final approval from WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors in October.
Annual base premium rates are influenced by several factors, including provincial injury rates, return-to-work performance, claims costs, and investment returns. In 2025, 59 percent of B.C. employers are expected to see a decrease in their industry base rate, while 33 percent will experience an increase, and 8 percent will see no change.
Premium rates are determined by industry-specific claim costs and individual employers’ claims-cost histories. Employers with lower-than-average claim costs in their industry receive discounts, while those with higher-than-average costs incur surcharges. This system incentivizes employers to improve workplace health and safety outcomes to lower their premium rates.
Despite the average base premium rate remaining at 1.55 percent, the actual cost of claims is anticipated to be 1.78 percent. WorkSafeBC’s strong financial position has allowed it to use surplus funds to cover this difference. From 2019 to 2025, approximately $2.5 billion of surplus funds are projected to be utilized to keep employer rates below the cost of claims.
However, WorkSafeBC has noted upward pressures on claim costs and a decreasing surplus, which may lead to higher premium rates in the future.
WorkSafeBC serves 2.7 million workers and 280,000 employers across British Columbia, focusing on injury prevention and providing support for work-related injuries and diseases.
