4. Look into other types of assistance

Employment Insurance

You could apply for Employment Insurance (EI) sick benefits. If you’re eligible, you can get up to 15 weeks of EI sick benefits.

In some situations, you might be able to get regular EI benefits. Make sure to apply as soon as possible.

Social assistance programs

In Ontario, if your income is low, you might be able to get financial help from Ontario Works (OW), the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) or Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits (CPP).

Tell them you’ve applied for workers’ compensation

If you apply for EI, OW, ODSP, or CPP, make a note on your application that you have a work injury and have applied for workers’ compensation benefits.

Paying the money back

You can’t get money from workers’ compensation and other sources like EI, OW, ODSP, or CPP for the same time period.  

This means that once you get your workers’ compensation benefits, you’ll have to pay back the money you got from EI, OW, ODSP, or CPP for the same time period. Or in some cases, the WSIB will simply deduct what you have received from another source from the Loss of Earnings benefits they give to you.

You’ll probably have to sign an “assignment of benefits” form to let the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) pay back EI, OW, ODSP, or CPP out of your workers’ compensation benefits.

If the WSIB does not do this, you may have to pay back the money directly.