"By challenging a claim, police services get a trove of detailed information about their members. The process begins when an employer files an intent to object form, said Michelle Zare, a Hamilton-based paralegal who specializes in handling first responders' WSIB claims. This is the first step in an appeal, she said, and it triggers a process called disclosure. The employer gets the worker's case file, which can include doctors' notes, psychological assessments and progress notes, and even notes from psychological treatment sessions, she said."
"Is DRPS appealing every PTSD claim? Not according to DRPS data. The force provided data about all WSIB claims it received from 2023 to 2025. The service said the majority of these claims were related to mental health, but we don't have an exact number. That data shows the service filed intent to object forms for 60 of 623 WSIB claims over those two years. The service then escalated to"
Durham Regional Police Service has pushed back on some WSIB PTSD claims despite medical diagnoses, invoking employer objections that trigger disclosure of detailed case files. Since 2016, Ontario first responders medically diagnosed with PTSD can rapidly apply for WSIB benefits under a presumption that the injury is work-related. As of December 2025, 102 DRPS members were off work and receiving benefits, mostly for mental health, creating staffing pressures and financial responsibilities borne by the service. Filing an intent to object initiates disclosure of medical and treatment records. DRPS filed intent to object forms for 60 of 623 WSIB claims from 2023–2025, rather than appealing every claim.
Read at www.cbc.ca
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