Industry-specific coverage

Trucking

Production companies and the entertainment industry

Industry-specific coverage – trucking

Trucking companies operating in Manitoba must provide WCB coverage for their workers. Trucking companies frequently operate across more than one province and on a contract basis.

You must register with the WCB of Manitoba if your company:

operates solely within Manitoba
has a base of operations in Manitoba and provides services anywhere in Canada
is based in another province, but has workers/drivers living in or travelling through Manitoba

If you are based outside of Manitoba, not participating in Alternate Assessment Procedure (AAP), and are working in or travelling through Manitoba, you must contact Assessment Services at the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba to determine if you are required to register in Manitoba.

Defining workers in the trucking industry

We consider all your employees, including drivers, to be your workers. All of your drivers, including owner-operators, must have workers compensation coverage.

Owner-operators may be able to purchase their own Personal Coverage In this case, you are responsible to make sure their coverage is in good standing. You can check their status through the WCB’s online Clearances System.

Alternative Assessment Procedure (AAP)

In order to reduce the burden of registering with the compensation boards in every Canadian jurisdiction you travel to or through, all provinces and territories in Canada participate in the Alternative Assessment Procedure (AAP). This allows you to pay your WCB costs only to the workers compensation agencies where your workers/contractors live.

The AAP streamlines workers compensation reporting for trucking companies that operate in more than one province. Companies that participate in the AAP report payroll for their workers (including drivers and owner operators) to the workers compensation agency in the province where the workers live.

You can only Apply for the AAP in the province or territory where your workers live. There are three ways to register for the AAP – email, fax or mail.

Coverage for drivers working outside Manitoba

Your drivers are covered by the WCB of Manitoba while working anywhere in Canada, the United States or Mexico.

Industry-specific coverage – farm and agriculture

You are required to provide workers compensation for farm and agricultural workers. Workers compensation coverage protects you from lawsuits in the case of an injury or illness to your workers. It also provides valuable benefits for your farm workers, including wage loss benefits, healthcare treatments and rehabilitation.

Farm owners and their family members are not required to have WCB insurance; however, you can purchase personal or Optional Coverage for yourself or family members who work on the farm.

The WCB provides coverage for workers in many kinds of farms and agriculture businesses, including:

crop production
livestock, dairy, hog or poultry farming
beekeeping
hatcheries
greenhouses, nurseries and market gardening

Optional coverage for farm and agriculture

As a farm owner, you can purchase Personal Coverage to provide workers compensation benefits for yourself, including income replacement benefits and healthcare benefits.

Farm owners include sole proprietors, partners and corporate directors of farm and agricultural businesses.

You can also purchase Optional Coverage to provide your family members who work on the farm with the same benefits as other farm workers. Benefits include wage replacement, healthcare treatments and rehabilitation services.

For farms and agricultural businesses, family members include:

your spouse or common-law partner
your child, including a foster child or ward
your parent or their spouse or common-law partner, including a foster parent or guardian
your brother, sister, step-brother, step-sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, grandchild or grandparent
any of the above relations of your spouse or common-law partner
a spouse or common-law partner of any of the above relations
anyone else you think of as a close relative, whether or not they are related by blood, adoption, marriage or common-law relationship.

If you decide to buy WCB coverage for your family, you must purchase coverage for all members you’ve employed.

Coverage for your farm workers stays in effect as long as your business is operating.

Personal coverage for yourself and optional coverage for your family members remain in effect until you cancel the coverage. We may also cancel your personal or optional coverage if you do not follow the requirements for reporting payroll and paying your premium.

To purchase this coverage contact Assessment Services.

Industry-specific coverage – production companies in the entertainment industry

Workers compensation coverage is available for everyone associated with a video production company. Production companies are required to purchase WCB coverage for all of their workers. You may also purchase coverage for entertainers (anyone who works in front of the camera) and independent contractors.

Defining entertainers in production

Entertainers are defined as anyone who works in front of the camera, such as actors and stunt people. Entertainers are not required to have workers compensation coverage. However, you may choose to include them in your WCB coverage or they may choose to purchase Personal Coverage if they want access to workers compensation benefits in the event of a workplace injury.

Defining independent contractors in production

We use the ‘independent business test’ to determine if a contractor is an independent business and eligible for WCB coverage.

A contractor may be considered an independent business if they:

employ other workers and meet a minimum payroll threshold
work primarily within their own business establishment
have multiple customers
own or lease a major piece of equipment
control their work and payment schedule

In the case of video productions, we look at factors such as the collective agreement, the employment contract, the amount and type of payment, and whether or not rights and royalties are being paid to determine whether an individual is an independent contractor or a worker. Writers, directors and other creative talent are often considered independent contractors.

Independent contractors can purchase Personal Coverage for themselves or choose to be included in your WCB coverage.

Providing comprehensive WCB coverage for production teams

You may choose to cover all individuals associated with your production including actors, entertainers and independent contractors (such as directors and writers). By providing WCB coverage for everyone involved in the production – whether a worker, entertainer or independent contractor – you protect all parties from any potential lawsuit related to a workplace injury or illness.

To provide workers compensation coverage for independent contractors, you must request coverage for them when you register with the WCB and each independent contractor must complete an application for coverage form.

Production Companies fact sheet & Application form

You don’t need to provide us with the completed application when you purchase coverage. Keep the application forms on file in case of a workplace injury or illness to provide as proof of coverage.

Contact information

For more information about optional WCB coverage, contact our Assessment Services Department.