The workers' compensation system is based on the Meredith Principles. These principles provide no-fault
protection for employers and workers against the result of work injuries. The system provides coverage at a
competitive cost and protects workers and employers against the risks and uncertainties of litigation.
Judge Sir William Meredith was not yet a Chief Justice when he was appointed to an Ontario
royal commission in 1910. His task was to create new workers' compensation legislation for his province. His
final report three years later identified the issues at the core of the struggle, and the concepts on which a
long-lasting solution could be built. These concepts - since called the "Meredith Principles" - provided the
rationale around which employers and workers could achieve permanent agreement for a reliable, fair and
manageable system for new stability to the workplace.
There are five Meredith Principles:
- No-fault compensation: Workplace injuries are compensated regardless of fault. The worker and employer waive the right to sue. There is no argument over responsibility or liability for an injury. Fault becomes irrelevant, and providing compensation becomes
the focus.
- Collective liability: The total cost of the compensation system is shared by all employers. All employers contribute to a common fund. Financial liability becomes their collective responsibility.
- Security of payment: A fund is established to guarantee that compensation monies will be available. Injured workers are assured of prompt compensation and future benefits.
- Exclusive jurisdiction: All compensation claims are directed solely to the compensation board. The Board is the decision-maker and final authority for all claims. Nor is the Board bound by legal precedent; it has the power and authority to judge each case on its individual merits.
- Independent board: The governing board is both autonomous and non-political. The Board is financially independent of government or any special interest group. The administration of the system is focused on the needs of its employer and labour clients, providing service with efficiency and impartiality.
When Saskatchewan developed its 1930 legislation, it was this set of principles that served as a guide. Even as the legislation has been strengthened and modernized through amendments and new versions over the years since then, the developing compensation structure has maintained its firm footing on the foundation of the Meredith Principles.
