WorkSafeBC announced that the preliminary average base rate for 2027 will remain at $1.55 per $100 of assessable payroll. This will be the 10th consecutive year that the average base rate has remained at this level.

While the average base rate will be unchanged in 2027, each year, the costs in some industries go up, some go down and others stay the same. In 2027, more than half (52 per cent) of employers will either see a decrease in their base rate (30 per cent) or no change (22 per cent), while 48 per cent will see an increase.

WorkSafeBC’s rate-setting approach includes mechanisms to return surplus funds to employers when the funding level exceeds its target. In 2027, WorkSafeBC is proposing to return almost $1 billion ($960 million) of surplus funds to employers through discounted rates and assessment credits.

Between 2019 and 2027, WorkSafeBC projects that $3.9 billion of surplus funds will have been returned to employers, primarily through the pricing of base rates below costs. 

To keep rates as stable as possible, base rate increases and decreases are normally capped at 20 per cent. However, given the continuing economic uncertainties facing the province, for 2027, WorkSafeBC will restrict base rate increases to a maximum of 15 per cent, while allowing base rate reductions of up to 30 per cent. This temporary approach, which was also used in 2026, is intended to provide greater rate stability for B.C. employers during challenging economic times.

WorkSafeBC’s board of directors will finalize the 2027 premium rates in October of this year.