The CFLPA has submitted an application for its members to be eligible for WCB coverage in the province of Alberta. It’s a move that could have a wide-ranging impact on the health care of not only those who are playing, but more importantly those who, due to injury, have been unable to play in the CFL and are trying to move on to the next phase of their lives. The application has been received, with the next step being for the CFLPA to appear before a WCB hearing in Alberta later this fall. If given approval, the CFLPA expects it will pave the way for similar applications in the other five provinces that are home to the CFL’s other franchises.



The move comes on the heels of a case that was dismissed in BC Supreme Court in March, when Supreme Court Justice, Christopher Hinkson, agreed with the CFL and ruled that the post career claim was part of the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the CFL Players' Association and that those issues must be resolved through the labour relations process, not the courts. The CFLPA is not involved in that case, which is currently under appeal. It was a case that not only sought compensation, but also medical treatment. And it is that medical treatment that the CFLPA is looking for.



Currently following a season-ending injury, player medical benefits for injuries last until the injury is deemed to have healed, or to a maximum of one year following the date of the injury, whichever comes first. In most cases, the benefits expire before the start of the next season’s training camp.

‎"It was assumed by policy makers that professional athletes had access to the courts and as a result were excluded from Workers Compensation coverage," said Brian Ramsay, Executive Director of the CFLPA. "The BC court decision has found that players in fact do not have access to the courts therefore the Workers Compensation system is our only other recourse."