WorkSafeNB Survivor Benefits After a Workplace Death in New Brunswick

When a New Brunswicker dies from a workplace injury or occupational disease, the standard CPP survivor pension path is not the right starting point. WorkSafeNB assumes primary jurisdiction, and the compensation is substantially different — and significantly larger — than the federal fallback. The 2025 policy changes to WorkSafeNB's survivor program made this gap even wider.

Here is what families of workers killed on the job in New Brunswick are owed, what changed on July 1, 2025, and what can disqualify or suspend ongoing payments.

The July 1, 2025 Policy Changes

Effective July 1, 2025, WorkSafeNB updated Policy 21-515 governing benefits for survivors. The changes affect all fatalities occurring on or after that date.

Monthly survivor pension: The surviving spouse now receives 90% of the deceased worker's average net earnings, reduced by any CPP survivor pension entitlement. In practice, WorkSafeNB tops up the CPP survivor pension to ensure the total survivor income reaches 90% of the worker's pre-death net take-home pay.

Retirement annuity set-aside: WorkSafeNB now sets aside an amount equal to 10% of the total benefits paid each year, accumulated with interest, to fund a retirement annuity for the surviving spouse at age 65. This is a new structural protection — rather than facing an abrupt income cliff at 65, the surviving spouse can access an annuity from the funds WorkSafeNB has been accumulating throughout the benefit period.

These are not one-time payments. They are ongoing monthly obligations that continue until the surviving spouse remarries or enters a new cohabiting relationship that triggers the household means test (see below).

The Burial Grant

For deaths occurring due to workplace injury, WorkSafeNB also provides a burial grant separate from the monthly pension. The grant equals:

• 40% of the New Brunswick Industrial Aggregate Earnings (NBIAE) for burial costs — approximately $21,452 based on the 2026 NBIAE of $53,632
• Plus 50% of the NBIAE for additional related expenses
• Plus necessary transportation costs if remains must be moved

This burial grant is separate from, and in addition to, the standard $2,500 CPP death benefit. Families do not have to choose between them — both can be claimed.

Critically, WorkSafeNB's burial grant is so substantially larger than the New Brunswick Social Development funeral benefit that low-income workplace-fatality families should not apply to Social Development first. The correct sequencing is WorkSafeNB first, with Social Development as a supplement only if specific gaps remain.

Dependent Children

For each dependent child, WorkSafeNB provides an additional monthly benefit calculated as a percentage of the NBIAE:

• Children under age 18: 10% of the NBIAE per child per year, divided monthly
• Children aged 18–25 attending school full-time: benefit continues at a reduced rate

These payments are in addition to the surviving spouse pension — they do not reduce the spouse's 90% calculation.

Families should also file for the CPP Children's Benefit ($307.81/month per child in 2026) through Service Canada separately. The WorkSafeNB and CPP children's benefits are not duplicative — both can be claimed simultaneously.

Annual Compliance: The Surviving Spouse Questionnaire

This is where many families run into problems. WorkSafeNB survivor benefits are not set-and-forget. Every year by March 31, the surviving spouse must:

1. Complete the Surviving Spouse Questionnaire
2. Attach CRA tax printouts verifying the prior year's income
3. Report any changes in marital status or cohabitation

If the questionnaire is not submitted by March 31, WorkSafeNB suspends monthly payments. The suspension is immediate and can last weeks. Payments are generally reinstated retroactively once compliance is verified, but the disruption to cash flow is real.

The questionnaire also asks about any new cohabiting relationship. If the surviving spouse enters a new relationship — living with a new partner — WorkSafeNB conducts a family means test to ensure total household income does not exceed 90% of the net family income benchmark. Reduced benefits are possible but not automatic; the test determines the degree of adjustment.

How WorkSafeNB Interacts with CPP

WorkSafeNB does not pay the full 90% of net earnings on top of CPP — it coordinates with CPP. The WorkSafeNB monthly payment is the 90% target minus the CPP survivor pension amount you receive.

Example: If the deceased's net earnings were $5,000/month and the CPP survivor pension pays $650/month, WorkSafeNB pays $4,350/month so that the survivor's combined income from both sources reaches $5,000 (90% of $5,556 net).

This coordination means claiming the CPP survivor pension immediately is still important — it reduces what WorkSafeNB must pay but does not reduce what you receive in total.

Who to Contact

WorkSafeNB's Benefit Payment Services handles survivor claims. The primary office is in Fredericton. Call 1-800-999-9775 to initiate a claim. You will need:

• Confirmation of the workplace incident from the employer or the WorkSafeNB claims file
• Death certificate (certified copy from SNB, $40 online)
• Marriage certificate or proof of common-law relationship
• Birth certificates for dependent children
• The deceased's recent pay stubs or CRA income records for the earnings calculation

The claim must be filed promptly. WorkSafeNB does not set a rigid deadline for the initial application, but delays in filing reduce the period of retroactive payment and complicate the earnings calculation.

Workplace fatalities involve one of the most complex benefit stacks in the entire New Brunswick bereavement system — WorkSafeNB, CPP, the burial grant, and children's benefits all running simultaneously with annual compliance requirements. The New Brunswick Survivor Benefits Navigator maps the complete workflow for workplace-related deaths, including the exact documents needed, the sequencing with CPP, and the annual questionnaire compliance rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as a workplace death for WorkSafeNB purposes? Any death resulting directly from a workplace accident, an industrial disease, or a work-related health condition that WorkSafeNB has accepted as a compensable claim.

What if the employer disputes the claim? WorkSafeNB investigates independently. If the original claim is disputed, survivors have appeal rights through the WorkSafeNB Appeals Tribunal and, ultimately, the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board.

Does the 90% net earnings calculation include bonuses and overtime? The calculation is based on the worker's average net earnings — WorkSafeNB uses a multi-year average that typically accounts for regular overtime but not one-time bonuses.

Can the surviving spouse also claim the NB Social Development funeral benefit if WorkSafeNB covered burial costs? No. Social Development's funeral benefit operates as a payer of last resort and will deduct any WorkSafeNB burial grant from the calculation. In workplace fatality cases, the WorkSafeNB burial grant will almost always exceed what Social Development would provide.

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