FREDERICTON, N.B. – The government of New Brunswick announced on May 4 that it is going to conduct a value-for-money audit of WorkSafeNB, the province’s workers’ compensation board, and assign a task force to examine the organization. A news release from the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour stated that the task force will include employer and worker representatives, headed by a neutral party from outside of the province; the group will evaluate WorkSafeNB’s financial situation, the legislation that governs it and its overall objectives and effectiveness. In addition, the province’s Auditor General will determine whether the board is administering programs as efficiently as it can, with respect to the Auditor General Act. “While employers and industry have expressed concerns about the rising premiums for businesses regarding workers’ compensation,” said Donald Arseneault, New Brunswick’s Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, in a press statement, “we must also recognize that these funds are used to pay benefits to injured workers and that premiums remain relatively low.” The plan was applauded by the N.B division of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters and by the New Brunswick Building Trades Council.