Why is Durham Region police challenging its officers’ PTSD claims? Here’s what we know

Durham Regional Police Services (DRPS) pushes back on some members’ PTSD claims, even if they have a medical diagnosis, a CBC News investigation has found.

Why does this story matter, and what does it say about policing in the region?

A key thing to note is that since 2016, Ontario first responders medically diagnosed with PTSD have been able to rapidly apply for and be granted benefits through the Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB). For these workers, there’s a presumption their PTSD is work-related.

As of December 2025, DRPS had 102 members off the job and receiving benefits, the majority for mental health reasons. Chief Peter Moreira said that number puts pressure on staffing and comes with financial considerations — DRPS covers the cost of each worker’s benefits. 

CBC News spoke with several people connected to this complex issue, from officers and the chief to experts in the WSIB system and a psychologist who works with Durham officers diagnosed with PTSD. 

Here’s how they see it:

By challenging a claim, police services get a trove of detailed information about their members. 

The process begins when an employer files an intent to object form, said Michelle Zare, a Hamilton-based paralegal who specializes in handling first responders’ WSIB claims.

This is the first step in an appeal, she said, and it triggers a process called disclosure. The employer gets the worker’s case file, which can include doctors’ notes, psychological assessments and progress notes, and even notes from psychological treatment sessions, she said. 

Not according to DRPS data. The force provided data about all WSIB claims it received from 2023 to 2025. The service said the majority of these claims were related to mental health, but we don’t have an exact number.

That data shows the service filed intent to object forms for 60 of 623 WSIB claims over those two years. The service then escalated to a formal appeal for 14 claims — roughly 2.2 per cent of total claims received.  

Moreira told CBC News that DRPS files objections to get information about a worker’s claim that would otherwise take a long time to get, due to WSIB system delays. 

“We’re very careful on which cases we seek to obtain some information,” the chief said. 

But Zare said objection forms are the first step in the appeals process and definitely indicates that an employer is “questioning the validity of the claim.”