After almost four years, the Worker's Compensation Act review panel has released its report and recommendations.

The 238-page document was sent out at 1 p.m. Wednesday to Brad Cathers, the minister responsible for the Yukon Workers Compensation Health and Safety Board, and all stakeholders who took part in the panel's hearings.

It was accompanied by a 63-page summary of the document, which deals with 88 issues explored by the panel in relation to the act.

'There's a lot there,' said NDP MLA Steve Cardiff.

The release of the report signals the minister no longer has any excuses in moving forward on the legislation, said Cardiff.

The Workers' Compensation Act came into effect in January 1993 and is aimed at protecting workers and employers from workplace injuries. The act was last reviewed in 1999.

The current review process began in May 2003 by asking stakeholders to identify issues in the act that should be reviewed. The amendments recommended by the panel were meant to be passed in legislation by December 2004.

Liberal Labour critic Don Inverarity also was pleased to see the release of the report. But the official Opposition had to go through a third party to get a copy of it, he said.

The document wasn't provided to the two parties on the opposition benches by the government.

Board chair Craig Tuton said he was unimpressed the report to the minister was released to stakeholders before Cathers had a chance to review it.

'The courtesy was not given to the minister to review it before being released to the public,' said Tuton. 'It's good to see it. I'm just surprised at how it was released.'

Cathers declined to comment on the document, saying it is lengthy and he has just received it.

Cardiff agreed that critical analysis will need to be given to the document before much can be said.

Inverarity said his initial look at the document seemed to show that most of the recommendations are highly positive.

'There's no excuse why they can't bring the act before the house in the fall sitting,' he said. But he added he fears most of the recommendations will be dealt with by single amendments.

Rick Karp of the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce said it's good news that the document is finalized and now is the time to start understanding what is in it.

'Obviously, they should have been done a while ago,' he said. 'It should have been completed a couple of years ago.'