Richmond, B.C. (April 28, 2022) — National Day of Mourning is observed every year on April 28 across Canada. Workers, families, employers, and others across British Columbia come together to remember those that lost their lives on the job, and to renew a commitment to creating healthy and safe workplaces.
Today over a dozen ceremonies resumed in person, after holding virtual ceremonies for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Vancouver ceremony is at Jack Poole Plaza starting at 10:30 a.m. and is jointly hosted by the B.C. Federation of Labour, the Business Council of British Columbia, Vancouver & District Labour Council, and WorkSafeBC.
Join us online at 10:30 am at https://t.co/UTTIRBDerK. #DayOfMourning #bclab https://t.co/NWMDusdcYO
— BC Federation of Labour (@bcfed) April 28, 2022
In 2021, workplace injuries and illness claimed the lives of 161 workers. Ninety-nine workers lost their lives due to occupational disease, with 53 of those deaths caused by exposure to asbestos, often decades ago. In addition, 47 workers were killed as a result of a traumatic workplace injury; 15 workers died from a motor vehicle incident; and 13 workers lost their lives due to COVID-19.
“The Day of Mourning is a time to reflect on each and every worker lost and I offer my sincere condolences to their families, friends, and co-workers. Even one injury or death is one too many. Today, we recommit to creating an enduring culture of safety in workplaces, strengthening standards and enforcement, and fully supporting all those impacted by these tragedies.”-Harry Bains, Minister of Labour
Many students across the province are taking part in the Day of Mourning B.C. Schools Project. In its seventh year, this curriculum is aimed at educating students and young workers about their health and safety rights at work.
“On April 28, as we gather to mourn and remember, we also commit to action: to making workplaces safer and to holding those responsible for worker death and injury to account. For the past two years, working people have been putting themselves on the line to get our province through this pandemic. We owe it to them — and to their families — to ensure every one of them comes home safe and healthy at the end of the working day."-Laird Cronk, President, BC Federation of Labour
The Canadian Labour Congress held the first National Day of Mourning ceremony in 1985, making Canada the first country to formally commemorate workers killed in the workplace. In 1991, the federal government passed the Workers Mourning Act, and the following year, British Columbia proclaimed April 28 as the Day of Mourning. Today, it is recognized in 100 countries around the world.
Photo courtesy of IStock.
