WorkSafeBC has rescheduled the public hearing on proposed amendments to Parts 6, 8, 16, 18, and 21 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation to December 10, 2020. In light of the ongoing and rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic, and in an effort to maximize physical distancing, the public hearing will be held virtually. Please share with your…
Read More$136 million in funding available for COVID-19 resiliency projects
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | December 3, 2020 VICTORIA — Local governments, Indigenous communities and non-profits can now apply to the Province of B.C. for nearly $136 million in infrastructure grants to help develop resilience in response to COVID-19. The province has partnered with Ottawa to use the new COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream…
Read MoreFirst Notice: B.C. announces infrastructure grants; Lincor wins Gord Stewart Safety Award; and Yukon rejects ATAC application
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | December 1, 2020 BC announces $136 million for COVID-19 infrastructure grants The Province of British Columbia is accepting applications from local governments, Indigenous communities and not-for-profit organizations for nearly $136 million in infrastructure grants for communities to develop COVID-19 responses. The funding is in partnership with the federal government…
Read MoreConstruction groups urge government to ‘Build for Recovery’
Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | December 2, 2020 A group of construction industry organizations and stakeholders have launched the Build for Recovery campaign, an effort to encourage all levels of government to prioritize infrastructure investments to fuel Canada’s post COVID-19 economic recovery. The partners who are organizing the campaign include the Canadian Construction Association…
Read MoreWait until spring for new infrastructure stimulus spending, Freeland says
Journal of Commerce | Don Wall | December 2, 2020 Canada’s builders will have to wait until spring for new federal infrastructure spending to stimulate economic recovery. Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland said Nov. 30 the federal government will take a two-phased approach to fighting the pandemic-induced recession, first taking steps over the winter to control…
Read MoreIndustry Special: Ensuring construction workers stay safe as COVID-19 cases rise
Journal of Commerce | Jaret Swanson | November 30, 2020 While so many people have been working from home, workers in the construction industry have been on site at jobs since the pandemic started. From the beginning, B.C.’s Public Health Officer (PHO) declared construction an essential service, along with health care facilities, grocery stores, manufacturing operations,…
Read MoreHonourable Harry Bains named Minister of Labour
See the Ministry of Labour mandate letter. In particular, the Premier has tasked the Minister as follows: Over the course of our mandate, I expect you will make progress on the following items: Continue a collaborative approach in working with representatives of workers and employers to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on people…
Read MoreFCM calls for governments to ‘build back better together’ post-COVID
Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | November 30, 2020 The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) is calling on government officials to “build back better together” when the country begins to enter the post-COVID era. The group outlined its thoughts on post-COVID recovery in a newly released report that focuses on inclusive housing solutions, community infrastructure,…
Read MoreRescuers spend 3 hours freeing worker half-buried in trench collapse at construction site
One man in hospital with lower-body injuries after having his legs buried CBC News · Posted: Nov 27, 2020 A man is in hospital with lower-body injuries after being trapped in a trench collapse at a construction site in East Vancouver late Thursday. Personnel from Vancouver Fire Rescue used a vacuum truck and spent three hours freeing the man,…
Read MoreCanada’s construction sector took a COVID-19 hit then rebounded: survey
Journal of Commerce | Ian Harvey | November 25, 2020 The Canadian construction sector buckled in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, with Ontario hit hardest as activity dropped 57 per cent, according to a survey from Procore titled How We Build Now Canada. British Columbia and Ontario dropped initially to 41 per cent below…
Read MoreLetter to the Editor: Just who are CBAs ‘going well’ for in B.C.?
Journal of Commerce | Paul de Jong | November 25, 2020 Re: CBA experts discuss experiences article, Nov. 18, 2020 To the Editor, When a participant at the annual conference of “CBA experts” concluded that “things are going well” with B.C.’s Community Benefits Agreements, it begs the obvious question: for whom? Certainly not the public or…
Read MoreAlberta builders urge province to keep construction essential
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | November 24, 2020 CALGARY — Alberta construction leaders are urging the province to keep the industry an essential service as it braces for the second wave of COVID-19 The Alberta Construction Association (ACA) sent a letter to Premier Jason Kenney reminding him of the work the industry has…
Read MoreWorkplace compensation claims reflect toll COVID-19 has taken on Canada’s workers
Inayat Singh, Dave Seglins, Andreas Wesley · CBC News · Nov 23, 2020 More than 26,000 compensation claims filed after COVID contracted at work Jeffrey Freedman is a COVID-19 “long-hauler” — one of many Canadians left with lingering health issues after getting sick from the virus. He says he now regrets going into work during the early days of the…
Read MoreChris Gardner: Stripping secret ballot from workers a bad idea
Vancouver Sun | Chris Gardner | November 19, 2020 Opinion: Whether it’s when we elect governments or members to local community associations, it is the secret ballot we rely on to provide assurance that the vote is free from manipulation by any interested party. Even before the mail-in ballots were counted and the final results…
Read MoreKeeyask Dam project to resume workforce rotation after COVID-19 cases drop
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | November 17, 2020 WINNIPEG — Testing of workers at the Keeyask Dam construction site in Manitoba show reduced cases, prompting officials to resume workforce rotations to relieve workers. A second round of testing for all workers at the site revealed an additional case of COVID-19 and four instances…
Read MoreP3 2020: CBA experts discuss Canadian, U.S. experiences at P3 conference
Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | November 18, 2020 A panel of union experts discussed their different experiences with Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) across Canada and even across the border. The event was part of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP) 28th annual conference, which was held virtually this year. Lionel Railton, Canadian director for…
Read MoreAlberta red tape report shows $479 million in savings
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | November 18, 2020 CALGARY — Albertans have saved more than $479 million thanks to red tape reduction efforts, initial government reports show. According to the province’s first annual red tape reduction report, which highlights progress made towards the goal of cutting red tape by one-third, government cut more…
Read MoreP3 2020: McKenna announces national infrastructure assessment initiative
Journal of Commerce | Angela Gismondi | November 18, 2020 Canada’s minister of infrastructure and communities has committed to developing a national infrastructure assessment initiative to identify long-term infrastructure needs and priorities. Catherine McKenna made the announcement at the 28th annual Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships virtual conference. The three-day event kicked off Nov. 17. “We have…
Read MoreCOVID-19: WorkSafeBC to take ‘deeper dive’ during workplace inspections
Vancouver Sun | Glenda Luymes | Nov 14, 2020 WorkSafeBC is urging businesses to review and update their COVID-19 safety plans as the agency increases inspections in the Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health regions to help curtail the spread of the virus. The safety authority has played a key role in reducing outbreaks in B.C. workplaces since…
Read MoreOctober 2020 work-related incidents reported to WorkSafeBC
November 12, 2020 Construction incident summaries are based on information obtained as soon as possible after the incidents: they are preliminary and subject to change. Details have been edited to protect workers’ privacy. See additional summaries online. Injury Type: Fractured arm Core Activity: Painting or wallpapering Location: Vancouver Island/Coastal B.C. Date of Incident: 2020-Oct A young worker was working from…
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