Journal of Commerce | Warren Frey | June 25, 2020 In a world already consumed by a global pandemic, an old foe has gathered new strength. While COVID-19 has affected the entire world, the opioid epidemic continues to exact a toll on British Columbia, Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan executive director Vicky Waldron said during a recent…
Read MoreVaughn Palmer: NDP retreats on severance stance, takes back ‘cheap’ tweet at Liberals
Vancouver Sun | Vaughn Palmer | Jun 27, 2020 VICTORIA — LabourMinister Harry Bains tried to put the best face on the news Thursday in granting employers a temporary extension on a severance obligation that he’d denied them the week before. The backdown means COVID-19 pandemic-hit employers have until the end of August to decide…
Read MoreChamber network win – Extension to Temporary Layoff Provision
BC Business spoke with one voice and the provincial government listened on the temporary lay-off provision! Thank you to Premier Horgan and the BC government for acting on the BC Chamber network and other business associations’ request to further extend the temporary layoff provision in the Employment Standards Act to August 30th. This is a clear…
Read More2020 New or Revised ACGIH Threshold Limit Values and B.C. Exposure Limits
The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation provides that, except as otherwise determined by WorkSafeBC, an employer must ensure no worker is exposed to a substance exceeding the Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) prescribed by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). Each year, the ACGIH publishes a list of substances for which they have set new or revised TLVs….
Read MoreBCCA receives first-ever Workforce Excellence Award
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | June 18, 2020 VICTORIA — The British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA) has received the Canadian Construction Association’s (CCA) first-ever Workforce Excellence Award. The award recognizes BBCA as a “champion of diversity and inclusion in the construction industry and the demonstrated results delivered by its workforce development programs,” a…
Read MoreBC nurses with COVID-19 should have ‘immediate coverage,’ says union
Valerie Leung | Richmond News | June 17, 2020 Nurses who test positive for COVID-19 could face lengthy delays when waiting for compensation through WorkSafeBC (WSBC), says the BC Nurses Union (BCNU). According to the union, 136 nurses have been diagnosed with COVID-19 as of June 8, which makes up just over 20 per cent…
Read MoreRecent work-related incidents reported to WorkSafeBC
June 16, 2020 Construction related 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: Undetermined injuries (1 worker) Core Activity: Structural concrete forming Location: Lower Mainland Date of Incident: 2020-Jun A worker on a…
Read MoreCanadians want open, fair bidding: ICBA, Merit poll
Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | June 17, 2020 A new nationwide poll commissioned by Merit Canada and the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA) shows strong support for open bidding on government infrastructure projects. When asked if governments should give all construction companies a “fair chance to bid on this taxpayer-funded work, not just those with…
Read MoreCanada: Supreme Court Confirms That Workplace Safety Can Supersede Freedom Of Religion
27 May 2020 | by Laurence Bourgeois-Hatto and Philippe Bélisle |Langlois lawyers, LLP In October 2019, we reported that the Quebec Court of Appeal dismissed the application of three Sikh truckers who challenged a company policy requiring them to wear a safety helmet over their turban in certain circumstances. This decision is now final since, on April 30, 2020, their…
Read MoreLetter To The Editor: Oppressive CBA regimes need to be scrapped and replaced
For information only and not an endorsement – this information is shared to ensure members have the context and understanding of current issues that impact the Construction Industry. Journal of Commerce | Paul de Jong | June 12, 2020 To the Editor; Re: Investing in infrastructure must mean investing in Canadians, June 9, 2020. The goal of…
Read MoreProposed Changes to Schedule 1 – Deadline Extended to June 15th at Noon
Make your voice heard! Deadline extended to today at Noon. Attached please find the Employers’ Forum submission in response to WSBC’s Discussion Paper titled: Adding Diseases Caused by Communicable Viral Pathogens, Including COVID-19, to Schedule 1 of the Workers Compensation Act. COCA is a member of the Employer’s Forum, which works to maintain a viable and…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC proposes adding presumptive claims for COVID-19 illness
Vancouver Sun | Rob Shaw | June 12, 2020 VICTORIA — B.C. workers who get COVID-19 could soon have a much easier time obtaining compensation from WorkSafeBC, under proposed new changes that are being praised by organized labour but slammed by business leaders. The agency, which handles workplace safety and insurance claims, wants to add…
Read MorePoll Shows Overwhelming Support for Fair Bidding in B.C.
ICBA News Release BURNABY— A new poll released by Merit Canada and the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association shows that 83% of British Columbians surveyed support giving all construction companies a fair chance to land taxpayer-funded work, regardless of how their workforce is organized. Canada-wide, support for fair bidding hits 88%. “The building trades unions represent fewer than…
Read MoreInjuries caused by overexertion during accustomed work
WorkSafeBC’s Policy, Regulation and Research Division is releasing a discussion paper to stakeholders for comment. The paper includes options on proposed policy regarding injuries caused by overexertion during accustomed (familiar) work. At issue is whether policy should be amended to add guidance for injuries caused by overexertion during the performance of accustomed work duties. The…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC deferring quarterly premium payments for an additional quarter
Release of preliminary base rates for 2021 postponed until fall Richmond, B.C. (June 8, 2020) — WorkSafeBC today announced that it is extending the deferral period for quarterly premium payments for an additional three months, without penalty or interest. In order to ensure account balances are correct, employers will still be required to report their payroll…
Read MoreConsultation on proposed amendments to Part 20 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation – Concrete Pump Operator Certification
Correction from previous announcement: The deadline for submitting feedback is Friday, August 14, 2020. The Policy, Regulation and Research Division is requesting feedback on proposed amendments to Part 20, Construction, Excavation and Demolition, new sections 20.26.4 to 20.26.6 — concrete pump operator certification, of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The consultation phase provides stakeholders an opportunity to provide…
Read MoreCan HVAC systems transmit COVID-19?
Journal of Commerce | Peter Caulfield | June 3, 2020 A team of researchers at the University of Alberta (U of A) is investigating the possibility that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems might play a part in spreading airborne COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. U of A assistant professor of mechanical…
Read MorePCA embraces B.C. Builders Code
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | June 3, 2020 VANCOUVER — The Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA) has announced its support of the B.C. Builders Code, a program that aims to make jobsites inclusive and welcoming to all people. “As progressive contractors we want to help lead the way and show that the…
Read MorePoll reignites CBA debate in B.C. as province looks to recovery
Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | June 4, 2020 A new poll commissioned by the BC Building Trades suggests a majority of British Columbians support Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) and want to see them applied to public infrastructure projects as part of the province’s economic recovery plan. The online survey conducted by Research Co. found…
Read MoreAdding diseases caused by communicable viral pathogens, including COVID-19, to Schedule 1 of the Workers Compensation Act
The Policy, Regulation and Research Division is releasing a discussion paper on adding diseases caused by communicable viral pathogens, including COVID-19, to Schedule 1 with options and draft amendments to stakeholders for comment. If a disease is identified in Schedule 1 and the worker was employed in the corresponding process or industry listed in the…
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