Journal of Commerce | Katie Koebel | March 19, 2026 Safety is mission-critical in construction and the skilled trades. Every Canadian jobsite includes hard hats, steel-toed boots, fall arrest systems and high-visibility vests as a standard. But there’s one tool that is often overlooked: hearing protection. From framing and forming to welding, demolition and heavy equipment…
Read MoreCategory: Uncategorized
Amendments to Parts 8 and 31 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation
Effective April 1, 2026 Amendments to Parts 8 and 31 of the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Regulation come into effect on April 1, 2026. These amendments update references to selected safety headgear and respiratory protection standards. The amendments are to: These amendments do not introduce new obligations or additional requirements for employers or workers. What’s Changing?…
Read MoreOpinion: WorkSafeBC’s surplus is depleted and small business will pay the price
Business in Vancouver | Jordan Bateman \ March 9, 2026 The WorkSafeBC surplus is depleted because the NDP government treated workers’ compensation in B.C. like a slush fund for political priorities One of the most persistent myths in B.C. business circles is that WorkSafeBC is sitting on a massive surplus—a piggy bank that should be…
Read MoreOpinion: Understanding WorkSafeBC’s surplus back to employers
Business in Vancouver | Mark Heywood & Chris Back | March 9, 2026 WorkSafeBC is returning an estimated $570M of surplus funds in 2026 to employers by pricing premium rates below system costs When it comes to WorkSafeBC, one of the most misunderstood issues we hear about from business groups is the surplus. Specifically, many…
Read MoreIndustry Perspectives Op-Ed: Women on the frontlines of construction safety
Journal of Commerce | Yesenia Dhott | March 6, 2026 International Women’s Day offers an opportunity to recognize the growing role women are playing in construction — including in occupational health and safety (OHS). As more women step into OHS roles, including supervisory and leadership positions, they are bringing safety expertise directly to traditionally male-dominated worksites….
Read MoreBCCWITT supported mental health program says ‘Show Up For Safer Workplaces’
Journal of Commerce | Peter Caulfield | March 9, 2026 Show Up for Safer Workplaces (Show Up) is an innovative new program that helps participants identify where mental health, addiction and psychological safety issues are hurting people who work in the construction trades. Show Up is a four-day comprehensive training program that helps participants “recognize and…
Read MoreRecent work-related incidents reported to WorkSafeBC
March 4, 2026 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: Injury to head Core Activity: Steel frame erection or structural repair of steel frames Location: Vancouver Island/Coastal B.C. Date of…
Read MoreICBA Applauds Fair and Open Tendering Bill
ICBA | March 5, 2026 SURREY – The Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA), Canada’s largest construction association, is strongly endorsing a new Private Member’s Bill introduced in the BC Legislature that would require labour-neutral procurement on all public sector construction projects in British Columbia – and save taxpayers billions of dollars over the next decade….
Read MoreICBA ADVOCACY UPDATE: Voters Starting to Pay Attention to Bad B.C. Budget
ICBA | March 5, 2026 Key Points: Fair Procurement Act Today, BC Conservative MLA Kiel Giddens introduced The Public Sector Construction Projects Procurement Act, a private member’s bill that would ban union-only conditions from public sector construction contracts – no more requiring contractors to sign collective agreements or employ union members just to win government work. It’s a…
Read MoreBetter crane safety protections coming for workers
New licensing, permitting will strengthen WorkSafeBC’s oversight of crane safety Government of BC News Release | Victoria | Tuesday, March 3, 2026 9:25 AM Summary __________ The Province is taking action to strengthen protections for workers and enhance crane safety with legislation enabling a new WorkSafeBC crane licensing and permitting program. “Major nation-building projects are moving…
Read MoreB.C. announces mandatory crane-related licensing after string of fatal accidents
Richmond News | Canadian Press | March 4, 2026 VICTORIA — The British Columbia government says it will make crane-related licensing and permitting mandatory in a bid to increase safety after a string of deadly accidents over the last five years. The announcement comes after a WorkSafeBC report last year on the February 2024 death…
Read MoreIndustry Perspectives Op-Ed: WorkSafeBC crane series Part 3 – The people factor
Journal of Commerce | Todd McDonald | March 4, 2026 Competency and training: More than a credential Crane safety starts with ensuring people have the right skills and knowledge for the work they are assigned. We’ve seen that workers are sometimes assigned crane-related tasks without the instruction, training or supervision needed to perform these tasks safely….
Read MoreProsecution in J. Cote & Son case asking for $1 million fine
Journal of Commerce | Jean Sorensen | March 2, 2026 B.C. crown prosecutors signalled a stern warning to the construction industry, calling for a $1 million fine for J. Cote & Son Excavating at a B.C. Supreme Court sentencing hearing Feb. 26 and 27. The hearing follows a December ruling that found the company guilty of criminal negligence…
Read MoreB.C. worker’s muscle, joint injury claims cost more than $2 billion over five years
Richmond News | Canadian Press | Feb 26, 2026 10:41 AM WorkSafeBC is urging employers to assess the risks in their own workplaces to remove or minimize the problem. RICHMOND — British Columbia’s workers’ compensation agency says claims for musculoskeletal injuries — those involving muscles, joints, tendons and nerves — have resulted in more than $2.35…
Read MoreElectrician Cronk appointed WorkSafeBC’s new chair
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | February 24, 2026 VICTORIA — William Laird Cronk has been appointed chair of WorkSafeBC’s board of directors for a three-year term, effective Feb. 26. Cronk succeeds outgoing chair Baltej Dhillon, who began his term in June 2023. “We thank Baltej Dhillon for his invaluable leadership,” said Jennifer Whiteside,…
Read MoreB.C.’s 2026 budget a ‘mess’ and is ‘awful for construction,’ says ICBA’s Bateman
Journal of Commerce | Jean Sorensen | February 20, 2026 When NDP Finance Minister Brenda Bailey’s 2026 budget speech announced the government was re-pacing several large and planned capital expenditures, it plunged billions of dollars in projects into a freefall with no delivery timeline. The largest of these was phase two of the Burnaby Hospital Redevelopment,…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC welcomes newly appointed board chair – William Laird Cronk
Strengthening WorkSafeBC’s focus on workplace injury prevention News Release | Victoria | February 19, 2026 Summary __________ William Laird Cronk has been appointed chair of WorkSafeBC’s board of directors for a three-year term, effective Feb. 26, 2026. He brings extensive labour, trades and governance experience to the leadership of B.C.’s workers’ compensation system. “We thank Baltej…
Read MoreB.C. budget delays care homes, hospital and cancer facility, student housing
Journal of Commerce | The Canadian Press | February 18, 2026 VICTORIA — British Columbia’s budget is hurting the young, the old and cancer patients alike as government construction undergoes what the government says is a “re-pacing” to address fiscal pressures. There are delays to seven long-term care projects from Abbotsford to Fort St. John, as…
Read MoreBudget secures B.C.’s future, protects critical services
Victoria | Government of BC Press Release | February 17, 2026 B.C. makes disciplined spending choices while growing the economy Summary __________ In a world of ongoing and heightened economic uncertainty, Budget 2026 makes careful choices to protect what matters most to British Columbians through investments to protect services, such as health care, education and…
Read MoreBC’s Construction Industry Ready to Deliver as Budget 2026 Bets Big on Infrastructure Investment
BCCA | February 17, 2026| BCCA’s official response to BC Budget 2026 https://bccassn.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/BCCA-BC-Budget-Response_Feb17_2026_FINAL.pdf VICTORIA, BC (FEBRUARY 17, 2026) — As British Columbia navigates a challenging fiscal environment, the British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA) is pleased to see continued commitment to capital spending on critical infrastructure. BC’s construction industry will play a pivotal role in delivering…
Read More