Journal of Commerce | Dan O’Reilly | January 27, 2023 not-quite-finished series of country-wide tours by senior EllisDon executives has been the catalyst for the creation of a number of new and enhanced safety programs and initiatives. Included in that list is the development of labour foreperson training at its work locations as well as the…

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Journal of Commerce | The Canadian Press | January 26, 2023 VANCOUVER – The independent body that oversees the safety of technical systems and equipment in British Columbia has found a deadly ammonia leak near Kamloops last May was a tragedy that took years to unfold. A report from Technical Safety BC says the release of…

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Journal of Commerce | Evan Saunders | January 25, 2023 The Independent Contractors and Businesses Association’s (ICBA) annual Wage and Benefits Survey is hitting home the message that B.C. employers are finding it increasingly difficult to fill the growing labour void. According to the survey, 80 per cent of employers said they cannot find enough workers and nearly…

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Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | January 25, 2023 TORONTO — The Bell Let’s Talk mental health initiative was launched in September 2010 and every year has focused on four pillars: fighting the stigma, improving access to care, supporting world class research and leading by example in workplace mental health. These pillars, in one…

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Journal of Commerce | Peter Caulfield | January 24, 2023 In September 2015, on what had been an otherwise ordinary workday, a roof collapsed on Cole Bernier, a 23-year-old carpenter’s apprentice in Kelowna, B.C.   In a split second, Bernier’s life changed forever. The young man sustained significant injuries, including broken vertebrae, a punctured lung and…

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Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | January 18, 2023 SURREY, B.C. — Construction companies are anticipating labour shortages, historic wage increases and red tape frustration in 2023, according to a recent survey from the British Columbia Independent Contractors and Businesses Association. “The shortage of people is intensifying as Canada continues to go over a demographic…

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Journal of Commerce | Evan Saunders | January 23, 2023 Construction industry leaders are welcoming and wary of the Government of British Columbia’s attempt to simplify the housing permit approval process. On Jan. 16, B.C. announced the new Permitting Strategy for Housing, intended to streamline homebuilding and reduce backlog by creating a “one-stop-shop” window for all…

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Journal of Commerce | Don Wall  | January 19, 2023 EllisDon’s new Fit Your Frame campaign, launched to provide construction safety vests to women and gender-nonconforming workers, is about much more than simply providing PPE that fits properly. The initiative, led by the firm’s 2gether inclusive diversity leadership group, involved seeking a supplier that was philosophically…

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Published on: January 01, 2023 Policies — Workers Compensation Act The following policies were updated to reflect CPI adjustments, effective January 1, 2023: P2-94-1 – OHS CitationsP2-95-4 – Non-Exclusive Ways to Impose Financial PenaltiesP2-95-5 – OHS Penalty AmountsP5-251-1 – Claims Costs Levies

Subject: WorkSafeBC is seeking participants for Young Worker Dialogue Session As you may know, WorkSafeBC regularly engages with young workers, and the employers who hire them, to ensure these workers’ voices are heard when it comes to workplace health and safety. WorkSafeBC seeks feedback from young workers in order to better understand their attitudes and…

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Journal of Commerce | Evan Saunders | December 28, 2022 Whether it was the growing deficit of workers, far-reaching supply chain difficulties or recovery from disaster and disease, 2022 was one for the books. And though looking at the difficulties we face can help us prepare for the future, it is equally important to focus on…

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Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | January 10, 2023 VICTORIA — The Province of British Columbia saw substantial job growth throughout 2022, with Statistics Canada reporting 62,900 jobs added. “As British Columbians navigated new global challenges throughout 2022, last year’s job numbers continue to demonstrate that we’re stronger when we work together to tackle big…

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Journal of Commerce | Jean Sorensen | January 11, 2023 Five safety violations have been laid against Finning International Inc. nearly two years after a yard incident at Finning Canada’s West Edmonton facility resulted in the death of an employee and the injury of a second. The safety violations, which have yet to be heard in…

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BCCWITT has some upcoming exciting opportunities that we want to share with you! We are currently recruiting entry level Security Systems Technician, and Mechanical Insulation candidates. We are also offering Advocacy 101 training, and a FREE virtual 90-minute Be More Than a Bystander webinar. Below you will find information about the programs, as well as links to our website and application forms. Please share…

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Journal of Commerce | Shannon Moneo | January 16, 2023 In 2022, Canada welcomed almost 432,000 immigrants, a new record. Another 1.45 million are expected over the next three years. Finding a job, a home and learning either English or French are priorities for many of them. A proportion will be drawn to the construction industry,…

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Journal of Commerce | Evan Saunders | January 16, 2023 Workers’ compensation for chronic pain in British Columbia is in need of an update is it falls further and further behind modern science, says BC Building Trades Workers’ Advocate Merrill O’Donnell. WorkSafeBC’s “approach to chronic pain is inconsistent with the scientific evidence that has been adopted…

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Journal of Commerce | Chris Gardner | December 21, 2022 It’s a well-worn cliché, because it’s sound advice: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Yet the B.C. government, pushed by the BC Federation of Labour, seems determined to “fix” WorkSafeBC without any meaningful consultation with the very stakeholders who provide all the funding for the…

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Journal of Commerce | Peter Caulfield | December 20, 2022 Mike McKenna, executive director of the BC Construction Safety Alliance (BCCSA), says the organization will launch its Asbestos Control Training program (ACT) in spring 2023. “ACT is a suite of courses on the D2L [Desire to Learn] online learning platform that is designed to sensitize people…

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Global News | By Elizabeth McSheffrey & Grace Ke  | December 7, 2022 Less than a year after eligible workers in B.C. became entitled to five days of employer-paid sick leave per year, the B.C. Federation of Labour is urging the provincial government to triple the standard. The call for 15 days comes after the organization representing more than 50 unions…

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Journal of Commerce | Evan Saunders | December 7, 2022 The return of skilled trades certification to British Columbia after being put on the chopping block nearly two decades ago has been a cause of celebration and concern for construction industry leaders. “This has been a long time coming. The elimination of skilled trades certification in…

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