Today, the BC Ministry of Labour introduced new health-and-safety measures that help two categories of workers.
New crane safety measures are being introduced. (I write this from Kelowna where 5 people were killed in a crane collapse in 2021.)
And 8 more forms of cancer will be covered under workers’ compensation provisions for firefighters.
It got me thinking this government has put in a number of good health and safety measures for workers since being re-elected in 2024
Much of the heavy lifting on labour reforms were done by the NDP minority gov’t in 2017-20 and the supermajority from 2020-24. But the current razor-thin majority gov’t is doing some good, perhaps less visible, things.
Here’s a bit of a list:
- Minimum wage increasing to $18.25 in 2026
- Minimum rates increase Dec. 31 for hand-harvest farm workers
- New job-protected medical leave under the Employment Standards Act for workers facing serious illness, injury. (“Workers with a serious illness or injury can now take as many as 27 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave within a 12-month period”)
- New rules now limit when employers can ask for sick notes (“Under the new employment standards regulations, employers cannot ask for a sick note for a worker’s first two health-related, short-term absences of five consecutive days or fewer in a calendar year.”)
- Flush toilets coming to B.C. construction sites (mandatory for employers at construction sites with 25 workers).
- Income protection options expanded for child actors.
- Minimum wage, basic protections for gig workers. (Not enough, some complained, but it was a start.)
- More workers will receive easier access to mental-health supports.
More to come, we hope.
Labour News Network 