On April 28, the national Day of Mourning for Persons Killed or Injured in the Workplace, Vancouver City Hall and the Board of Parks and Recreation flags will be flown at half-mast from sunrise to sunset. Commemorative wreaths will also be placed at the north steps of city hall.
A ceremony will also take place at Jack Poole Plaza beginning at 10:30am with a moment of silence at 11am to commemorate all workers in BC who have lost their lives, or become sick or injured on the job. WorkSafe BC will livestream the event External website, opens in new tab
“Many at the City are remembering Gord Dolyniuk, an Engineering Services staff member who died this past January while working at National Yard,” says Mayor Kennedy Stewart. “To his family and friends, and all those missing a loved one today, we recommit to ensuring every worker makes it home safe.”
Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (VFRS) recently commemorated Captain Steve Letourneau, who battled with cancer and died in 2020 while still on active duty. We also lost four retired VFRS members in 2021 due to occupational-related illnesses: Andrew McNaughton, Paul Robert Helem, James Whiting, and Donald Lee.
“I want to recognize the many staff across the City who are working hard every day to ensure that our workplaces are safe,” says Paul Mochrie, City Manager. “Their efforts are critically important. Despite that good work, it is clear that, as an organization, we can always do better.”
Earlier this year, as part of our continued commitment to safety, we established a new role of Chief Safety Officer. Part of this role is to review current safety management systems and practices across the City.