Across Canada, April 28 has been designated the Day of Mourning. Each year, workers, families, employers, and communities across the province remember those who have lost their lives on the job, and we all renew our commitment to creating healthy and safe workplaces.

In 2023, workplace injuries and diseases claimed the lives of 175 workers in British Columbia. Traumatic fatalities accounted for 82 of these deaths: 60 were caused by an incident at the worksite and 22 were the result of a motor vehicle incident. Occupational disease remained the single leading cause of deaths for workers last year, taking 93 lives — 48 of which were due to an asbestos-related illness.

Every injury, disease, or death serves as a powerful reminder that employers have an important responsibility to ensure that all workplaces in B.C. are healthy and safe.

Join us online for a moment of silence

Visit dayofmourning.bc.ca for a listing of ceremonies around the province and to watch a livestream of the Day of Mourning ceremony from Jack Poole Plaza in Vancouver at 10:30 a.m. to recognize the day, and those we lost.

Commemorate the day

Some other ways to commemorate the day include:

• Sending a message to staff re-enforcing your commitment to a healthy and safe workplace and sharing the link to the commemorative video
• Sharing a message on social media
• Ordering a wreath for your office or worksite