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Home › News Room › News releases › 2007 ›

"Slow Down" ask children of Canada Line workers

Richmond, B.C., October 3, 2007— Canada Line Project workers and their children are asking the motoring public to be aware of the more than 1,200 people who work above ground on the 19 km Canada Line project between Vancouver and Richmond. WorkSafeBC, Canada Line, InTransitBC and Valley Traffic Systems have partnered to produce the “Slow Down” signs which will be unveiled today.

About 60 workers are traffic control persons (TCPs) who, on an average day, direct construction equipment through approximately 1,800 entry and exit points and help protect the almost 1,200 Canada Line employees who work near traffic as they carry out their jobs. On the Cambie Street section of the line alone, approximately 80 excavation dump trucks complete 640 runs a day.

“Workers along the Canada Line need to feel safe and the driving public needs to remember that they are proceeding through someone's workplace,” said WorkSafeBC's Vice-President of Worker and Employer Services Diana Miles.

Some of the signs will be in fixed locations, while other signs will be mobile and moved to various locations on the project. Featured on the signs are a traffic supervisor, a professional engineer and traffic controllers with their families.

“On any project the people are what make it a success. The Canada Line is no different”, said Mike O'Connor, Project Director of the Canada Line Rapid Transit Project. “ One of the critical elements in the building of a complex project like the Canada Line is the safe and efficient completion of the work.  We are pleased to have the support and direction of WorkSafeBC to help us complete our project as safely as possible: safe for our workers and safe for the people traveling, working and living along our line.”

Juan Gomez, whose family is featured on one of the signs, is an engineer on the project said, “I know my co-workers on the Line appreciate this reminder to the traveling public and other workers who are driving transport vehicles to be respectful of our worksite.”

“Valley Traffic Systems Inc. takes a proactive approach to safety and is proud to be a part of the ‘Slow Down Campaign'.  This campaign is a partnership of companies, who like us, considers the safety of their employees to be a top priority”, said Phil Jackman, President, Valley Traffic Systems Inc.

The Canada Line rapid transit system will run fully separated from traffic between the transportation hub at Waterfront Centre in Vancouver, the heart of Richmond 's civic precinct, and Vancouver Airport. With 16 stations, two bridges, almost 19 km of tunnel and elevated guideway, parking and bus facilities, and transit capacity equivalent to 10 road lanes, the Canada Line will be an important new link in the regional transportation network.

The Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia, the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority (TransLink), and Vancouver Airport Authority are funding the Canada Line, which is also supported by the Cities of Vancouver and Richmond. The project is overseen by Canada Line Rapid Transit Inc. (CLCO), a subsidiary of TransLink. The Canada Line is being designed, built, operated, maintained and partially financed by InTransitBC.

Serving more than two million workers and about 188,000 employers, WorkSafeBC is a provincial statutory agency governed by a Board of Directors and funded by employers. WorkSafeBC was born out of a compromise between BC's workers and employers in 1917 where workers gave up the right to sue their employers or fellow workers for injuries on the job in return for a no-fault insurance program fully paid for by employers. WorkSafeBC is committed to a safe and healthy workplace and to providing return-to-work rehabilitation and legislated compensation benefits to workers injured as a result of their employment.

For more information, contact:
Gladys Johnsen Prevention Public Affairs Manager WorkSafeBC Tel: 604 214-5441 Cell: 604 908-0876	Steve Crombie Vice-President, Public Affairs InTransitBC Tel: 604 605-5997 Cell: 604 209-0025