Flags at City Facilities will be lowered to half-mast on Wednesday to mark National Day of Mourning.
Every April 28, the National Day of Mourning remembers lives that have been lost or forever changed by workplace death, injury or disease. In 2020, 151 B.C. workers died from a workplace injury or disease: 63 fatalities due to traumatic injury and 88 fatalities due to occupational disease.
“Day of Mourning looks a little different again this year, but it is as important as ever to pause together and reflect on those who have lost their lives or been injured at work,” said Mayor Colin Basran. “It also provides each of us the opportunity to reassess and recommit to strong safety practices in our own workday. We all want to go home safely to our loved ones at the end of each workday.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person Day of Mourning ceremonies have been cancelled in 2021. An online ceremony is available at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 28, at dayofmourning.bc.ca
“The pandemic has brought safety to the forefront and shown us how we have to continually reassess, adapt our safety practices to keep staff and citizens safe when accessing City services and facilities,” said Mayor Basran. “I’m proud of our staff, our leaders and our citizens for keeping safety top-of-mind and continuing to follow the measures put in place by the Province to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in our workspaces and community.”