Today, I was honoured to join workers gathered in Port Alberni in the territory of the Nuu-chah-nulth people to commemorate the National Day of Mourning and remember workers who have lost their lives, been injured or are living with physical or mental health disabilities due to work-related incidents.
Tremendous progress has been made over many decades by the labour union movement in this province but there is much work still to do. There were 175 work-related deaths in our province in 2023 and we send our condolences to the families, loved ones and fellow workers of those who have been lost. More than half of these tragic deaths were due to occupational diseases including 48 caused by asbestos exposure, a disgrace in this era.
In Port Alberni, the Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences continues to make progress towards supporting the return-to-work for workers injured on the job. Statistics show that only %1 of workers injured in the workplace return to work if they don't return to work within 12 months of being injured. This stat needs to change . I call on the federal government to continue its support for PCU-WHS.
