2017 Day of Mourning: April 28

April 21, 2017

This year’s National Day of Mourning, to remember and honour workers who have lost their lives, been injured or suffered illness in the workplace, will be held on April 28. It’s also a day to renew our commitment to safe and health workplaces and to the prevention of future workplace deaths.

As cited by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), statistics from the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC) tell us that in 2015, 852 workplace deaths were recorded in Canada. Among those dead were four young workers aged 15 to 19; and another 11 workers aged 20 to 24. Add to these fatalities the 232,629 claims accepted for lost time due to a work-related injury or disease, including 8,155 from young workers aged 15 to 19, and the fact that these statistics only include what is reported and accepted by the compensation boards, and it is safe to say that the total number of workers impacted is even higher.

What these numbers don’t show, says CCOHS, is just how many people are directly affected by these workplace tragedies. Each worker death impacts the loved ones, families, friends and co-workers they leave behind, changing all of their lives forever.

On April 28 the Canadian flag will fly at half-mast on Parliament Hill and on all federal government buildings. Employers and workers will observe Day of Mourning in a variety of ways. Some light candles, lay wreaths, wear commemorative pins, ribbons or black armbands, and pause for a moment of silence at 11:00 a.m.

April 28 became Canada’s official day or mourning under an act of Parliament passed in 1991. Today the Day of Mourning is recognized in about 100 countries around the world.

Find out what’s happening in your area:

• British Columbia — dayofmourning.bc.ca
• Alberta — www.wcb.ab.ca/about-wcb/community-partnerships/day-of-mourning.html and www.youracsa.ca/news-events/day-of-mourning/
• Saskatchewan — www.worksafesask.ca/resources/national-day-of-mourning/
• Ontario — www.whsc.on.ca/Events/Day-of-Mourning (list of ceremonies) and http://wsibdayofmourning.ca/: mark the day by lighting a virtual candle to show your support
• Manitoba — http://mfl.ca/day-of-mourning
• Nova Scotia — Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia’s http://dayofmourning.ns.ca/
• Newfoundland & Labrador — http://psacatlantic.ca/sites/atlantic/files/2017_day_of_mourning_events_for_nl.pdf
• PEI — www.wcb.pe.ca/Workplace/PreventionCampaigns • New Brunswick — www.worksafenb.ca/list-of-events
• Northwest Territories and Nunavut — http://www.wscc.nt.ca/occupational-health-safety/events/day-mourning
• Yukon — http://yukonfed.com/events/day-of-mourning/