News Releases

March 25, 2020 The BC Building Trades council is calling the new “inspectional initiative” announced by WorkSafeBC to address sanitation on construction sites a positive first step. The initiative was launched in response to concerns raised by BCBT about poor health...

March 24, 2020 What do creative contractors and industrious construction workers do when they can’t source hand-washing stations for their job sites? They build their own! That’s what’s happening at six condominium sites in Victoria, where workers from Oceanview...

March 22, 2020 “Construction workers aren’t second-class citizens.” – Andrew Mercier, executive director of the B.C. Building Trades Council Construction workers are vital to maintaining critical infrastructure and must be kept safe, says BCBT Construction workers...

March 19, 2020 COVID-19 has brought the hygiene practices at construction sites into laser focus. It's important to know that WorkSafe BC occupational health and safety regulations require workplaces to have either fixed or portable washroom facilities that include...

March 18, 2020 Due to concerns over COVID-19, the BC Building Trades Council is calling for the scaling down of some major construction megaprojects in the province that house large numbers of workers in remote camps. The council, which represents 35,000 unionized...

These are answers to some of the most common general work and employment questions that we’ve been hearing in our sector about COVID-19. If you have specific health-related questions related to COVID-19, you should turn to a health professional or visit the resource...

The BC Building Trades Council is taking steps to help limit the spread of COVID-19 by closing our office until further notice. The health, safety and well-being of our members, staff, friends, family and neighbours are priorities for us, and this decision has not...

Christopher Henry was planning to end his life. “I was going to commit suicide,” said Henry* matter-of-factly. A journeyperson reinforcing ironworker with some 30 years’ experience, Henry had arrived at what felt like the lowest point in his life. Three years earlier,...