2025 R21 – Provincially Funded WorkSafe BC
- Year: 2025
- AVICC Number: R21
- UBCM Number: EB78
- Daajing Giids
Whereas WorkSafe BC Occupational Health and Safety Regulation does not cover elected officials, as currently elected officials e.g., provincial municipal and regional district government, school or library boards, etc. are not considered workers or employers under the Workers Compensation Act and, therefore, the Act does not apply to them in this capacity;
And whereas in the course of serving their constituents, elected officials are increasingly being subjected to escalating incivility such as harassment, intimidation and altercations;
And whereas the Province, the Ministry of Labour, and WorkSafeBC take the safety of all workers in British Columbia seriously and recognize the importance of the health and safety of all British Columbians who are active in both the private and public sectors of the economy:
Therefore be it resolved that the Province and the Ministry of Labour amend the Workers Compensation Act to include, and provincially fund, WorkSafe BC coverage for, all elected officials doing this necessary work on behalf of British Columbians.
- Year: 2025
- AVICC Number: R21
- Sponsor: Daajing Giids
- Resolution Type: Provincial
- Category: Legislative
- AVICC Decision: Endorsed
- AVICC Action: Forwarded to UBCM
- AVICC Response link
- UBCM Number: EB78
- UBCM Decision: Endorsed
- Provincial Response:Ministry of Labour The Ministry of Labour the Ministry is responsible for WorkSafeBC, the Workers Compensation Act Act, and regulations under that Act. As noted in the resolution, the Province, the Ministry, and WorkSafeBC take the safety of all workers in British Columbia seriously and recognize the importance of the health and safety of all British Columbians who are active in both the private and public sectors of the economy. Elected officials e.g., those elected to provincialmunicipal governments, school or library boards, etc. are not considered workers or employers under the Act and, therefore, the Act does not apply to them in this capacity. While Personal Optional Protection through WorkSafeBC is not available to these individuals, local governments have the option of purchasing insurance coverage for their elected officials from private sector insurance carriers. In the same way that local governments, as employers, are required to conduct risk assessments and take steps to eliminate the risk of harassment, bullying, intimidation and violence for their employees, they can apply the same measures to reduce these risks for elected officials even though the Act does not apply to them.
- UBCM Response link
The AVICC acknowledges that we are grateful to live, work, and play on the traditional territories of theCoast Salish, Nuu-Chah-Nulth and Kwak-Waka’wakw Peoples