Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour, has issued the following statement today on the 35th anniversary of the Bentall Tower IV accident.

“On Jan. 7, 1981, four workers lost their lives during the construction of the Bentall Tower IV. It was a tragic loss of life and my heart goes out to the families and friends who lost their loved ones that day.

“Today, 35 years later, we honour the memory of those workers. That terrible accident is a reminder of the dangers faced everyday by workers in our province. 

“All of us – workers, the construction industry, WorkSafeBC and government – share the goal of keeping British Columbia’s workers safe.

“As a government, we are committed to the safety of our workers. We have recently made changes to strengthen the Workers Compensation Act to improve worker safety in B.C. Every employer and every British Columbian must remain vigilant to ensure worker safety is always the first thing we think about on a worksite. 

“It is only by working together that we can truly build a culture of safety every day in every workplace. Everyone deserves to go home to their family and friends at the end of their work day.

“Today let us honour the memory of those four workers and all workers that we have lost by renewing our commitment to making workplaces in British Columbia as safe as possible.”