A new chair has been appointed to the board of directors of WorkSafeBC.

Jeff Parr, a former deputy minister in multiple provincial governments, will assume his new role effective Friday, Aug. 14, 2020, following a competitive, merit-based hiring process.

His career has shown he is an accomplished leader at the highest levels of public service and has worked to promote safe workplaces for both employers and workers. He has more than a quarter century of experience in government administration, policy and legislation development.

As Alberta’s deputy minister of Labour from 2016-19, he led a reform of the labour legislation that encompassed essential services, labour relations, employment standards, occupational health and safety and workers’ compensation legislation. He is an expert at understanding both workers’ and employers’ needs, in relation to workplace health and safety and workers’ compensation.

This experience will allow him to successfully chair the board of directors for WorkSafeBC. WorkSafeBC is a large organization with a mandate that touches upon all workers and employers in British Columbia.

Parr replaces former WorkSafeBC board chair Ralph McGinn, who passed away suddenly in May. Board member Lee Loftus agreed to act as board chair in the interim.

Parr’s appointment is for a two-year term to Dec. 1, 2022.

The WorkSafeBC board of directors serves as stewards of WorkSafeBC and the workers’ compensation system, including implementation of and compliance with the Workers Compensation Act. Legislation provides that the board include professionals from a range of relevant fields, including occupational health and safety, law enforcement and an actuary. The board’s makeup also includes representation of workers, employers and the public interest.

Learn More:

Information on WorkSafeBC’s board of directors can be found at: https://www.worksafebc.com/en/about-us/who-we-are/leadership/board-directors