National

Amend B.C. Workers Compensation Act: review

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 26 Aug, 2020 10:22 PM

A review of services offered to injured workers in British Columbia makes more than 100 recommendations to improve communication, care and individual services at the Workers' Compensation Board.

Labour Minister Harry Bains released a report Wednesday by retired labour lawyer Janet Patterson, who was commissioned by the government to review the workers' compensation system and make recommendations for improvements.

Patterson's 517-page review calls for an organizational shift to a worker-centric delivery system that treats all injured workers with dignity.

Her report, New Directions: Report of the Workers' Compensation Board Review, 2019, calls on the government to amend the Workers Compensation Act to make a cultural shift back to supporting all injured workers as an organizational goal.

Bains says Patterson consulted widely and heard from more than 2,000 people and organizations.

He says the government is making the report public while it considers Patterson's recommendations.

"There are over 100 recommendations, of which about 60 are for operational and process changes within WorkSafeBC," Bains says in a news release. "It contains substantial information and recommendations that will take some significant time to carefully review."

Photo courtesy of Instagram.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Liberals pledge financial aid to sectors of economy hit hard by COVID-19

On Friday, the Liberals announced $1.7 billion to help clean up "orphaned wells" in oil-producing provinces, and a $750-million fund to cut methane emissions by providing loans to companies.

Liberals pledge financial aid to sectors of economy hit hard by COVID-19

Officials set to release estimates of the extent of COVID-19 spread in B.C.

British Columbia is preparing to release its latest estimates of how the new coronavirus may spread through the province over the coming months. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, Health Minister Adrian Dix and health ministry officials release the epidemiological modelling later today.

Officials set to release estimates of the extent of COVID-19 spread in B.C.

Chief public health officer's decisions must be scrutinized: Scheer refuses to express confidence in Tam

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer refused Thursday to express confidence in Canada's chief public health officer, arguing the need to question her decisions around the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the reasons Parliament must resume. The four main parties in the House of Commons are locked in negotiations to determine if and how Parliament resumes on Monday, the deadline set for it to reconvene following its adjournment in mid-March.

Chief public health officer's decisions must be scrutinized: Scheer refuses to express confidence in Tam

Vancouver Aquarium could face closure due to COVID-19

The Vancouver Aquarium says it is facing bankruptcy and could be forced to close permanently if it can't arrange emergency funding. A statement from the facility says animal care and habitat costs for 70,000 animals exceed $1 million a month but revenues have dropped to almost zero since the COVID-19 outbreak forced it close last month.

Vancouver Aquarium could face closure due to COVID-19

Fluevog designs 'The Dr. Henry' shoe inspired by B.C. provincial health officer

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry is adding another title to her long list of credentials — shoe muse. John Fluevog Shoes is launching a limited edition shoe called "The Dr. Henry," inspired by the public health official. The Vancouver designer says the pink-heeled tribute was made with Henry's blessing, and all proceeds from a pre-sale set to begin next week will be donated to Food Banks BC to support the fight against COVID-19.

Fluevog designs 'The Dr. Henry' shoe inspired by B.C. provincial health officer

Crews make progress on wildfire near Squamish, B.C.

The BC Wildfire Service says crews are making good progress on a ground fire that's so far charred one square kilometre of bush and trees in the Upper Squamish Valley. Marg Drysdale, an information officer with the Coastal Fire Centre, says calm weather has kept the fire's activity low Thursday afternoon as 37 firefighters and three helicopters work to get it under control.