Day of Mourning 2021
The National Day of Mourning is dedicated to remembering those workers who have lost their lives, or suffered injury or illness on the job in Canada. Held annually on April 28, the Canadian Labour Congress first declared the Day in 1984 and more than 100 countries now participate.
This day of solemn remembrance also acknowledges the ongoing impact that work-related tragedies have on families, loved ones and communities. For Ball Construction, it is also a time to reaffirm our proactive commitment to the health, safety and protection of all our employees, workers and subcontractors.
According to the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC), the official statistics are sobering enough—with 305 Ontario fatalities and 925 in Canada reported in 2019.
On the other hand, the Workers Health & Safety Centre estimates a more accurate number for Ontario to be 2,870 deaths and according to a 2018 study headed up by the University of Ottawa, the true numbers of all job-related fatalities are dramatically underreported.
“It is not enough to mourn. Collectively, we must vow to prevent further suffering. Preventive action is crucial and this involves daily commitment,” Jason Ball, Ball Construction president, said.
We renew our pledge to prevent potential accidents as we strive each day for continuous improvement of all our safety measures including COVID-19 protocols, at all our job sites,” he added.
Due to the pandemic, this year’s Day of Mourning commemorations will once again be held online only. To safely connect, check out listings of Ontario-wide events and video messages from labour councils via the Virtual Events page at the Workers Health & Safety Centre.
