Created a Monster: B.C. government's own workplace safety agency hits B.C. government with 2025's biggest fines
From Brazilian firefighter entrapment to untrained traffic control at Shambhala Music Festival to bad asbestos abatement at care facility – three out of top four administrative penalties paid taxpayers
January 7, 2025
Last year was not a good one for B.C. taxpayer-funded bodies as they were hit with three out of the four highest administrative penalties issued by WorkSafeBC in all of 2025.
The Walmart in the Lougheed Mall in Burnaby received the other top four fine. In fact, three of the top four tied for the highest fine of $783,068.26: Walmart, Interior Health in Kamloops, and the provincial government for badly taking over traffic control at Shambhala Music Festival in Salmo.
The fourth at $759,368.84 was also issued to the provincial government for two unrelated incidents during the terrible wildfire season in 2025. One involved a UTV going over a steep embankment near Fort St. John killing 25-year-old firefighter Zak Muise and injuring a supervisor. The other was when a Brazilian fire crew was entrapped during an ignition operation near Squilax forcing other crews to navigate off-road when their escape route was compromised.
The B.C. Ministry of Forests plans to appeal this fine, arguing it was "arbitrary and disproportionately high" because the calculation used the entire Government of B.C.'s payroll instead of that of a specific location.
The Shambhala fine of $783,068.26 was issued in early 2025 for "high-risk" worker safety violations the summer before during the July 2024 festival near Salmo. At the festival, untrained Ministry of Transportation workers took over traffic control from a contractor.
The Interior Health fine for the same amount involved disrupting asbestos-containing materials without a risk assessment having been done during work at a long-term care facility in Kamloops.
Top 10 fines issued by WorkSafeBC in 2025 in British Columbia
These fines were for violations of the Workers Compensation Act and/or Occupational Health and Safety Regulations. Below this list are full detailed incident explanations of all 10 from WorkSafeBC.
As stated above, first place was a three-way tie.
1. Interior Health Authority - Kamloops - $783,068.26
1. Wal-Mart Canada Corp. - Burnaby - $783,068.26
1. Provincial Government - Salmo - $783,068.26
4. Provincial Government - Squilax - $759,368.84
5. Rio Tinto Alcan Inc. - Kitimat - $710,488.79
6. EllisDon Corporation/EllisDon Westpro Construction Ltd. - Victoria - $688,589.56
7. Lafarge Canada Inc. - Richmond - $674,445.93
8. EllisDon Corporation/EllisDon Westpro Construction Ltd. - Vancouver - $514,831.53
9. Canfor Pulp Ltd. - Prince George - $489,104.10
10. Axis Family Resources Ltd. - Williams Lake - $467.496.80
Full reports:
Interior Health Authority
Worksite: Kamloops
Current amount: $783,068.26
Date imposed: June 11, 2025
WorkSafeBC inspected this employer's long-term care facility in response to reports of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) being disturbed. Telecommunications installation work had taken place that involved drilling into drywall, an identified ACM, near areas used by staff. WorkSafeBC determined the employer failed to ensure those who received reports of unsafe or harmful conditions investigated the conditions and took necessary corrective action without delay, a repeated violation. The employer also failed to ensure that before any work that may disturb ACMs began, a qualified person conducted a risk assessment. In addition, the employer failed to develop and implement an exposure control plan that met regulatory requirements, to ensure that procedures for controlling and handling asbestos were acceptable to WorkSafeBC, and to take the necessary precautions to protect workers before allowing work that would disturb ACMs. These were all high-risk violations.
Firm: Wal-Mart Canada Corp.
Worksite: Burnaby
Current amount: $783,068.26
Date imposed: January 30, 2025
WorkSafeBC inspected two of this firm's retail store locations and observed multiple deficiencies with warehouse storage racks in use. The firm failed to ensure the rated capacity of storage racks was clearly posted, and failed to ensure material was placed on storage racks in stable and secure manner and was stabilized or retrained as necessary. The firm also failed have a qualified person inspect the storage racks for damage at intervals that would prevent the development of unsafe working conditions and to have written instructions available to workers as part of its health and safety program. These were all repeated violations. In addition, the firm failed to ensure storage racks were used in accordance with the specifications and instructions of a professional engineer. All of these were all high-risk violations.
Firm: Provincial Government
Worksite: Salmo
Current amount: $783,068.26
Date imposed: January 21, 2025
A traffic control firm had traffic control persons (TCPs) directing traffic for a music festival. Workers from this employer (Ministry) arrived at the site, observed traffic stopped on the highway, and took over traffic control duties. WorkSafeBC determined the Ministry workers were not trained TCPs and had been directing traffic from an unsafe position on the highway. In addition, the employer had not provided specific direction to its workers on how, and under what circumstances, they should perform traffic control. The employer failed to ensure that workers did not direct traffic contrary to a control device or from a position open to traffic flow. The employer also failed to provide its workers with the information, instruction, training, and supervision necessary to ensure their health and safety. These were both high-risk violations.
Firm: Provincial Government
Worksite: Squilax
Current amount: $759,368.84
Date imposed: September 25, 2025
WorkSafeBC investigated two incidents involving this employer's wildfire fighting work. In the first incident, two workers, one of whom was a supervisor, were in a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) when it went over a steep embankment. Both were injured, one of them fatally. WorkSafeBC determined that neither worker was wearing a helmet, the passenger had not been using a seatbelt, and the passenger-side retention netting had been damaged. In addition, inadequate supervision, a lack of safe work procedures and training for operating the UTV, and a lack of a pre-use inspection of the UTV all contributed to the incident. In the second incident, a crew of five workers became entrapped during a planned ignition operation. Other crews involved in the operation were forced to navigate off-road when their escape route was compromised. WorkSafeBC determined that a lack of planning, training, and communication were all contributing factors, and elements of the employer's safety program and operations manual had not been followed. The employer failed to provide its workers with the information, instruction, training, and supervision necessary to ensure their health and safety, a repeated and high-risk violation.
Review or appeal status: Review Division: Request for review received
Firm: Rio Tinto Alcan Inc.
Worksite: Kitimat
Current amount: $710,488.79
Date imposed: February 6, 2025
WorkSafeBC responded to two incidents at this firm's smelter worksite. In the first incident, a subcontracted worker received an electrical shock injury from an energized conductor on an electrical power distribution system. In the second incident, a subcontracted worker was injured when they made contact with a rotary valve on a dust collector. WorkSafeBC determined the machinery had not been adequately safeguarded or locked out. Following the first incident, WorkSafeBC determined there were inadequate controls in place to warn workers of and protect them from the electrical hazard. The firm failed to ensure workers remained the minimum distance from exposed electrical equipment and were informed of electrical hazards before being permitted to do work in proximity. In relation to the second incident, the firm also failed to ensure machinery was effectively safeguarded, and to ensure no work was done until the machinery was locked. These were all high-risk violations. In addition, the firm failed to ensure regular inspections were made of its workplaces to prevent the development of unsafe working conditions and failed to ensure the health and safety of all workers present at its workplace, both repeated violations. The firm also failed to ensure that hazardous areas were adequately secured, that physical hazards were marked clearly, and that safeguards met the requirements of appliable standards. Furthermore, the firm failed to provide information necessary to identify and eliminate or control health and safety hazards at the workplace.
Review or appeal status: Review Division: Request for review received
Firm: EllisDon Corporation / EllisDon Westpro Construction Ltd.
Worksite: Victoria
Current amount: $688,589.56
Date imposed: October 31, 2025
WorkSafeBC attended a worksite where this firm was the prime contractor in response to an incident. As a crane was moving a load of steel canopy components from a balcony to a lower level, the rigging sling failed when it was cut by the sharp edge of a canopy section and the load fell. WorkSafeBC determined the firm had not ensured detailed lifting plans were developed by contractors prior to lifting. At a second of the firm's worksites, a tower crane lost its load while lifting core box formwork. WorkSafeBC determined the lift plans lacked details for handling multi-connected formwork panels and there was no system in place for inspecting work methods associated with safe rigging and lifting. In both incidents, the firm had not reviewed the lift plans prior to lifting. As prime contractor of a multiple-employer workplace, the firm failed to do everything reasonable to establish and maintain a system to ensure regulatory compliance. This was a repeated and high-risk violation.
Firm: Lafarge Canada Inc.
Worksite: Richmond
Current amount: $674,445.93
Date imposed: August 22, 2025
WorkSafeBC investigated an incident at this firm's cement manufacturing facility. When a large fan at the site failed, debris broke through the fan housing and struck a nearby worker. The worker sustained fatal injuries. WorkSafeBC's investigation determined that the fan's impeller had been repaired and refurbished about five months prior to the incident. The firm failed to ensure the installation, inspection, testing, and repair of its equipment was done as specified by the manufacturer or a professional engineer. The firm also failed to ensure that, if equipment was dismantled and subsequently re-assembled, it was checked by a qualified person and determined to be safe before operation. In addition, the firm failed to ensure the health and safety of all workers at its workplace, and failed to provide workers with the information, instruction, training, and supervision necessary to ensure their health and safety. These were all high-risk violations.
Firm: EllisDon Corporation / EllisDon Westpro Construction Ltd.
Worksite: Vancouver
Current amount: $514,831.53
Date imposed: October 31, 2025
This firm was the prime contractor at a highrise construction complex. WorkSafeBC attended the worksite in response to an incident. A concrete forming subcontractor was using a tower crane to lift a flytable from one floor to another. As the rigged flytable was being pushed, it accelerated out of the side of the building and fell to the ground, striking and fatally injuring a worker. WorkSafeBC's investigation determined the firm had not conducted regular reviews of the subcontractors' safe work procedures, did not confirm that a risk assessment had been conducted, and had not identified the lift on the day of the incident as a critical lift. In addition, the exclusion zone on the ground was inadequate and had not been controlled, and procedures and communication for spotters on the ground were inconsistent. The firm failed to ensure regular inspections were conducted to prevent the development of unsafe working conditions, and failed to ensure its workplace was planned and maintained to protect workers from danger. The firm also failed to ensure written lift plans were prepared for critical lifts and made available at the worksite. These were all high-risk violations. In addition, as prime contractor of a multiple-employer workplace, the firm failed to ensure health and safety activities were coordinated.
Review or appeal status: Review Division: Request for review received
Firm: Canfor Pulp Ltd.
Worksite: Prince George
Current amount: $489,104.10
Date imposed: July 10, 2025
WorkSafeBC attended this firm's worksite in response to an incident where a worker was injured when an unguarded cylinder activated on a hydraulic pumping system (atmospheric diffuser). WorkSafeBC determined the firm failed to ensure its machinery and equipment was fitted with adequate safeguards to protect workers from hazardous points of operation. This was a high-risk violation.
Review or appeal status: Review Division: Request for review received
Firm: Axis Family Resources Ltd.
Worksite: Williams Lake
Current amount: $467,496.80
Date imposed: June 19, 2025
This firm operates a residential social services facility. WorkSafeBC inspected the worksite to review the implementation of their exposure control plan after facility walls with identified asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) had been damaged and needed repairs. WorkSafeBC issued a stop-work order after determining a contractor without a valid asbestos abatement licence had done renovation work on the walls. As the owner of the building, the firm failed to ensure the asbestos abatement contractor held a valid licence and that all ACMs present in the workplace were identified with signs or labels. The firm also failed to ensure the exposure control plan was administered by a properly trained person and failed to ensure the health and safety of all workers at the workplace. These were all repeated violations. In addition, the firm failed to take the necessary precautions to protect workers before allowing work that would disturb ACMs, a high-risk violation.
Review or appeal status: Review Division: Request for review received
-30-
Want to support independent journalism?
Consider becoming a paid subscriber or make a one-time donation so I can continue this work.
Paul J. Henderson
pauljhenderson@gmail.com
facebook.com/PaulJHendersonJournalist
instagram.com/wordsarehard_pjh
x.com/PeeJayAitch
wordsarehard-pjh.bsky.social