April 28th is the National Day of Mourning in Canada. This is a day to reflect and remember the people who have been affected by, injured, or died as a result of an accident or illness in the workplace.
The date is significant, as it was April 28, 1914 when the Workers’ Compensation Act became legislation in Canada. Each year the Canadian Labour Congress inscribes the names of the workers who have lost their lives to work in the National Registry in Ottawa.
This is an opportunity and a reminder to revisit the practices we can all undertake to keep the workplace safe and re-commit to keeping these actions front of mind for the year ahead.
There are a number of ways to acknowledge the day.
- Re-committing to occupational health and safety best practices,
- Wearing a black or yellow ribbon,
- Observing a moment of silence at 11:00 am,
- Flying national and provincial flags at half-mast, And
- Sharing stories about how workplace tragedies impact the lives of those involved.
Most regional Workers’ Compensation Boards also arrange events, communications, and media packages that employers can review and plan for in advance of the occasion. Addressing tragedy in the workplace is tough, but these packages are available as a tool to facilitate an important day of recognition. The following provinces have resources or events available:
| Province | Day of Mourning Web Page |
| Alberta | Day of Mourning – WCB Alberta |
| British Columbia | Day of Mourning is April 28 – WorkSafeBC |
| Saskatchewan | National Day of Mourning | WorkSafe Saskatchewan |
| Ontario | Day of Mourning | WSIB |
| Quebec | April 28, Day of Mourning | Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail – CNESST (gouv.qc.ca) |
| Manitoba | Day of Mourning 2024 | SAFE Work Manitoba (safemanitoba.com) |
| Nova Scotia | Employer Toolkit (dayofmourning.ns.ca) |