OPINION: Celebrating B.C.'s workers on Labour Day

Jennifer Whiteside, B.C.'s Minister of Labour, at the B.C. Legislature in Victoria for the annual Day of Mourning ceremony on April 28, 2026. (BC Government/Flickr) Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... This Labour Day, British Columbians have once again witnessed the dedication of firefighters, first responders and emergency services staff who have worked tirelessly to protect people and communities during wildfire season. Working alongside them are support staff, utility workers and countless others who step up to keep communities safe and connected. Today, we take time to recognize them and all workers throughout B.C. whose dedication and skills help build, strengthen and move our province forward every day. Their contributions shape the places where we live, work and raise our families. Throughout history, workers and unions have helped secure many of the rights and protections people rely on today, including safer workplaces, parental leave, decent wages and protections against discrimination. These achievements were hard-won and driven by the belief that workers, their families and communities matter. Recently, hardworking Canadians woke up to a new 50 per cent tariff imposed by the Trump administration. These tariffs are inexplicable, indefensible, and they will have a devastating impact on families in British Columbia. We will stand strong with Canada: every tool that can be used to support workers and fight for their families will be on the table. In this time of global uncertainty, it is more important than ever to stand up for working people and ensure there is dignity, safety and security at work. When we formed government, B.C. had one of the lowest minimum wages in Canada. Today, it is one of the highest. After being frozen for nearly a decade, we delivered yearly increases to the minimum wage, and in 2024, tied future increases to inflation. We have put in place stronger workplace safety protections and job-protected medical leave, so people do not have to choose between their health and their job. As our province grows, the demand for skilled workers has never been more important. That's why we are doubling trades-training funding to create 28,000 trades training seats in B.C. Today, we have nearly 50,000 registered apprentices, the highest number in the province's history. Healthy communities rely on strong public services, such as health care. Our government has stood with community health and hospital workers to end a generation of uncertain employment conditions, privatization and layoffs. From welcoming the first cohort of medical students at Simon Fraser University's new Stephens Family School of Medicine in Surrey, to upgrading and building new hospitals, to working with partners on workplace safety in health care, we will continue to care for our public health-care system and the people who power it. We know, however, many workers continue to face real pressures. New technologies are reshaping work. When I meet with workers, they speak honestly about the drawbacks of gig work and app-based work. They share worries about the impact that AI has on their workplaces. In the face of these new challenges, it is more important than ever to ensure that employment and labour standards are strong for all workers. Workers build the prosperity that supports our communities to thrive. This principle is at the heart of our government and drives the work we do every day to make life better for people in B.C. They are key to the success of our multibillion-dollar Cooperative Prosperity Agreement with Canada and our Look West strategy. All of this helps strengthen the services people rely on, such as affordable child care, health care and education. Together, we will create more good-paying jobs, build the infrastructure that people and businesses need, and drive economic growth throughout our province. Workers have a rich and celebrated history of fighting for better lives for everyone. When workers succeed, our entire province is stronger for it. Happy Labour Day! Jennifer Whiteside is British Columbia's Minister of Labour.