BC Hydro announces vaccine mandate for employees; schools, ferries in more complicated situations
B.C.'s main electricity provider has joined the growing list of employers in the province that will soon be requiring their workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
BC Hydro announced the vaccine mandate Thursday afternoon, after Premier John Horgan hinted that such a decision was imminent during a news conference earlier in the day.
The utility company will require all employees working at its worksites and facilities to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 22, according to a statement.
"This date aligns BC Hydro with the date announced by the province of B.C. for the Public Service Agency and allows enough time for unvaccinated employees to be fully vaccinated," the statement reads.
Consultants and employees working for contractors and subcontractors will be required to show proof of vaccination by Jan. 10, 2022, according to BC Hydro.
The new policy will apply to more than 6,000 BC Hydro workers, including those working at the construction site for the Site C hydroelectric dam, where Northern Health declared a COVID-19 outbreak in August after 41 workers tested positive for the disease.
"BC Hydro will continue to work with its employees, unions and contractors in the coming weeks to further define the vaccination policy and provide details for accommodations for those who are unable to be vaccinated due to a medically approved exemption," the company said.
SCHOOLS, FERRIES AMONG EMPLOYERS STILL SORTING OUT REQUIREMENTS
The electric company's announcement comes on the heels of several other vaccine mandates announced by the provincial government earlier this week.
On Tuesday, the province added employees of the B.C. Public Service Agency - including correctional officers, wildfire fighters and social workers, among others - to the list of workers who will soon be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Health-care workers in the province were already subject to such a mandate.
The province also announced Tuesday that visitors to health-care facilities would be required to show proof of vaccination in the coming weeks.
During his remarks Thursday, Horgan repeatedly defended the provincial government's position on requiring immunization for teachers, saying it's up to local school boards - not the province - to implement such mandates.
“The districts are the employers,” he said. “We are the funder, to be sure, but there is a dual relationship here between (school board) trustees and the government.”
Another situation in which the provincial government isn't the employer - despite providing substantial funding - is that of BC Ferries.
Workers for the provincial ferry service are not under the purview of the B.C. Public Service Agency, but Horgan said Thursday that they will still be required to be vaccinated because they're employed in a federally regulated industry.
A spokesperson for BC Ferries told CTV News Vancouver the premier's assertion that all ferry workers are required to be vaccinated is not entirely accurate.
"Transport Canada’s directive speaks to companies that operate vessels with 12 or more crew," said spokesperson Deborah Marshall in an email.
"Some of our smaller ships operate with less than 12 crew. We are seeking clarification from Transport Canada on how the full extent of the requirements will apply to its employees. We expect to have it all sorted in a few weeks."
Passengers on BC Ferries vessels are not subject to federal proof-of-vaccination requirements introduced earlier this week. Those rules will apply to planes, trains and cruise ships, but not ferries.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
NASA hears from Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, after months of quiet
NASA has finally heard back from Voyager 1 again in a way that makes sense. The most distant spacecraft from Earth hadn't sent home any understandable data since last November.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.