B.C. to introduce mandatory crane licensing and permitting after seven fatalities in five years

The British Columbia government says it will introduce mandatory crane-related licensing and permitting following a series of fatal workplace accidents over the past five years.

In a statement Tuesday, the province said it plans to establish a new WorkSafeBC crane licensing and permitting program to ensure crane operations meet “consistent, high-quality safety requirements.” According to the government, there have been seven crane-related fatalities in B.C. during that period, with 373 cranes currently in operation across the province.

The announcement follows a WorkSafeBC report into the February 2024 death of worker Yuridia Flores at the Oakridge Park development site in Vancouver. The report identified “several critical safety failures” that led to the fatality, according to the province. Under current rules, crane operators must be certified and registered, but those who own, maintain, repair, move or disassemble cranes are not required to hold specific licences.

The province said that gap was identified during safety reviews conducted by the Crane Safety Table, which includes regulators, industry representatives, labour groups and technical experts. The new licensing framework is intended to address those oversight concerns and expand regulatory accountability beyond operators.

Premier David Eby said in the statement that the changes are intended to strengthen worker and public safety as the province advances major infrastructure projects. The government also said it plans to expand skilled trades training and certification pathways for crane operators as part of the initiative. Further details, including timelines for implementation, were not provided.