A longtime labour and human rights leader in British Columbia has died.

The family of Charan Gill say he died in hospital on Feb. 2, following a battle with cancer.

Gill was 84.

Born in Hong Kong and raised in India, Gill moved to Canada in 1967, settling in Surrey, where he co-founded the Canadian Farmworkers Union and the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism.

The farm workers union led to improved pay, benefits and working conditions for farm and ranch workers across Canada while the organization to fight racism was instrumental in stemming the growth of racist groups in B.C.

Gill was named to the Order of British Columbia in 1999 and received many other accolades for his lifetime of activism, including an honorary doctor of laws from Kwantlen Polytechnic University in 2013.

Premier John Horgan said on social media that he is saddened by the news of Gill's death and called him a "lifelong champion for social justice and working people."

Gill is survived by his three children and their families.

A statement from the family says a private funeral is planned, followed by a celebration of life at a later date.