The Grey Bruce Labour Council is once again organizing ceremonies to remember those who never returned home from work.
Ceremonies will be held in Chesley, Hanover and at Bruce Power to mark the National Day of Mourning, for those lost to workplace hazards.
Chris Stephen, Labour Council Vice President for Grey County, says while strides have been made, there's still too many suffering on the job.
"In 2023, just in Ontario, we've had 92 traumatic fatalities, 162 occupational disease fatalities and 23,774 occupational disease claims," he said. "Now the thing about these numbers is, they're skewed because these are only reported and accepted by WSIB. We know traditionally, injuries and sickness are underreported especially, because how many workers shrug off a minor injury and don't report it."
Stephen adds that there's a misconception that the day is just for union workers, and stressed that the Day of Mourning is for all.
"We've got another generation coming and that's what we need to watch out for and make sure that generation is safer than ours."
For the first time, the Municipality of Arran Tara will host one at the Chesley Community Centre on Sunday, beginning at 10:30 a.m. and communities and community leaders from the entire Grey-Bruce area are invited to attend.
Hazel Pratt, a Labour Council delegate, will be leading the annual Day of Mourning ceremony in Hanover on April 26 in Heritage Square, starting at 11 a.m.
Finally, Bruce Power will hold a ceremony on company grounds on Monday, April 29.
The Day of Mourning first became a national observance in Canada in 1991 and Bruce Power has hosted a ceremony since 1995.
Dave Trumble, Labour Council VP for Bruce County, says this is an important anniversary for major gains made by the working class.
"It was 50 years ago that the Elliott Lake uranium miners wildcated which laid the foundation for the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act," he said. "And it was 20 years ago the Westray Act, which was the amendment to the Criminal Code which affected health and safety and actually permitted charges to be laid and prosecuted for gross negligence causing injury or death."
