National Day of Mourning ceremonies being held across Canada Monday

“April 28 is the labour movement’s most solemn day, but also one to refocus our commitment to preventing future workplace injuries and deaths,” the Canadian Labour Congress said. “Every year, thousands of workers, friends and families of fallen workers gather at ceremonies across Canada to recognize the National Day of Mourning for workers killed or injured on the job.”

“This year, we will gather in communities across the country. As we mourn for the dead, the Canadian Labour Congress continues to fight for the living.”

According to the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC), there were 1,057 workplace fatalities across Canada in 2023, with 29 of those deaths among young workers aged 15-24.

AWCBC also says there were 274,022 accepted claims for lost time due to a work-related injury or disease, 32,861 of which were from workers aged 15-24.

April 28 was recognized by Parliament as National Day of Mourning in 1991, eight years after the day of remembrance was launched by the Canadian Labour Congress.

It has since spread to more than 100 countries around the world and is recognized as Workers’ Memorial Day, and as International Workers’ Memorial Day by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

You can find more about National Day of Mourning here.

Editors note: A previous version of this story said events would be taking place on Sunday (April 27) instead of Monday as scheduled. The inconvenience is regretted.

by Victor Kaisar

National Day of Mourning ceremonies being held across Canada Monday

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