BC Hydro mandates COVID-19 vaccines for workers
Posted October 7, 2021 2:48 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – More than 6,000 BC Hydro employees will soon have to prove they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The crown corporation says the vaccine mandate will apply to most workers by Nov. 22 and will include those working at the Site C Dam near Fort St. John.
“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,” reads a statement from BC Hydro.
It says consultants and contract workers will have until Jan. 10, 2022 to prove they have received both doses.
“BC Hydro is not the direct employer for contract workers and the additional time is required to allow those companies time to align with BC Hydro’s vaccination requirements and implement the required systems and processes.”
Related article: Employers at industrial sites in Northern B.C. should ‘absolutely’ mandate vaccines: Henry
Site C has had two on-site outbreaks this year. According to an update from Northern Health Tuesday, there were 21 active cases associated with the current outbreak.
Asked about the outbreak, Health Minister Adrian Dix described the situation as “stable.”
On Tuesday, B.C.’s top doctor said vaccines should be mandatory at large industrial work sites in Northern B.C. and had written to employers to advise them to make it policy.
Dr. Bonnie Henry said she would like to see higher vaccination rates in that area.
“It’s not high enough, and that is contributing to some of the surges that we’re seeing in communities. It’s also contributing to challenges in workers becoming sick, particularly in the congregate living settings that they’re in.”
A spokesperson for BC Hydro confirmed at the time that the majority of the cases linked to the current outbreak are among the unvaccinated.
With files from Marcella Bernardo and Lisa Steacy
