Mother of crane collapse victim to speak at Day of Mourning event in Kelowna

Photo: Contributed

The mother of Cailen Vilness, pictured here, will be speaking at a National Day of Mourning event in Kelowna later this week.

A National Day of Mourning event will take place in Kelowna on Thursday to remember and honour lives lost or injured on the job.

The North Okanagan Labour Council is hosting the event alongside WorkSafeBC at Ben Lee Park from noon until 1:00 p.m. Multiple people from WorkSafe BC, the City of Kelowna and the North Okanagan Labour Council are expected to make speeches, as well as anyone who wishes to honour a loved one.

This year's event will carry extra weight, coming in the wake of last year's downtown crane collapse and the pandemic.

Danielle Pritchett, the mother of Cailen Vilness, one of the five young construction workers killed in the July 2021, collapse will be making a speech to bring a message of occupational safety.

The National Day of Mourning aims to renew the commitment to prevent workplace deaths, injuries and diseases in the workplace by improving health and safety.

In 2020, 151 workers in B.C. died on the job.