Construction Workers Get Fast-Tracked for Covid Vaccine in Vancouver
BC Construction Association Teams with Regional Health Authorities for Priority Access
Victoria June 16, 2021 — The BC Construction Association (BCCA) today announced BC’s first COVID-19 vaccine “fast lane” for construction workers in the Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health Regions.
Workers in BC’s construction industry who live or work near the clinic locations of The Italian Cultural Center (Vancouver) The Christine Sinclair Community Centre (Burnaby), and Abbotsford Ag Rec can show up between 1:30 and 4:30 on the designated dates to get their first dose of vaccine. No pre-registration is needed. Government ID or a Provincial Health Number is not necessary, but bringing it will speed up the vaccination experience.
“Our workforce has done a phenomenal job of keeping safe during pandemic, and that after a long day on the jobsite it can be hard to prioritize getting your vaccine scheduled when you get home” says Chris Atchison, President of BCCA. “We want to make it as easy as possible for workers to keep themselves, their families and their sites safe, and are appreciative of the efforts made by the Fraser and Vancouver Coast Health to accommodate our essential workforce.”
BCCA has partnered with the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA), the BC Construction Safety Alliance (BCCSA), BCCA Employee Benefits Trust (EBT) and the Council of Construction Associations (COCA) to get the word out about the fast-track clinics.
“This is a message to our workforce, starting with the sites and employers in Vancouver who have put so much into keeping our industry safe, that getting vaccinated is an important thing to do” says Donna Grant, President of VRCA. “If turnout is good, we’ll keep it going and we’ll expand.”
The late-in-the-day, end-of-week timeslots were chosen to make it easier for workers to head from the site to the clinic before they go home, and so they can rest and relax in case of any temporary side effects. The locations in this pilot were selected by the VRCA for their proximity to a high density of workers and work sites.
The construction industry is the largest employer in BC’s goods sector, with 242,000 workers at its core. As the Province strives to get 70% of British Columbians vaccinated in order to support the further roll-back of COVID-19 safety protocols, the construction industry plays an important role in achieving that success.
“We have enormous respect for our workforce and the essential contribution they’ve made to BC’s economy by working throughout pandemic. We want to help them stay healthy and hope that workers who haven’t had the chance to get their first dose yet will take advantage of this fast-track opportunity. We’re making it as easy as we can – just head from your worksite to a participating clinic and get it done. ”
Employers can download posters for their offices and worksites at www.bccassn.com/fast-lane
ABOUT BRITISH COLUMBIA CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION
The British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA) works with four Regional Construction Associations (NRCA, SICA, VICA and VRCA) to serve more than 10,000 employers in the provinces industrial, commercial, institutional (ICI) construction industry. BCCA advocates on behalf of all employers to ensure British Columbia’s construction sector remains productive and resilient.
For more information about BCCA, please visit: http://bccassn.com/
CONTACTS:
BC Construction Association
Greg Descantes
604-646-3564
gdescantes@pacegroup.com
