Vancouver, B.C. (January 4, 1999): The Royal Commission on Workers' Compensation in British Columbia will present its final report to the provincial government on Wednesday, January 20. Following the morning presentation to cabinet, the three-member commission will make its 1,100-page report public at a 2:00 pm press conference at the Robson Square Conference Centre in Vancouver.
The Commission, which is chaired by Judge Gurmail Singh Gill, was appointed by the province in November, 1996. The other two commissioners are Gerry Stoney, the former president of the IWA-Canada, and Oksana Exell, former director of the B.C. and Yukon chapter of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.
The Commission's report is the first comprehensive review of workers' compensation in British Columbia since 1965. In November, 1997, the Commission presented its first report to cabinet. The 180-page report included more than 60 recommendations, 95 per cent of which have been addressed, or adopted by government.
As part of its review, the Commission carried out public hearings in 36 communities and visited dozens of workplaces
throughout British Columbia. Over the past two years, the Commission also received more than 1,700 oral and written
presentations from interested individuals, businesses, unions, communities and injured workers.