News Labour Relations Legislation
B.C. launches review of its Labour Relations Code, appoints three-member panel

British Columbia has appointed an independent panel to review and provide recommendations for changes to its Labour Relations Code (LRC).

Harry Bains, Minister of Labour, appointed the three-member review panel chaired by Michael Fleming, a mediator/arbitrator and former associate chair of the BC Labour Relations Board.

Two labour and employment lawyers round out the panel, with Sandra Banister representing worker and union interests, and Lindsie Thomson, sitting on behalf of employer interests.

“This review will help ensure B.C.’s labour laws keep up with the needs of today’s workplaces, provide stable labour relations and support people’s collective bargaining rights,” the province said in a press release.

Harry Bains

The panel is tasked with consulting interest groups and Indigenous parties across the province, and reporting back to the minister by May 31, 2024, with a report and recommendations for potential amendments to the LRC. The panel will also consider relevant developments in other Canadian jurisdictions to ensure B.C.’s labour laws are consistent with labour rights and protections enjoyed by other Canadians, the province said.

The LRC establishes the relationships between provincially regulated employers, their workers and trade unions, and the rules for issues related to collective bargaining, such as how workers join unions, how employers and unions interact, and how labour disputes are resolved.

The provincial minister of labour is required to appoint a committee of special advisers every five years to undertake an independent review of the LRC and make recommendations.

The last comprehensive review took place in 2018, which resulted in several substantive amendments to the LRC made in 2019 and 2022.