By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Following the collapse on September 23, 2023, the condition of the load-bearing walls was demolished. This information comes from the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST). The demolition of these crucial structural elements raises concerns about the cause of the failure. Further investigation is likely needed to determine the reasons behind the wall’s destruction and its role in the overall collapse.
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The tragic workplace accident in Montreal, resulting in a fatality, underscores a critical failure: the complete lack of training and safety equipment for temporary foreign workers. This isn’t just a matter of oversight; it’s a systemic problem, one that demands a harsh reckoning. The report makes it clear: these workers, including those who didn’t speak the local languages, were thrust into a dangerous environment without the most basic protections. No gloves, no goggles, no safety helmets, and for many, no safety boots – a blatant disregard for their well-being. Furthermore, they hadn’t taken the legally mandated health and safety course for construction sites.
The silence of this neglect speaks volumes. It’s a message that values profit over human life, a message that treats vulnerable workers as disposable. The question that hangs heavy in the air is: what will be done to prevent this from happening again? Sharing reports with industry organizations is a start, but it’s not enough. The response needs teeth, it needs accountability. The call for jail time for the owners and contractors feels not just appropriate, but necessary. Only through severe punishment can we hope to deter future incidents of this kind.
The Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program itself is now being questioned. While some might defend it as a means of filling labor gaps, it’s clear that in its current form, the program is often exploited. Workers, desperate for opportunities, are brought into a new country and are subject to the whims of their employers, and often see low wages. This is a modern form of exploitation. It’s a disgrace. Are we becoming a society that prioritizes corporate profits over the lives and livelihoods of those who build it?
The frustration is palpable, and it’s being felt across multiple industries. International workers are being put into situations where they cannot perform their jobs correctly. Some are highly educated, yet are stuck in low-skill jobs, the program seems to be being abused. The lack of proper permits and the flagrant disregard for safety standards are unacceptable. It would seem that the city is not issuing permits anymore. Should executives face charges of voluntary manslaughter or negligent homicide? The reality is, what is happening on construction sites is dangerous, with some workers cutting corners and going without safety gear.
The real blame falls on those who are in charge. The construction industry needs a culture shift, prioritizing training and recognizing dangers on the job. Those in positions of power, those sending “fodder” to the front lines, they need to be held accountable. The companies and executives need to be held to a higher standard and this must be addressed, not ignored. It’s time to stop the excuses and start taking responsibility. If a worker doesn’t want to follow the safety protocols of the workplace, then the worker shouldn’t be working on site that day.
Many are concerned. Training is everything, especially when developing a sense of the dangers. The reality is that if a worker is temporary, there is less of an investment in that employee. Blame the one who should have trained the workers properly. It’s not the TFW’s fault, it’s the ones cutting corners. Some feel that the government has stopped exploiting indigenous people, but they are now exploiting temporary foreign workers. They are being used and the program is being abused.
The call for accountability extends beyond the immediate incident. There’s a question as to why safety officers aren’t present. And there is a point to be made that safety protocols are not being followed, and this must be addressed immediately.
The investigation will likely point to what went wrong but rarely tries to assign blame. Regulatory bodies can levy fines but more needs to be done. Criminal charges and jail time should be considered for the executives involved. If there is a board of directors, they too should be held accountable with fines and probation. This is the only way to facilitate meaningful changes. The way the program is currently written, there are not enough safeguards. The program has to be controlled better.
The program was not built for the modern era. The issues of landlords exploiting renters and businesses paying under the table for second jobs, all have to be stopped. If the municipalities do not have guidelines on who can rent out properties, then this will continue to be a problem. This is a problem, and the solution to that is to set a cap in place, and only open positions once guaranteed to be vacated. The provinces essentially begged for the program to be opened up when the pandemic hit.
The focus should be on fixing the current system to improve the system without reducing the inflow of immigrants. There is language fraud when trying to obtain a Canadian work permit. The problem is also that there are not enough workers to fill the roles. Canadians do not want to fill these low-skill positions. The temporary foreign workers should be able to get a permit, but this should not take away from the goal of helping those immigrants obtain a better life. The real blame falls on those abusing the TFW program.
It is up to the business, and the owner, to properly train their employees and to provide them with the proper equipment. It’s not up to the government. Accountability rests with those who profit from the labor. It is the business’s job to ensure the workers know the safety protocols. If they don’t want to, then they are not working.