Labour Mobility Updates
Blasters and mining professionals
The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Regulation was amended on October 15, 2009 to enhance the ability of workers to move from one province to another. The amendment fulfills Alberta’s commitments to the Trade Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) with British Columbia and the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) with other Canadian jurisdictions, where Alberta committed to removing barriers to trade, investment and labour mobility.
Alberta’s OHS Regulation requires blasters and certain mining professionals to hold a permit or certificate issued by Employment and Immigration and lists the qualifications required for obtaining such permits or certificates. British Columbia and other provinces have similar, but not identical, requirements for qualifications.
The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, as amended, now allows the Director of Inspection to issue a permit or certificate to a worker who holds a valid permit or certificate from another jurisdiction in Canada, which has substantively equivalent competence and practice requirements. Workers who are in possession of a valid blasting permit or underground mining certificate from another Canadian jurisdiction are automatically qualified to apply for an Alberta equivalency permit or certificate.
Modified:
PID: 12225
