The Canadian government announced on December 15 that it will create a regulation in 2018 that will ban the manufacture use, import and export of asbestos containing materials.

While this is certainly welcome news, it is a rather bittersweet victory for the labour movement, as in the past ten years over 10,000 workers have lost their lives due to asbestos exposure. The current use of asbestos replacement brake pads and asbestos-containing building material will cease in 2018, and the federal government promises to drastically limit the risk of “on-the-job” asbestos exposure for federal employees. Many schools and public buildings are riddled with asbestos.

The federal government initiatives for workers will apply only for federal employees, but it is hoped that the provinces will enact similar measures for provincially-regulated workers.