Port Coquitlam city council joined the call this week to see mandatory certification and licensing on contractors removing asbestos and other hazardous materials.
At Monday's meeting, council unanimously passed a resolution to have the issue put on the agenda at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention in Victoria this September.
PoCo's move comes as the cities of Burnaby and Vancouver also press the provincial government for regulations around asbestos exposure — the leading cause of work-related deaths in B.C.
Currently, there is no provincial certification or licensing in B.C. of asbestos abatement professionals to ensure standards and to allow for the suspension of non-compliant contractors.
The B.C. Federation of Labour has applauded the municipalities' action.
"Many believe that asbestos exposure only happens in the workplace but that’s just not true," said Lee Loftus, president of the BC Building Trades Council, in a press release. "Asbestos has been installed in our schools, community centres, shopping malls, libraries and homes for more than a half century. When it is disturbed, workers and the public are being exposed unwillingly."
jwarren@tricitynews.com
