Bill 19 will help save lives: Labour Minister
Last year’s gas-and-dash fatality in Thorsby reminded us all that gas theft is a serious danger in both urban and rural settings.
As Albertans, our hearts break when we see incidents of preventable workplace violence occur. This is why your government took action to improve the safety of Alberta’s gas stations and convenience stores across the province.
On June 1 new rules came into effect to protect our gas and convenience store workers. Albertans are now required to prepay for fuel. These changes are important and were long overdue. We have all felt the impact of these tragedies, none more than the friends and families of the victims. No Albertan should have to worry that their loved one, friend, neighbour or colleague won’t make it home at the end of their shift because of workplace injury.
Prepaying might take a few extra minutes in some cases, but it could save the life of someone in your community. This is a small sacrifice and we know it is an effective way to reduce risk. We know this because when British Columbia mandated prepayment for fuel in 2008, gas-and-dash related injury and death was virtually eliminated. This is exactly what Albertans deserve, the confidence in knowing that all of our gas and convenience store workers will be protected