B.C. introduces apprenticeship requirements for crane operators effective immediately
New skilled trades certification rules take effect today, requiring all crane operators to register within one year following recent workplace deaths.
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Starting today, July 5, all crane operators in British Columbia must register as apprentices or become certified journeypersons within one year as part of new safety requirements from the province.
The certification expansion follows high-profile incidents, including a 2021 crane collapse in Kelowna that killed five people and a 2024 accident in Vancouver when a construction mould fell, killing one person. The changes apply to both tower and mobile crane operators and result from recommendations made by a panel of experts convened to address crane safety.
"By expanding skilled trades certification to crane operators, we're formally recognizing the skills these workers already demonstrate every day while strengthening safety and training standards across the industry," said Jessie Sunner, Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills minister, in a Monday news release.
Current operators can continue working while pursuing certification. Federal and provincial support is available to help pay for training, including tuition, travel, and child care. Crane operation now joins seven electrical and mechanical trades that require specific skilled trades certification in the province.
