Hundreds of Manitobans gather to mourn the loss of workers who died on the job

Tuesday marked the International Day of Mourning, which saw hundreds of Manitobans gather and walk in honour of workers who died and illnesses they suffered at work this past year.

“It’s a solemn day. It’s an important day for the families here mourning the loss of their loved ones that where taken too soon doing the work they do. Our hearts go to them of course. We’re here standing in solidarity to show support to them and recommit to the fact that Manitoba has unions and will work hard to enhance workplace safety and health in our province,” said Nick Kasper, president of United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg.

Nick Kasper, president of the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg. (Koby Mitchell, CityNews)

Each year, over 1,000 Canadians lose their lives while working. This past year, 14 Manitobans died from workplace injuries and illnesses.

On this day of mourning, the provincial government announced $100,000 in funding to the Preston Heinbinger Memorial Fund — a fund that supports first responders’ mental health.

“Every worker deserves to be safe for the people who love them. And our government will continue to prioritize workplace safety and health, and we commit to a vision of healthy, safe, and thriving Manitobans committed to protecting more workers,” said Malaya Marcelino, Manitoba Minister of Labour and Immigration.

Heinbinger was a Winnipeg firefighter who tragically died in April of 2024 with undiagnosed PTSD. His fund supports Manitoba firefighters by covering costs to attend a four-day program in British Columbia designed to help first responders battling addiction and mental health challenges.

“This is a very robust program that is designed to interrupt the feelings and mental health impacts associated with PTSD and other mental health impacts of being on the front lines,” said Premier Wab Kinew.

Kasper added, “This is a program that’s created by first responders for first responders. We’ve got two fantastic clinicians out there that are doing some great work. We’ve already had about a dozen members from Winnipeg attend, and it’s been tremendously well-received. Very thankful to the government for their investment in the program.”