Exclusive: Canada Place worker death was preventable

This time last year, Canada Place was closed because it was the Main Press Centre for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. I was among the first few journalists to begin working in the vast hall when it opened to the media on Jan. 12, 2010. It remained my office away from the office until March 1, 2010, the day after the Games closed. I have covered Turin 2006, Rio de Janeiro 2007, Beijing 2008 and Delhi 2010 and none of those Games' main press centres matched Canada Place's quality work environment and convenience.

Before the Games, Heritage Minister James Moore announced a $21 million post-Games replacement of the fabric roof under the federal infrastructure stimulus program. Canada Place was built as the Canada Pavilion for Expo 86 and then converted into the Vancouver Convention Centre.

On Dec. 2, 2010, two construction workers suffered fatal injuries at sites in the same area of downtown Vancouver, within mere minutes of each other. One happened at Canada Place where a man fell 14 metres, but was on life support until his death two days later. Was the construction worker wearing fall-protection gear? That was my key question that went unanswered by construction manager Ledcor, employer Birdair and subcontractor RBG USA, who did eventually tell me the man who died was Diego Herrera.

Because WorkSafeBC released to me its inspection report, I have confirmed that Herrera was not using fall-protection gear. That would include a safety harness and lanyard. The investigation continues into an incident that should never have happened.

Read the inspection reports below.

WorkSafeBC on Canada Place construction worker's fatal fall

Exclusive: Bonus Cash Place Stadium

Bill Bennett's Bubble. Gordon Campbell's Convertible. Gordon Campbell's Crown.

For the purposes of this blog entry, Vancouver's 2010 Olympic Stadium is Bonus Cash Place.

The stadium undergoing a $563 million renovation, including a pioneering retrofit of a retractable roof, doled out nearly $95,000 in bonuses to executives and others who worked there before and during the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. That's in addition to the $482,000 for bonuses given to 85 people at taxpayer-owned B.C. Pavilion Corporation during the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2010.

See the payout register below and let me know what you think: bob.mackin@sunmedia.ca

B.C. Pavilion Corporation 2009-2010 staff bonuses