WorkSafeBC has fined the British Columbia government $783,068.26 for worker safety violations after untrained Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) staff took over traffic control duties near the Shambhala Music Festival in July 2024, according to a report.
The penalty approaches WorkSafe’s statutory maximum for 2025 of $798,867.87.
During the festival, the Shambhala festival hired a contractor to implement a traffic management plan. The contractor’s workers were responsible for directing vehicles near the festival’s “east gate,” where traffic exited onto Highway 3.
However, two MoTI representatives who arrived at the scene deemed the contractor’s approach inadequate, CBC reported, citing a WorkSafeBC online summary and an inspection report.
When they instructed changes that the contractor deemed unsafe, the contractor withdrew its staff and reported the issue to WorkSafeBC. The MoTI employees then began directing traffic themselves, despite lacking the necessary qualifications and safety equipment, according to the report.
WorkSafeBC determined the ministry workers were not trained [traffic control persons] and had been directing traffic from an unsafe position on the highway, the incident summary stated.
The agency also found that the provincial government had failed to provide proper “information, instruction, training, and supervision” to protect its workers, classifying the violations as “high-risk.”
MoTI acknowledged that its workers lacked proper traffic control training but justified their actions as necessary due to an urgent public safety risk.
However, the agency said that its workers only intervened “to ensure the safe flow of traffic on Highway 6 during the Shambhala Music Festival, responding to an emergency situation that quickly arose when a designated traffic control person from a private company failed to perform their duties.”
A spokesperson stated that traffic leaving the music festival had caused a three-kilometre backlog, blocking emergency vehicle access and increasing the likelihood of drivers making unsafe decisions.
Meanwhile, a representative for the contractor disputed that the company had not fulfilled its responsibilities, asserting that their team had followed an approved traffic management plan. The contractor, which is not facing any penalties, took photos of the situation and reported it to WorkSafeBC.
WorkSafeBC’s report notes that the MoTI workers’ actions placed them in direct danger due to high traffic volumes. The agency’s findings confirm that the contractor withdrew its workers because it did not believe the work could be done safely under the ministry’s instructions.
The ministry is currently reviewing the fine and has indicated that it may request a formal review.
Following the fine, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure announced that it is reinforcing expectations around worker safety and emergency protocols.
WorkSafeBC confirmed that penalty funds will be deposited into its accident fund, which covers workplace injury costs. The agency calculates penalties based on employer payroll size and the severity of the violations.
— Accurate at time of publication | February 2025
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