VICTORIA, B.C.: Conservative Labour Critic Kiel Giddens says the appointment of former BC Federation of Labour president William Laird Cronk as chair of WorkSafeBC raises serious concerns about whether the board remains balanced and independent.

“WorkSafeBC is supposed to represent workers, employers, and the public interest,” said Giddens. “Instead, this appointment tilts the board further toward the NDP’s organized labour allies in the same week that the business community gave this Government a ‘D’ letter grade for its terrible performance in Budget 2026.”

Cronk replaces outgoing chair Baltej Dhillon, who had remained in the job despite running as an NDP candidate in 2024, before later being appointed to the Senate.

“One insider leaves, another insider takes the chair. British Columbians can see the pattern,” Giddens said. “Key public institutions are increasingly led by individuals from the same political and labour circles.”

Small business groups have already warned that employer voices are being sidelined at a time when B.C. carries one of the highest payroll tax burdens in the country.

“B.C. has the second-highest payroll tax load in Canada,” said Giddens. “Employers are already stretched thin and they’ve just faced major tax hikes in this week’s NDP Budget. A workers’ compensation board must be balanced and focused on the public interest.”

Giddens said confidence in WorkSafeBC depends on its ability to serve both workers and employers fairly.

“When the board is so tilted without adequate representation from employers, it’s decisions don’t reflect the reality for businesses,” said Giddens. “It’s no wonder BC has had non-existent private sector job growth since 2019 with higher payroll taxes, red tape, and higher taxes hurting competitiveness and worker opportunities.”

This comes at a time when the Premier is eliminating independent oversight in other areas such as the elimination of the Office of the Merit Commissioner. British Columbians are right to question whether balance is being replaced with political patronage.

“Public institutions belong to the people of British Columbia, not to the NDP backrooms,” said Giddens.

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