Not every worker who leaves for their shift comes back.
Tomorrow, communities across Alberta will stop to acknowledge that. Medicine Hat is one of five Alberta cities holding a public Day of Mourning ceremony on April 28 joining Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Lethbridge, and Fort McMurray in marking the occasion.
The Medicine Hat Regional Safety Committee is hosting its service at Saratoga Park Memorial Arboretum, with a moment of silence at 11 a.m. Where possible, flags will fly at half-mast at City facilities from Tuesday morning until April 29.
"This day serves not only as a time of remembrance, but also as a moment to reflect on the importance of working safely for ourselves, our families, and our coworkers," said Joseph Hutter, Interim City Manager. "By reflecting on these losses, we renew our shared commitment to health and safety, and to preventing future tragedies so that every worker returns home safe every day."
Where Alberta Is Gathering Tomorrow
Ceremonies are taking place across the province simultaneously:
Edmonton holds its service at Grant Notley Park at 11 a.m. Calgary gathers at Edward Place Park at City Hall at noon. Red Deer marks the day at Bowers Ponds at 11 a.m. Lethbridge holds its ceremony at the CUPE 70 Monument in Mountain View Cemetery at 10 a.m. Fort McMurray observes at Howard Pew Park in Waterways at 10:45 a.m. Medicine Hat gathers at Saratoga Park Memorial Arboretum at 11 a.m.
All events are open to the public.
Why April 28
The date has carried weight in Canada since 1984, when the Canadian Labour Congress designated it a national day of remembrance timed to the anniversary of Ontario's first Workers' Compensation Act in 1914. Parliament enshrined it in law in 1991. It has since spread to more than 100 countries, observed internationally as Workers' Memorial Day.
The Numbers Behind the Day
In 2025, Alberta mourned the loss of 144 workers to work-related injuries or illnesses. The year prior was worse 203 deaths in 2024, the highest single-year total ever recorded in the province. Between 2013 and 2024, nearly 2,000 Alberta workers lost their lives on the job.
Occupational disease the kind that builds silently over years of exposure accounts for more than half of all workplace fatalities in Alberta. Trauma and motor vehicle incidents make up most of the rest.
What the Day Asks of Us
The Day of Mourning is not only about grief. It exists to push workplaces toward better. The idea, carried in the inscription on labour monuments from coast to coast: mourn for the dead, fight for the living.
Sources:
City of Medicine Hat; Canadian Labour Congress – Day of Mourning Ceremonies 2026; Workers' Compensation Board of Alberta; Workers Mourning Day Act (S.C. 1991)
