‘Something has to change’
A subcontractor's worker was killed on Oct. 8 when part of an overhead canopy collapsed during regulated asbestos abatement work at the Fairmont Winnipeg hotel, a multi-employer renovation site under investigation by Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health (WSH).
Kepsco Construction employed the worker, a provincial spokesperson told Global News. The worker was not alone at the time, the province told CBC News.
Graham Construction told CBC News it is co-operating with WSH. Kepsco has not commented publicly.
Investigation underway
WSH has not released the worker's name, the cause of the collapse or whether the canopy was being worked on. No stop-work orders had been issued as of Oct. 9, CBC News reported.
Safety and health officers can issue improvement and stop-work orders; violations may bring administrative penalties or prosecution, according to the province.
The death comes as Manitoba phases in tougher asbestos safety rules for Manitoba workers. From June 1, 2027, abatement workers must be certified and asbestos employers must register annually with WSH.
Contractor roles unclear
Manitoba construction projects with more than one employer must have a prime contractor, responsible for coordinating the employers' safety and health programs, according to provincial guidance.
James Richardson & Sons Ltd., whose subsidiary Lombard Hospitality owns the hotel, said the general contractor overseeing the exterior renovation informed it of the death, CTV News reported. Neither the owner nor Graham has said whether Graham is that contractor or the prime contractor.
"Management, directors and shareholders of Lombard Hospitality are deeply saddened by this tragic news," the statement said. Communications director Barb Perreaux, in an emailed statement to Global News, extended "sincere condolences to the deceased's family, friends, and colleagues."
Labour leader calls for review
"Something has to change, so I'm asking for government to conduct an external review," Kevin Rebeck, president of the Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL), told Global News.
Two days before the collapse, the MFL called for an independent review of the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba's injury prevention system, citing the country's highest injury rate for three straight years.
The RCMP has attended six other fatal workplace incidents in Manitoba this year, CBC News reported, a count excluding Winnipeg and Brandon, which have municipal police. Canadian Occupational Safety (COS) has covered a 55-year-old construction worker killed in a skid steer incident in January and two Manitoba workers killed within 24 hours in June.
WCB accepted-claim figures cited by CBC News show four people died at or shortly after workplace incidents in 2025; the MFL, which also counts occupational illnesses, reported 14.
Hotel closed for renovations
The Fairmont closed to guests on July 1 for renovations including remodelling all 340 rooms, according to CBC and CTV.
Lombard Hospitality has said the work will return the building to its position as "the city's pre-eminent luxury hotel," CBC News reported.
The Richardson family owned the hotel from 1970 until 2000 and reacquired it in 2024.
