This year鈥檚 Day of Mourning holds a special meaning to the Fernie community, less than a year after a fatal ammonia leak rocked the small B.C. town.

On Friday, city council and staff stood in silence outside City Hall 鈥� a similar kind of ceremony that will be held across 40 communities in the province Saturday, to remember workers who have been killed, injured or disabled while on the job.

This year, the ceremony was particularly profound, after city workers Wayne Hornquist, Lloyd Smith and contractor Jason Podloski lost their lives in the tragic incident at Fernie Memorial Arena last October.

鈥淓veryone standing here remembers last October 17,鈥� said Fernie Mayor Mary Giuliano. 鈥淲e rallied together, we stayed strong, and we can鈥檛 ever forget.鈥�

She said that as hard as last year was, Fernie wasn鈥檛 alone. Last year, 155 workers died from a workplace injury or disease in B.C. alone.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 what the National Day of Mourning is for. To honour those we lost,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut also, to redouble our efforts to creating safe, healthy workplaces. We all deserve to feel safe at work. And our families deserve to know we鈥檙e coming home to them.鈥�

Canadian Union of Public Employees local 2093 representative Mike Poirier echoed Mayor Giuliano鈥檚 comments, adding that it鈥檚 important to come together and honour those who have lost their lives on the job. He said that most present have likely been affected by a workplace injury.

He said that a sad fact is that injuries still happen and added that last year, alongside the 155 deaths reported, there were 149,554 injuries.

鈥淲hether we鈥檙e doing a better job at reporting, or they鈥檙e just happening, that鈥檚 a pretty high number,鈥� said Poirier.

鈥淛ust like the people who were close to us, these people were important to their communities too. They were parents, husbands, wives, brothers and sisters, friends, coworkers, team members, coaches and neighbours.鈥�

Poirier said this is why it is important to come together and remember the fallen workers.

鈥淭hey are a part of us, and their loss affected all of us.鈥�

He said that this important ceremony is also an opportunity for them to support each other through this loss, and remember their commitment to creating safer workplaces for everyone. Through positive collaboration, he hopes everyone can work together to make their job sites safer.

鈥淟et鈥檚 honour our fallen workers by making a new legacy for them,鈥� said Poirier. 鈥淥ne that鈥檚 about more than just what we鈥檝e lost, but one that鈥檚 about how they鈥檝e inspired us to make things better, so that everyone comes home safe.鈥�

Poirier then raised his fist in the air, which everyone followed, as a salute to those fallen.