The Notley government has introduced new legislation that, if passed into law, could help better protect convenience store workers across the province.
Whether MLAs from the opposition parties will be prepared to side with the government and push the legislation through without delay remains to be seen.
What is known is that vulnerable gas station and other convenience store workers deserve the same protection as all other Albertans when doing their jobs and making their livings.
Unfortunately, far too many criminals continue to target gas stations and convenience stores, in some cases causing workers serious injury and even death.
The Act to Protect Gas and Convenience Store Workers would amend the Occupational Health and Safety Code to include mandatory pre-payment for fuel.
Violence-prevention plans would also become mandatory at retail fuel and convenience stores.
For her part, Christina Gray, Minister of Labour, says the new legislation should help better protect workers and prevent violence.
“As Albertans, our hearts break when we see incidents of violence involving workers,” said Gray. “That's why we are taking action to increase safety for retail fuel and convenience store workers by introducing mandatory violence-prevention plans and pre-payment options for fuel.”
Rod Knecht, the head of the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police, supports the legislation.
“In addition to the highest priority of saving human lives and reducing trauma, mandatory pre-payment for fuel will save Alberta's police services hundreds of hours spent responding to and investigating gasoline thefts, hours that would be put towards high-priority public safety issues,” said Knecht.
There were more than 4,000 gas-and-dash incidents across the province last year, an average of a dozen fuel thefts every day, he said.
If new rules and safety measures will help deter more criminals from gas-and-dash crimes and late-night armed robberies, then it only makes sense to put them in place.
Hopefully all MLAs will be able to put politics aside, in this case at least, and ensure this new legislation becomes law without delay.
Dan Singleton is the Mountain View Gazette editor.
