GEBIS and 1 Buddhist monk told to pay $110,000 after fatal workplace accident

Nicola MacLeod · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 28, 2025 5:25 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

The Great Enlightenment Buddhist Institute Society (GEBIS) and 1 of its monks person been ordered to wage a full of $110,000 successful fines pursuing an occupational wellness and information probe into the decease of a antheral connected the group's Heatherdale field past summer.

GEBIS pleaded blameworthy to 3 Occupational Health and Safety charges connected Thursday successful Georgetown, portion the monk pleaded blameworthy to one.

According to an agreed connection of facts filed successful court, crews were moving successful the woods astatine the Three Rivers site in August 2024, clearing debris and toppled trees from post-tropical tempest Fiona.

Chainsaws were being used. Some of the operators had been trained by chap members of the enactment connected however to usage the machines; lone a fistful of radical had what the tribunal documents called "external training." 

The monk later charged nether provincial authorities did not person the ceremonial chainsaw training.

"While [the monk] was cutting a tree, helium was facing distant from the crew. The histrion fell onto 4 of his unit members," the facts papers read.

Two radical were earnestly injured and others astatine the country instantly called 911. 

Firefighters and paramedics arrived to measure and dainty the injured people. One antheral was taken to the infirmary aft suffering aggregate cardiac arrests successful the ambulance connected the country of the incident. 

He died the adjacent day. 

Not successful compliance 

Documents filed successful tribunal notation to the monks' spot of residence and worship arsenic a "workplace" and the monk who chopped down the histrion arsenic "an employee."

The courtroom heard that earlier the accident, GEBIS had failed to adhere to elements of the authorities and regulations that oversee workplace information successful the province. 

Among them: The enactment did not person a process for reporting superior workplace injuries, a written exigency preparedness plan, oregon a ceremonial occupational wellness and information committee.

Also, nary 1 connected the tract was trained successful archetypal aid. There happened to beryllium a retired doc and a retired physician's adjunct wrong the group, however. 

Work stopped arsenic information reviewed

After the incident, GEBIS stopped each enactment successful the forest, on with immoderate different hazardous activities connected the site, until a information reappraisal could beryllium conducted.

The enactment has since formed an approved OHS committee that holds regular meetings and has developed guidelines that amended align with P.E.I.'s standards. 

The probe besides looked astatine the monk's actions and concluded helium was not successful compliance with regulations, including failing to "maintain a harmless region of not little than doubly the tallness of the histrion being felled betwixt himself and the nearest worker."

For that he'll person to wage a $2,000 good and different $8,000 to the Workers' Compensation Board for nationalist education.

Meanwhile the enactment volition wage $15,000 successful fines for its 3 OHS charges and $85,000 to the board.