BC One Call Limited (BC 1 Call) and the BC Landscape & Nursery Association (BCLNA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at expanding cooperation on excavation safety, damage prevention, industry education and the protection of underground infrastructure throughout British Columbia.
The agreement recognizes that landscape contractors and nursery professionals regularly carry out ground-disturbing activities while installing and maintaining landscapes, irrigation systems, trees, outdoor lighting, fencing and other infrastructure.
Under the partnership, the two organizations will work together to enhance training initiatives, promote responsible excavation practices and encourage proper planning before any digging begins.
Donna Grant, President of BC 1 Call, said safe excavation starts long before equipment reaches the site. She explained that combining BC 1 Call’s expertise in damage prevention with BCLNA’s leadership in professional education will help ensure industry professionals have the knowledge and resources needed to carry out excavation safely while protecting the critical underground infrastructure that communities rely on.
Coreen Rodger Berrisford, Executive Director of the BCLNA, said the association’s members are committed to delivering high-quality work while maintaining the highest safety standards. She added that the partnership with BC 1 Call will strengthen industry education and provide landscape and nursery professionals with better tools and guidance to plan excavation responsibly and safeguard underground utility networks.
As part of the initiative, both organizations will continue encouraging anyone planning ground-disturbing work to contact BC 1 Call before digging. The goal is to reduce accidental damage to buried infrastructure, improve public safety and promote best practices across the landscaping and nursery sectors in British Columbia.
