The weather is fine, garden shops are bustling and soon the earth will move!
But, still the shovel & hold that hoe: April is "Safe Digging Month" in B.C.
The BC 1 Call 2025 Awareness Campaign is underway, stressing the importance of clicking or calling - before digging.
Extensive critical infrastructure lies just beneath the surface of the soil and green thumbs at far greater risk than they may realize.
"When you dig before contacting BC 1 Call, you risk severing critical services not just to your home, but to your entire neighbourhood." - BC 1 Call president Donna Grant.
FortisBC reported 779 instances of damage to their underground gas lines in 2024.
114 of those, or close to 15% occurred on Vancouver Island.
Nanaimo reported 17 incidents, giving it the dubious distinction of the highest number of incidents in the region.
Campbell River came in second with 14 incidents, while both Victoria and Saanich reported 11 damage incidents each.
Nearly 60% of the overall incidents last year were the result of work performed without contacting BC 1 Call first.
BC 1 Call connects you with the owners of underground infrastructure for Free—but only if they click or call BEFORE they dig.
Requests for a free locate can be made either online or by calling 1-800-474-6886.
BC 1 Call uses a unique mapping system to identify the relevant owners of underground infrastructure who are also BC 1 Call members.