[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":273},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news-list":3,"article-\u002Fnews\u002Flifelabs-human-rights-ruling-burnaby-transgender-patients-november-2026":157,"article-people-\u002Fnews\u002Flifelabs-human-rights-ruling-burnaby-transgender-patients-november-2026":272},[4,22,34,49,62,73,84,94,103,117,133,145],{"path":5,"title":6,"description":7,"date":8,"publishedAt":9,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":12,"image":17,"imageAlt":18,"imageCredit":19,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fburnaby-remembrance-day-ceremonies-november-11-2026","Burnaby holds two Remembrance Day ceremonies on November 11","Royal Canadian Legion branches in north and south Burnaby lead ceremonies at Confederation Park and Bonsor Park on Wednesday, November 11, with City Hall closed for the day.","2026-11-09","2026-11-09T08:39:44-07:00","voche.me editors","Long read",[13,14,15,16],"Remembrance Day","community","events","Royal Canadian Legion","\u002Fimages\u002Fnews\u002Fbc-burnaby-2026\u002Fai\u002Fburnaby-remembrance-day-ceremonies-november-11-2026.webp","Illustration of a cenotaph in a Burnaby park with poppy wreaths at its base on Remembrance Day","Illustration made with AI for voche.me",null,false,{"path":23,"title":24,"description":25,"date":8,"publishedAt":26,"author":10,"category":27,"tags":28,"image":32,"imageAlt":33,"imageCredit":19,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Flifelabs-human-rights-ruling-burnaby-transgender-patients-november-2026","BC tribunal orders LifeLabs to pay $32,000 and change how it treats transgender patients","British Columbia's Human Rights Tribunal found LifeLabs and subsidiary Excelleris Technologies violated the rights of three transgender and non-binary patients at clinics in Vancouver and Burnaby in 2019.","2026-11-09T08:42:12-07:00","Election news",[29,30,14,31],"LifeLabs","human rights","healthcare","\u002Fimages\u002Fnews\u002Fbc-burnaby-2026\u002Fai\u002Flifelabs-human-rights-ruling-burnaby-transgender-patients-november-2026.webp","Illustration of a lab clinic reception area with patient intake materials",{"path":35,"title":36,"description":37,"date":38,"publishedAt":39,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":40,"image":46,"imageAlt":47,"imageCredit":48,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fburnaby-mayor-hurley-hospital-housing-provincial-asks-november-2026","Mayor Hurley asks new BC government for Burnaby Hospital funding, housing rule changes","Mayor Mike Hurley has published a letter asking the new provincial government for a clear timeline on Burnaby Hospital Phase 2, changes to housing density laws, and stable wildfire funding.","2026-11-08","2026-11-08T08:25:51-07:00",[41,42,43,44,45],"Burnaby Hospital","Housing","Wildfire","Mike Hurley","Provincial government","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.burnaby.ca\u002Fsites\u002Fdefault\u002Ffiles\u002Fstyles\u002Frad_widescreen_800w\u002Fpublic\u002Facquiadam\u002F2026-11\u002FIMG_1348.jpg?h=abf22e8b&itok=gQm_I5ZC","Photograph from the City of Burnaby accompanying Mayor Hurley's letter on housing and Burnaby Hospital","City of Burnaby",{"path":50,"title":51,"description":52,"date":53,"publishedAt":54,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":55,"image":20,"imageAlt":61,"imageCredit":20,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fburnaby-board-of-education-inaugural-november-24-2026","Burnaby's new school board holds its first meeting on November 24","The seven BCA trustees elected on October 17 hold the Burnaby Board of Education's inaugural session on November 24 at 7:00 pm, taking over a district still recovering from a ransomware attack that put student and staff data at risk.","2026-11-07","2026-11-07T08:38:00-07:00",[56,57,58,59,60],"Board of Education","School Trustee","BCA - Burnaby Citizens Association","Burnaby Schools","School District 41","Illustration of a school district administration building entrance with glass doors",{"path":63,"title":64,"description":65,"date":66,"publishedAt":67,"author":10,"category":27,"tags":68,"image":71,"imageAlt":72,"imageCredit":69,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fburnaby-rcmp-package-theft-porch-piracy-holiday-november-2026","Burnaby RCMP warns of package theft as holiday shopping season begins","Burnaby RCMP issued a warning November 5 about package theft at doorsteps and is asking the public to help identify a suspect from a September theft in South Burnaby.","2026-11-06","2026-11-06T18:20:00-07:00",[69,70,14],"Burnaby RCMP","safety","https:\u002F\u002Frcmp.ca\u002Fsites\u002Fdefault\u002Ffiles\u002Fstyles\u002Fgallery_large_1200x1200\u002Fpublic\u002F2026-11\u002Fsuspect-and-vehicle.jpg?itok=R8f-zzpJ","A man wearing dark pants and a hoodie standing in front of a parked four-door sedan, as shown in Burnaby RCMP photos released November 5, 2026",{"path":74,"title":75,"description":76,"date":66,"publishedAt":77,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":78,"image":81,"imageAlt":82,"imageCredit":83,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fburnaby-school-district-ransomware-data-stolen-dark-web-november-2026","Burnaby School District ransomware attack: student and staff data may be on dark web","A ransomware attack on Burnaby School District discovered September 21 exposed student registrations, kindergarten assessments and staff personnel records. Former employees received letters in late October.","2026-11-06T18:17:00-07:00",[79,60,80,14],"Burnaby Board of Education","data breach","https:\u002F\u002Fvancouver.citynews.ca\u002Fwp-content\u002Fblogs.dir\u002Fsites\u002F9\u002F2026\u002F11\u002F05\u002FBurnaby-School-District.jpg","Burnaby School District sign","CityNews Vancouver",{"path":85,"title":86,"description":87,"date":88,"publishedAt":89,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":90,"image":20,"imageAlt":93,"imageCredit":20,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fburnaby-new-council-takes-office-november-2026","Burnaby's new city council meets for the first time on November 10","Mayor Mike Hurley and eight newly elected councillors will hold the inaugural meeting of the new Burnaby City Council on November 10, 2026 at 5:00 pm, with the Board of Education following on November 24.","2026-11-05","2026-11-05T07:20:00-07:00",[91,56,44,58,92],"City Council","NEW Burnaby","Illustration of an empty municipal council chamber with curved seating and name placards",{"path":95,"title":96,"description":97,"date":88,"publishedAt":98,"author":10,"category":99,"tags":100,"image":20,"imageAlt":102,"imageCredit":20,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fburnaby-schools-cyberattack-dark-web-november-2026","Burnaby Schools says threat actor may have put student and staff data on dark web","Burnaby School District updated families on November 3 that files from the September cyberattack may have been published on the dark web by the threat actor. An outside expert is checking the claim.","2026-11-05T08:05:00-07:00","News brief",[59,60,101,80],"cyberattack","Illustration of a laptop screen with a security warning and padlock icon on a plain desk",{"path":104,"title":105,"description":106,"date":88,"publishedAt":107,"author":10,"category":99,"tags":108,"image":114,"imageAlt":115,"imageCredit":116,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fhastings-street-sewer-closures-november-2026","Hastings Street at Cliff Avenue to have lane closures for three months starting November 4","Metro Vancouver started a sewer upgrade at Hastings Street and Cliff Avenue in Burnaby on November 4. Metro Vancouver says the turn bans and lane closures will last three months.","2026-11-05T08:35:00-07:00",[109,110,111,112,113],"Hastings Street","Metro Vancouver","road closures","sewer","Burnaby","https:\u002F\u002F604now.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F11\u002FBurnaby-Road-Closures-1024x683.jpg","Lane closure on Hastings Street in Burnaby near Cliff Avenue","604 Now",{"path":118,"title":119,"description":120,"date":121,"publishedAt":122,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":123,"image":130,"imageAlt":131,"imageCredit":132,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fholdom-avenue-overpass-burnaby-spring-2027","New Holdom Avenue overpass in Burnaby's Brentwood area set to open in Spring 2027","A new four-lane overpass crossing the railway tracks at Brentwood's eastern edge will open to traffic in Spring 2027, closing the nearby Douglas Road level crossing and redesignating truck routes through the area.","2026-11-04","2026-11-04T07:15:00-07:00",[113,124,125,126,127,128,129],"Brentwood","transportation","infrastructure","SkyTrain","Port of Vancouver","roads","https:\u002F\u002Fimages-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F11\u002Fholdom-overpass-burnaby-construction-october-2026-f.jpg?format=auto","Construction work on the Holdom Avenue overpass in Burnaby's Brentwood district, October 2026","Vancouver Fraser Port Authority \u002F Daily Hive",{"path":134,"title":135,"description":136,"date":121,"publishedAt":137,"author":10,"category":27,"tags":138,"image":142,"imageAlt":143,"imageCredit":144,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fskytrain-gilmore-station-smoke-service-disruption-november-2026","SkyTrain Millennium Line halted at Burnaby's Gilmore Station due to smoke Wednesday morning","TransLink suspended Millennium Line service early Wednesday after smoke was reported at Gilmore Station in Burnaby, closing three stations and adding buses as an alternative.","2026-11-04T07:21:45-07:00",[113,127,139,140,125,124,141],"Millennium Line","transit","Gilmore","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ctvnews.ca\u002Fresizer\u002Fv2\u002FI5H4WJW2CUX7H4B3VF2FE5OZRQ.png?smart=true&auth=acc5c23291fa7cebebe5ddd5f8fad8b2acd2756db85ddcfb0a4daff74012ff99&width=1200&height=630","Gilmore SkyTrain station on the Millennium Line in Burnaby","CTV News",{"path":146,"title":147,"description":148,"date":149,"publishedAt":150,"author":10,"category":151,"tags":152,"image":20,"imageAlt":20,"imageCredit":20,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fmike-hurley-metro-vancouver-chair","Mike Hurley at Metro Vancouver: the reviewer he withdrew, the pay and the budget","Burnaby's mayor has chaired Metro Vancouver since June 2024. The record: a reviewer withdrawn after councillors asked him to step aside, a paused review, pay questions and a deferred budget.","2026-10-31","2026-10-31T14:31:19-07:00","Accountability",[153,110,154,155,156],"Mayor","North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant","governance","budget",{"id":158,"title":24,"aiMetadata":159,"author":10,"body":172,"candidates":221,"category":27,"date":8,"description":25,"extension":222,"faq":223,"image":32,"imageAlt":33,"imageCheckedAt":20,"imageCredit":19,"imageScene":248,"linkedin":249,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"meta":255,"metaDescription":20,"navigation":257,"path":23,"pinned":21,"primarySourceUrl":258,"publishedAt":26,"seo":259,"seoTitle":20,"sourceId":260,"sourceIsPaywalled":21,"sources":261,"stem":267,"storyType":268,"tags":269,"topicKey":270,"updated":20,"__hash__":271},"news\u002Fnews\u002Flifelabs-human-rights-ruling-burnaby-transgender-patients-november-2026.md",{"summary":160,"keyTopics":161,"semanticKeywords":166},"BC Human Rights Tribunal decision 2026 BCHRT 225 ordered LifeLabs and Excelleris Technologies to pay $32,000 and change policies after finding they violated the rights of three transgender and non-binary patients at Vancouver and Burnaby clinics in 2019. Orders include private spaces for patients and updated staff training.",[29,162,163,164,165],"human rights tribunal","transgender rights","healthcare discrimination","Burnaby clinics",[167,168,169,170,171],"LifeLabs Burnaby","BC Human Rights Tribunal 2026","2026 BCHRT 225","transgender healthcare BC","gender identity lab services",{"type":173,"value":174,"toc":215},"minimark",[175,179,182,185,188,193,196,199,202,206,209,212],[176,177,178],"p",{},"British Columbia's Human Rights Tribunal issued a decision on October 29, 2026 (2026 BCHRT 225) finding that LifeLabs and its subsidiary Excelleris Technologies violated the rights of three transgender and non-binary patients at clinics in Vancouver and Burnaby in 2019. Global News BC reported on November 9 that the company was ordered to pay $32,000 in damages.",[176,180,181],{},"The case, Moses and others v. Lifelabs LP and another, was brought by three complainants. Noa Moses, a non-binary transgender person, was forced to select a binary sex marker to access services. Devan Snow, a transmasculine person, asked to have their gender marker updated in the company's system and was refused. Vincent Viezzer, a transgender man, had \"FTM\" written on his lab requisition form without his consent, which the tribunal found was an offensive and non-consensual disclosure of his transgender status.",[176,183,184],{},"The tribunal found that LifeLabs had required patients to discuss their gender identity at public counters without offering a private space. The decision states this created a risk that other patients in the waiting area could overhear, involuntarily disclosing patients' transgender status to strangers.",[176,186,187],{},"Global News BC also reports that one patient was misgendered on lab reports, and that person skipped necessary cancer screening as a result.",[189,190,192],"h2",{"id":191},"what-the-tribunal-ordered","What the tribunal ordered",[176,194,195],{},"The tribunal issued cease and refrain orders requiring LifeLabs to stop its discriminatory practices. It ordered staff training on gender identity and cultural safety. It ordered the company to provide private spaces for patients to discuss their gender identity with clinic staff.",[176,197,198],{},"The decision states the tribunal remains \"seized\" of the matter, meaning it retains oversight to check whether the company follows through on the required changes.",[176,200,201],{},"Tribunal member Theressa Etmanski wrote in the decision, as quoted by Global News BC: \"Information about a patient's sex may be medically relevant in the provision of laboratory services. However, I wish to be clear that there is no evidence before me to support that the standard is medically necessary or justified.\"",[189,203,205],{"id":204},"for-patients-using-lifelabs-in-burnaby","For patients using LifeLabs in Burnaby",[176,207,208],{},"The violations in this case took place at LifeLabs clinics in Vancouver and Burnaby in 2019, according to Global News. LifeLabs operates collection centres in Burnaby where patients go for blood tests and other lab work.",[176,210,211],{},"Under the changes the tribunal ordered, patients at LifeLabs clinics should be able to request to speak about their gender information with staff in a private area rather than at a public counter.",[176,213,214],{},"A person who believes their rights were violated at a LifeLabs clinic or any other service in BC can file a complaint with the BC Human Rights Tribunal at bchrt.bc.ca.",{"title":216,"searchDepth":217,"depth":217,"links":218},"",2,[219,220],{"id":191,"depth":217,"text":192},{"id":204,"depth":217,"text":205},[],"md",[224,227,230,233,236,239,242,245],{"question":225,"answer":226},"What did the BC Human Rights Tribunal decide about LifeLabs?","On October 29, 2026, the tribunal issued decision 2026 BCHRT 225 in the case Moses and others v. Lifelabs LP and another. It found that LifeLabs and its subsidiary Excelleris Technologies violated the rights of three transgender and non-binary patients. Global News BC reported the company was ordered to pay $32,000 in damages. The tribunal also ordered the company to cease discriminatory practices and take systemic remedial steps.",{"question":228,"answer":229},"Who were the three complainants in the case?","The tribunal's decision names three complainants. Noa Moses, a non-binary transgender person, was forced to select a binary sex marker to access services and had to discuss their gender identity in public without a private space being offered. Devan Snow, a transmasculine person, was refused when they asked to have their gender marker updated in the system. Vincent Viezzer, a transgender man, had 'FTM' written on his lab requisition form without his consent.",{"question":231,"answer":232},"What specific conduct did the tribunal find violated patients' rights?","The tribunal found three types of discriminatory conduct. LifeLabs forced patients to select male or female to use its services without accepting non-binary identity. The company required patients to discuss their gender identity at public counters without offering a private space, which the tribunal found risked their involuntary disclosure to other patients in the waiting area. The company also refused to update a patient's gender marker when explicitly asked, and wrote a gender notation on a lab form without the patient's consent.",{"question":234,"answer":235},"What must LifeLabs do as a result of the ruling?","The tribunal issued cease and refrain orders requiring LifeLabs to stop its discriminatory practices. It also ordered training and systemic remedies, including staff training on gender identity and cultural safety, and the provision of private spaces for patients to discuss their gender identity with clinic staff. The BC Human Rights Tribunal's decision states it remained 'seized' of the matter for ongoing implementation, meaning it retains oversight of whether the company complies.",{"question":237,"answer":238},"What did the tribunal say about why LifeLabs used the binary sex system?","Global News BC quotes tribunal member Theressa Etmanski: 'Information about a patient's sex may be medically relevant in the provision of laboratory services. However, I wish to be clear that there is no evidence before me to support that the standard is medically necessary or justified.' The tribunal acknowledged that sex may matter for some lab work, but found LifeLabs had not proven its binary system was medically required.",{"question":240,"answer":241},"What is Excelleris Technologies and how is it involved?","The tribunal's decision names both LifeLabs LP and another respondent, which Global News identifies as Excelleris Technologies, a subsidiary of LifeLabs. Both companies are named as respondents in the tribunal's orders.",{"question":243,"answer":244},"Does this ruling affect LifeLabs patients in Burnaby?","Yes. The violations took place at LifeLabs clinics in Vancouver and Burnaby in 2019, according to Global News BC. LifeLabs operates collection centres in Burnaby where patients go for blood tests and other lab work. The policy changes and private space requirement the tribunal ordered apply across the company's operations, including those Burnaby locations.",{"question":246,"answer":247},"What can a Burnaby patient do if they have a complaint about how a lab handled their gender information?","A person who believes their rights were violated at a LifeLabs clinic or any other service in BC can file a complaint with the BC Human Rights Tribunal. The tribunal's website is bchrt.bc.ca. The tribunal provides information on its website about how to file a complaint and what the process involves. A complaint must typically be filed within one year of the conduct, though the tribunal has the power to accept late complaints in some circumstances.","A clean laboratory reception counter with specimen collection supplies and a patient intake form on the counter, no people visible, soft clinical lighting.",{"short":250,"long":251,"hashtags":252},"BC Human Rights Tribunal ordered LifeLabs to pay $32,000 and change how it handles gender identity at its clinics, following complaints from three patients at Vancouver and Burnaby locations in 2019.","BC Human Rights Tribunal decision 2026 BCHRT 225 (October 29, 2026) found LifeLabs and subsidiary Excelleris Technologies violated the rights of three transgender and non-binary patients at Vancouver and Burnaby clinics in 2019. Global News reports $32,000 in damages ordered. The tribunal also ordered staff training on gender identity and that the company provide private spaces for patients to discuss their gender. LifeLabs must stop forcing binary sex selection, refusing to update gender markers, and discussing patients' gender identity in public waiting areas.",[113,253,29,254],"BCHumanRights","Healthcare",{"sourceName":256},"Global News BC",true,"https:\u002F\u002Fglobalnews.ca\u002Fnews\u002F12142583\u002Fb-c-lab-ordered-to-pay-32k-for-misgendering-transgender-non-binary-patients",{"title":24,"description":25},"global-bc:https:\u002F\u002Fglobalnews.ca\u002F?p=12142583",[262,264],{"label":263,"url":258},"Global News BC · B.C. lab ordered to pay $32K for misgendering transgender, non-binary patients, November 9, 2026",{"label":265,"url":266},"BC Human Rights Tribunal · Moses and others v. Lifelabs LP and another, 2026 BCHRT 225, October 29, 2026","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bchrt.bc.ca\u002Flaw-library\u002Fdecisions\u002Frecent\u002F2026-bchrt-225\u002F","news\u002Flifelabs-human-rights-ruling-burnaby-transgender-patients-november-2026","reported",[29,30,14,31],"lifelabs-human-rights-burnaby-november-2026\u002Fcommunity","vG7Y201BWc1LgNN-qeU5Qj1pY5oKIHEcXcbv9f_v1ZY",[],1794240542585]