Ministry of Labour changes course after public outcry
The widow of an Amazon worker who collapsed and died on the job hopes the Ministry of Labour’s decision to share its investigation findings with her will pave the way for meaningful reform to help grieving families.
Sheila Albuquerque, whose husband Paulo DeSouza Bezerra died in January 2024, expressed relief Monday after learning she would not need to file a freedom-of-information (FOI) request to access the report. The ministry’s initial stance required her to navigate a complex process typically reserved for workers, employers, and unions.
“It’s a relief to get this help,” Albuquerque said. “But it would be meaningful if a change could reach more families, not just mine, to get access to these documents… especially in a moment of so much pain.”
The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development launched an investigation into DeSouza Bezerra’s death after he collapsed at Amazon’s fulfillment center in Talbotville, south of London, on Jan. 14, 2024. According to a company statement, DeSouza Bezerra, 51, was warming up in a break room with other workers after a fire alarm forced employees to evacuate into -20°C wind chill temperatures for about 17 minutes.
The investigation concluded in December 2024, but Albuquerque was told she would need to file an FOI request to view its findings. The Free Press reported the situation last week, sparking criticism from politicians and the Ontario Federation of Labour. Shortly afterward, the ministry announced an exception would be made in her case.
“The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development is working to provide the spouse with the results of the investigation,” officials said in a statement, adding that efforts were underway to expedite the process while adhering to privacy laws.
Amazon spokesperson Barbara Agrait said the company has not yet received the ministry’s official report but “co-operated fully” with the investigation. “We continue grieving the loss of our colleague, and our thoughts remain with his family and loved ones,” she said.
DeSouza Bezerra and Albuquerque immigrated to Canada from Brazil in 2010. They had a son a couple of years ago after many years of trying to start a family. The couple had recently relocated to London in search of better jobs and housing. He began working at Amazon in October 2023, just three months before his death.
Albuquerque said she plans to return to Canada in the spring but has taken time to grieve with her young son. “When I go back to Canada, I’ll deal with this, but I needed a break, in a way, to protect me and to be able to go through Christmas and this one year without Paulo in the least painful way possible,” she said. “Because the pain doesn’t go away, the memory doesn’t go away, you know? But we try to survive, right? I’ve got to do this for Logan.”
