British Columbia, a Canadian province with more than four million people, has banned women from being required to wear high heels to work, not only because it is discriminatory but also because it poses a risk of falls and injuries, which compromises their safety in the workplace.

The change in legislation comes after Andrew Weaver, political representative of the Green Party, registered a bill on March 8 to prevent the introduction of gender-based shoe requirements in companies.

"In some workplaces in our province, women are forced to wear high heels. Our government, like most of our citizens, thinks this is wrong. That's why we have changed the law to stop this unsafe practice and discriminatory", said the Prime Minister of British Columbia, Christy Clark. The obligation to wear a type of footwear based on gender has recently been discussed by deputies in the United Kingdom.

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Clark has insisted that imposing a dress code that includes heels is "a health and safety problem at work" because "there is a risk of physical injury from slipping or falling, as well as possible damage to feet, legs or back from prolonged use at work [of high-top shoes]". For this reason, the Government has reformed the labor security law.

The amendments to the aforementioned law "will ensure that workplace footwear is of a design, construction and material that allows the worker to perform their work safely, and ensures that employers cannot require footwear contrary to this standard" , has assured the regional Minister of Labor, Shirley Bond.

Bond has acknowledged the work of Andrew Weaver, the Green Party politician who launched the mechanism that will allow women in British Columbia to come to work in heels if and when they feel like it.