Troy Shantz Changes coming at the Ontario College of Trade (OCAT) represent an attack on all skilled trades in the province, a local union leader says.
Troy Shantz
Changes coming at the Ontario College of Trade (OCAT) represent an attack on all skilled trades in the province, a local union leader says.
Ross Tius, business manager of the United Association of Plumbers and Steamfitters, Local 663, said public and worker safety are being risked by legislative amendments in Schedule 70 of Bill 70, which the Ontario Legislature approved on Dec. 8.
OCAT, which regulates skilled trades in Ontario, has long had the authority to fine contractors and workers under the Provincial Offences Act if they don’t follow trade classification rules.
But starting next June, college inspectors will only be able to issue ‘Notices of Contravention.’
Tius said the changes water down the accreditation of skilled trades workers.
“When you go and have a house wired you would expect a licensed electrician, and a licensed plumber for your plumbing,” he said.
“Now what they’re saying is, anyone can do it.”
Not all unions in Sarnia oppose the move, however.
Mike Maitland is the business manager of Liuna Local 1089, the labourer’s union representing more than 775 members.
“We understand that work is drying up. It’s not as plentiful as it was in the ‘70s and the ‘80s, especially in Sarnia,” said Maitland, who welcomes the change.
According to Maitland, after OCAP was established in 2009 it began fining Liuna job sites in Sarnia and Windsor that were doing work previously done without any problems. One local electrical contractor even went out of business because of fines from OCAT, he said.
Maitland denies public or worker safety is being compromised by the changes.
“Nothing will become unsafe. That’s just not a fair statement,” he said.
“There’s lots of unskilled workers in the underground economy. That’s where we have to focus.”
On Nov. 30, Sarnia union representatives and tradespeople filled two buses bound for Toronto to join over 5,000 others who protested the amendments at Queen’s Park.
The changes were born from a 2015 report by Tony Dean, a former secretary of Cabinet. The report was commissioned after a number of disputes arose between unions and trades due to overlapping duties.
The college said last week a comprehensive compliance and enforcement policy will be posted on its website within the next 180 days.
