In late January Doug Ford called a snap election and since then all major party leaders have hit the ground running, attempting to sway Ontarians to vote for them on Feb. 27. Tackling tariffs is top of mind for Progressive Conservative Party Leader Doug Ford; health care is at the forefront for Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie and NDP Leader Marit Stiles; and affordable housing along with climate action are a key message for Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner.
But with Ontario’s election just days away, what do industry stakeholders and their members want? What’s on their minds? The Daily Commercial News asked. In this two-part series, we highlight the issues that matter to construction, no matter who is named premier.
*Some submissions were edited for editorial brevity.
ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES – ONTARIO
ACEC-Ontario released its Engineering Ontario Forward – 2025 Ontario Policy Recommendations, which has identified 16 recommendations to achieve the following:
- Deliver more projects on-time and on-budget;
- reduce repair costs and keep the economy moving forward;
- ensure a strong, diverse workforce capable of meeting Ontario’s challenges; and,
- protect the public interest through sustainable and innovative practices.
CARPENTERS’ REGIONAL COUNCIL
The Carpenters’ Regional Council’s submission took a holistic view of the skilled trades system and submitted the following:
- Continued investment in skilled trades training through Ontario’s Skills Development Fund;
- cracking down on the underground economy in the construction industry; and
- including requirements in the procurement of publicly funded infrastructure projects which stipulate that a minimum number of work hours be performed by registered apprentices.
COUNCIL OF ONTARIO CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATIONS
COCA addressed the Construction Act, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) and infrastructure investment.
- Undertake the regulatory consultations, as necessary and in a timely way, on the amendments to the Construction Act in Schedule 6 of Bill 216 which received Royal Assent on Nov. 6, 2024, so that they can be proclaimed and come into force as soon as possible:
- direct the WSIB to engage an independent research organization to conduct an adequacy study of the benefits provided by the WSIB to workers who become sick or injured because of workplace causes, to ensure such workers are compensated properly and appropriately based on their pre-injury earnings;
- fulfil the Ontario Plan to Build commitment to Invest $190 billion over the next 10 years in public infrastructure maintenance and expansion; and
- direct local governments and local agencies to streamline their processes to expedite the consideration and approval or denial of proposed construction projects. This should apply equally to both residential and non-residential projects.
RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION COUNCIL OF ONTARIO
With 36 per cent of the cost of a new home due to taxes, fees and levies and the province in the midst of a housing crisis, RESCON highlighted several initiatives to get homebuilders building.
- Reduce taxation and development charges on new housing;
- speed up residential construction approval times across the province; and
- digitize, streamline and implement a centralized municipal planning, approvals and e-permitting system across Ontario.
PROGRESSIVE CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
PCA is advocating on a variety of issues with skilled trades training and open tendering taking the spotlight.
- Continued support for Skills Development Fund (SDF) money that allows for flexible and responsive training, with employer input into the design and function. PCA is advocating colleges receive the same access to SDF for specific construction Training Delivery Agent programs as unionized training halls;
- group sponsorship (which refers to an arrangement where a group of employers — often small to medium-sized businesses — collaborates to sponsor apprentices collectively). PCA strongly recommends the ministry allocate dedicated, multi-year funding for group sponsorship programs, either through the ministry itself or Skilled Trades Ontario. This will allow the CLAC Group Sponsorship Program and other similar organizations to continue supporting apprentices and employers effectively.
- increase construction training delivery agents at regional/community colleges; and
- open tendering: PCA would like to see competitive procurement mandated across all government agencies and municipalities and all projects that contain any taxpayer funding. All stimulus funding directed to infrastructure should contain “competition” clauses attached. All workers and contractors should be able to bid on these projects.
Recent Comments