National Capital Heavy Construction Association joins Ontario College of Trades opposition

The National Capital Heavy Construction Association (NCHCA) has joined the fight against the Ontario College of Trades (OCOT), raising concerns that it believes the college could lead Ontario into a Quebec-style construction industry.

OTTAWA

The National Capital Heavy Construction Association (NCHCA) has joined the fight against the Ontario College of Trades (OCOT) , raising concerns that it believes the college could lead Ontario into a Quebec-style construction industry.

“The way the College of Trades is going, we’re headed for stifling Quebec-style regulation,” said Marty White, NCHCA president and chief estimator at Taggart Construction Limited, the largest infrastructure company of its kind in Eastern Ontario. “More regulation will drive down productivity, raise construction costs, and encourage the underground economy. You only have to read the headlines to see the Quebec model has disaster written all over it.”

OCOT was legislated in 2009 and will represent 157 skilled trades in the construction, motive power, industrial and service sectors in the province. It is scheduled to begin accepting membership in early 2013.

The NCHCA is the 18th association to join the Ontario Construction Employers Coalition (OCEC), whose members employ more than 100,000 skilled tradespeople.

“Ontario is already struggling to attract young people to skilled trades,” said OCEC chair Sean Reid.

“The last thing we need in this province is a Quebec-style construction industry that brings more regulation and more red tape — guaranteed job killers.”

OCOT recently released the results from its first journeyperson to apprentice ratio review. Recommendations were made to change the ratios for group A-1: floor covering installer and Group A-4: cement concrete finisher; cement mason. The next set of ratio reviews are scheduled for this fall.

OCEC member organizations include: Conestoga Heavy Construction Association, Durham Regional Heavy Contractors Association, Grand Valley Construction Association, Greater Toronto Sewer & Watermain Contractors Association, Hamilton & District Heavy Construction Association, Heavy Construction Association of Toronto, National Capital Heavy Construction Association, Heavy Construction Association of Regional Niagara, London and District Construction Association, Merit Openshop Contractors Association of Ontario, Ontario Electrical League, Ontario General Contractors Association, Ontario Road Builders Association, Ontario Sewer & Watermain Construction Association, Ottawa Construction Association, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada, Residential Construction Council of Ontario, and Sarnia Heavy Construction Association.

DCN NEWS SERVICES