VAUGHAN, ONT. — The Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) recently made its fall 2020 budget submission to Ontario Minister of Finance Rod Phillips outlining several industry-related elements that it believes should be included in the budget such as support for a province-wide electronic permitting system; training and apprenticeship programs; and building code harmonization efforts.
When it comes to electronic permitting in planning, engineering and building permitting, RESCON said the province should endorse an Ontario-wide data platform and the effort to develop best practice approvals process standards that municipalities could then be encouraged to adopt.
To address municipal overreach, RESCON recommends the province continue to support the building code harmonization efforts currently underway and explore ways to remind municipalities that the Ontario Building Code supersedes all municipal bylaws and provides high level of energy efficiency, adds the release.
In addition, RESCON is asking the province to continue investing and supporting training and education programs in residential construction. According to the submission, Ontario should improve incentives for employers to hire and train young people in voluntary trades and invest in identifying and breaking down existing barriers faced by youth, including those from underrepresented groups.
The province should also invest in programs with proven records for successfully getting interested youth into skilled trades careers.
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