The Ontario government will review whether to expand compulsory certification for skilled trades.
Apprenticeship
TORONTO
The Ontario government will review whether to expand compulsory certification for skilled trades.
“We want to make sure our apprenticeship system continues to meet proper safety standards, provides value to consumers, and serves the needs of our growing economy,” said Chris Bentley, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.
“That’s why we’re taking a look at compulsory certification,” “Very few trades have been made compulsory over the past several decades. The question is: Should more trades be made compulsory? What are the issues and considerations?”
In Ontario, skilled trade qualifications can be classified as either compulsory or voluntary. Voluntary trade qualifications allow individual employers, workers and consumers to determine the level of training required to do specific work.
Compulsory trade qualifications require that all work in the trade must be performed by a fully certified skilled tradesperson or a registered apprentice.
Of the 140 skilled trades that currently offer apprenticeship training in Ontario, 21 require compulsory certification.
Local 793 of the International Union of Operating Engineers supports the Ontario government’s plan to review whether to expand compulsory certification for more skilled trades in the province.
“Training is the cornerstone of our industry,” says Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher. “A review such as the one proposed by the province will go a long way towards ensuring that apprentices get the skills they need and consumers get the protection they deserve.”
Gallagher said Local 793 has been asking the province for years to establish more compulsory trades.
In February, the union presented a brief to the province, requesting that training for concrete pump operators be made mandatory in Ontario.
“This announcement is timely in that we have been pushing for compulsory training and certification for concrete pump operators in Ontario,” said Gallagher. “There are just too many accidents occurring in this sector due to operator error. The concrete pumping industry has experienced tremendous growth over the years and the machines are bigger and more complex. We believe that an apprenticeship program for a trade such as this would help.”
The ministry will review the impact of expanding compulsory certification for trades that are currently voluntary, with reference to the following:
• Health and safety;
• The registration of new apprentices;
• The number of apprentices who complete trades training;
• Consumer protection; and
• Economic impact.
A report will be submitted to the Minister within six months of the appointment of the review’s chairperson.
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