The Ontario College of Trades will start sending out fees invoices to 22 different trades in the province in April, according to Bob Guthrie, registrar and CEO of the College.
Guthrie was at the Canadian Contractor offices in Toronto Oct. 18, where he made a presentation to some 30 renovator members of CARAHS (Canadian Association of Renovators and Home Services).
Most of them wanted to know if they will have to join the college and pay fees of $120 (for journeypersons) or $60 (apprentices).
Guthrie outlined the different classes of trades that make up the 22 “compulsory” groups. In the homebuilder and renovator sector (the College will oversee many other different trades, including auto mechanic and hairstylist), it will be plumbers, electricians, sheet metal workers and heating and air conditioning mechanics that will be required to join. And pay.
The college will oversee 135 other types of trade, too, but as yet, none of those trades have been targeted for the fees. But opponents of the College, such as the Coalition of Construction Employers, predict that the College will eventually force all of those trades, which includes such “optional” trades as carpenters, bricklayers and painters, to pay fees.
Guthrie said the College, which currently has 60 employees at its office on Bay Street in downtown Toronto, has two main goals. One, Guthrie said, is to “regulate the trades in Ontario in the public’s self-interest.” This would include cracking down on the underground economy by encouraging the public to only hire registered trades (where registration is mandatory). The second, he said, is to “promote the trades to young people.”
The College will offer no courses or training. It is a regulatory College, alone, in the sense that teachers and nurses, and other professional occupations, are regulated by “colleges.”
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Dave
October 23, 2012
you feel the fees are in line with what you are offering? how did you determine the fees? and how do you intend to do what you say you are going to do?
It looks to me you want to have a old boys club, look at where your office is could you not find a place that cost less to rent.
I think all trades should be included from the beginning of this college, who decided what trade to start with? how and when are you going to get other trade into this colloege especially if you do not do what you say you are going to do.
george
October 24, 2012
The college “will offer no courses or training”, (translation)…..THIS IS A TAX GRAB !!! Those 60 tax grabbers will sit in their Bay Street offices and collect money while giving NOTHING in return. Moreover the Ontario government knows SQUAT about promoting trades to young people, because there is lots of opportunities in Ontario schools to learn trades BUT, in “have not” cities of Ontario (Cornwall for example) there are ZERO opportunities (jobs) for completion of apprenticeship!!!!!!
So what is happening right now is that there are a lot SKILLED and KNOWLEDGEABLE people out there in many regions of Ontario who are unlicensed simple because the Ontario governments apprenticeship program is from a bygone era and simply doesn’t work in these new economic times. The Ontario College of trades will make a bad system even worse, by forcing people who are willing to work, onto the welfare rolls. Wake up Ontario government. It’s time to re-think your trades licensing/ apprenticeship program.
Dean Kadikoff
October 25, 2012
As a fully licenced journeyman/tradesman with multiple certificates, I am totally disgusted with this new tax grab. They will be holding my licencing hostage to get the $100~$200 per year mandatory membership dues that appears to be what I will be paying with no tangible benefit to me. My certification through MTCU at present runs $60 for a three year renewal. So this will equates to a 500% to 1000% increase to maintain my licence. The College of Trades gives me nothing of value in return. In my opinion this college of trades is absolutely useless and unecessary. Make the membership voluntary and offer some tangible benefit worth the membership and see if it will be self sustaining.
Robert Sloan
October 25, 2012
I am an Electrical Contractor. We have a regulatory body (ECRA of the ESA). All Electrical Contractor’s credentials can be checked on line to at http://www.esasafe.com. I already pay annually to renew my Masters Certificate and business license. This is a tax grab! A very highly touted tax grab by Dwight Drummond in his report. But it is more than a tax grab. Check out http://www.stopthetradestax.ca and inform as many people as you can…..or don’t complain when you are extorted into a Union.
Also, check out the list of trades too. I have never heard of at least 6 of them. Do you really believe that if Hairdressers are compulsory trades that any trade or for that matter a Home Inspector won’t eventually become victims.
STUART
March 27, 2013
TAKE MY LICENSE. I WAS LOOKING FOR A GOOD REASON TO GET OUT OF THIS TRADE ANYWAY! GOD DAMN TAX GRAB. LIKE UNION DUES WITHOUT THE BENIFIT OF A UNION. MECHANICS BY FAR PAY OUT THE MOST FOR TOOLS AND AND SCHOOLING AND MAKE THE LEAST.
SEE YA
P.S. TOOLS FOR SALE!
al
April 15, 2013
ya i was thinking the same thing — that letter of how they want to protect us wow thats new name for a csh cow
Dan Little
March 29, 2013
Auto Mechanics already are regulated you jack asses we already pay a fee for this and our license has to be hung on the wall for the general public to view. Take your “College” and stuff it where the sun don’t shine. I totally agree with Stuart. We are constantly upgrading due to new technology and having to buy new tools constantly to do our jobs. This is nothing but a money making scam by the government. How is charging more money going to attract new apprentices? You are going to kill the “TRADES” off then where will you collect more money from when there aren’t any people left in the “TRADES”. We aren’t mechanics until we complete 5 yrs of training to begin with and can’t claim most of our tools on our income taxes. Thanks for screwing us once again!
Mark
April 9, 2013
What an absolute load of horse shit this!!! Those clowns sitting in Toronto have got to be kidding. How on earth do they feel that this a fair deal. Charging six times the annual fee to do the same thing, if not less. They keep mentioning ‘consultative, transparent and fair way. It seems that none of these words go with what they are doing to us.
I can’t believe that this has been passed, and that we apparently have to let them give it to us in the arse without taking us to dinner first!
Kristen sweet
April 10, 2013
JUST DON’T PAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUT EVERYONE HAS TO NOT PAY……….
Says in the letter we can be regulated like nurses, doctors, and teachers!! But they don’t have to pay every year!!! Why would you try to fix what isn’t broken??????
They also say this will help promote trades to younger people. How do they expect younger people to benefit from this other then having to pay them? Offering no training or course. I feel like this was letter of threat telling me if I don’t pay I will be fined or convicted!!!!
I’m wondering if any of these people in their bay st Toronto office even know one thing about doing a hands on trade other then pushing paper around and figuring out how gain more money doing nothing!!!!
Conclusion: I need to sign myself up to the board and fight dirty!!!!!!
ONCE EVERYONE DOSENT PAY….. WHAT CAN THEY DO??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
This will scare people off from even bothering with working in the trades….
rod
April 20, 2013
I have been a tradesmen 310t / 310a for 30 years in this province. and this bull shit makes welfare look better and better,,,,no alarm clock, commuting,paying for tools….
we have the most invested into our trade and get screwed over the most…..
what gives them the right to dictate and force me to join something i do not agree with. i thought this was a free country……i say we stick together and DO NOT PAY
they are going to revoke thousands of licences…..i think not
derrick
April 23, 2013
with all the government taxes not even worth carrying a bucket they wont even let us write off mechanic tools blood suckers are taxing the working man to death time to rise up and protest the dictators
A Aduli
May 14, 2013
I am not understanding the change if it adds no value to me other than making me think of selling my house and move out to another province, we can barley make a living in here with all the expenses, this is just an idea from one person who needed to create a new position for himself and screw the hard working people.