MCAC calls for tax incentive for gender-specific PPE

Feb. 14 , 2024 – The Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada (MCAC) recently made a pre-budget submission to Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland for the 2024 federal budget. Its key areas of focus were:

1. A designated contact point, in the form of a secretariat, responsible for collaboration and ensuring consistency between policy initiatives for construction and the built environment.

2. The re-opening and funding of a new application for the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program, to ensure key area of construction have sufficient support.

3. Industry-specific support and marketing materials for 9-8-8, the mental health crisis and suicide prevention hotline.

4. The implementation of a tax incentive program to support women and businesses in offsetting the costs of gender-specific PPE.

As reported by the MCAC, a 2022 report from the CSA Group found that:

• 58 per cent of women use PPE that is the wrong size at least some of the time;
• 28 per cent don’t wear all the required PPE because of fit issues; and
• 38 per cent use a workaround to make their PPE fit.

The MCAC notes that they in order to maintain a safe and liveable world for future generations, the federal government should look to promoting and supporting careers in the mechanical contracting sector and the future of Canada’s built environment.