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Memo to Ontario Premier-Elect Doug Ford: The Ontario College of Trades is “extortion and nothing less!”
Four years ago, the Ontario PC party was all about abolishing the Ontario College of Trades. Not much has been heard about that from Doug Ford.
During the 2014 Ontario election, then-PC leader Tim Hudak promised to abolish the controversial Ontario College of Trades (OCOT), saying it was not much more than a duplicate organization to levy additional fees on trades who were/are already regulated by other organizations.
(Editor’s Note: Hudak was right.)
But in this recent Ontario election, OCOT was barely mentioned.
Contractors have been posting suggestions as to what Premier-Elect Doug Ford should try to accomplish as soon as possible. Abolishing OCOT is on our readers’ minds. It’s not even certain that Ford has even heard of OCOT.
Here is a post that could serve as Doug Ford’s introduction to the issue…
The Ontario College of Trades gives us less than the Ontario Ministry of Labour did at many times the cost. After a five-year apprentiship, a six-hour C of Q exam, and 39 years of experience, some clerk is going to take my certificate of qualification away from me? That’s extortion and nothing less.
Randall Holmes
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DEAR DOUG FORD;
WOULD YOU CLOSE THE AL CAPONE AGENCY CALLED COLLEDGE OF TRADES DOWN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ?
THERE ARE TO MANY PARASITIC MONEY COLLECTORS AGENCIES ON THE TRADES PEOPLE. THERE IS NO NEED FOR ALL THIS JUNK.
WHAERE IS OUR FREEDOOM AS PER THE CANADIAN CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOOMS ?
THE SLAVERY IS OVER, OR IS IT?
It is so nice to get a new sticker each year after 45 years in the trades that cost way too much.
The enforcement is a joke.
There is no enhancement or encouragement to get more young people into the trades, The cost is absurd. Much better with the licencing board that looked after it before.
The trades people in Ontario should do a Province wide strike in order to obtain the respect they deserve.
Maybe the only way out to teach politicians, trades people are the builders.
without them nothing can be build, rebuild and renovated. Politicians in general, either are fools in this matters or just don’t care. As long they see they can cash in, it seems oaky for them. No matter who they trap and snare, with the sticker label beneficial for the consumers protection.
Liberals are gone for good, lets see what Doug Ford will do, lets hope for the better.
The Ontario College of Trades is nothing more than a money grab. They really don’t know what they’re trying to accomplish other then taking fees from everyone. You can’t get answers from them, just threats of fines and disciplinary actions. Many of their trade descriptions are outdated.
These idiots have to go…twice now I have paid these bozos for that useless membership and got no sticker for the year…..instead of hounding the mechanics for their paperwork…go after the backyard mechanics who do brakes and steering components and have no ticket at all…they have no idea…they just want your money….135.00 as opposed to 20.00 like it used to be
From it’s inception OCOT is a failure. To call this a College is completely ridiculous. They offer no education or opportunities to improve skills. I have asked many times for the “ college “ to put together courses for auto mechanics to keep pace with ever changing techniques and technology. I have yet to receive a reply. The Ontario College of Teachers however does provide its members with educational opportunities. How then can OCOT deserve the name College?
Couple this simple issue with the obscene increase in the renewal sticker ( if you get one ). The lack of effort on their part to place all of my automotive credentials on my members profile, after multiple letters to do so. The high handed way it was shoved down our throats, is it any wonder then that the on the ground workers,not the union bureaucrats, are against this?
My advice, abolish it and set it up as it was. The anger within the trades will be settled and if enforcement is really an issue, hire some people to enforce the rules. There was never a need to create a bureaucracy that already exists.
I am a crane operator have been for years . I had a run of bad luck . And ending up haveing an operation I did not know if I was going to be able to work again . But it turned out that I was lucky and could go back to work . I was past my birthday by 6 weeks . When I found this out . I told Colledge of Trades my situation but no they charged me $ 270.70 . And told me if I didnt pay and if I was operating they would find me $5000 . This is your damn Colledge of Trades . I have had my Lic since 1968 . This happened around 4 years ago
Where do people like me go when a body shop has clearly ripped us off, doing work that wasn`t asked, charging us 2 and 3 times the amount of our invoice. Charging us for work they didn`t even do, taking our interior completely out of our car, this shop has taken every window and window crank mechanism out of this car. Our car went into this body shop for a paint job now 2 yrs later we still can`t even drive our car.This shop was to paint our 1968 Torino its that simple they quoted us at $27,000 by our 3rd work order this car was at $58,799.00 for a paint job.Someone needs to be out there for people like me.