Criticism of trades college baffling: chair

The chair of the Ontario College of Trades said he hopes to alleviate employers' fears about his organization at a March 21 roundtable being hosted by the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce.

“Look, there's no such thing as miracles,” Ron Johnson said. “I'm going to certainly provide them with all of the information they need, and hopefully that'll be enough to allay any concerns.”

The roundtable, which is not open to the public or the media, is being hosted by the chamber so its members can ask Johnson questions about the Ontario College of Trades.

The college is a regulatory body for the province's trades. The organization, created a year ago, “puts industry in control of the trades management system in the province,” Johnson said.

The Ontario College of Trades has faced recent criticism from Nipissing Progressive Conservative MPP Vic Fedeli.

According to North Bay media reports, Fedeli said at Feb. 28 press conference that with the college's establishment, tradespeople will be required to pay $100 to $200 a year and employers $600 to $700 a year.

He said he sees these fees as a new form of taxation, and is lobbying to have the Ontario College of Trades abolished.

But Johnson said only 22 of the 157 trades in Ontario will be required to join the college — this includes auto mechanics, crane operators, electricians, plumbers and hairdressers.

It's optional for those belonging to other trades to join the college, as it is for employers, although Johnson said it may benefit them to do so because it will give them more credibility.

Besides, the fee to join the college is $120 a year for both tradespeople and employers, and $60 a year for apprentices, Johnson said.

The college will also be phasing in membership, he said.

As of April 8, certain tradespeople whose certification of qualification has expired will have to become a member of the college to have it renewed. Such renewals were previously the responsibility of the government.

“It's not like everybody's joining on the same day,” he said.

He said there's about 200,000 tradespeople and 60,000 apprentices who will be required to join the college. There's another 400,000 tradespeople in the province who will have the option of doing so.

“It'll be the largest regulatory college in North America,” Johnson said.

Fedeli's criticisms are a little baffling, as it was the Progressive Conservatives who brought in the Ontario College of Teachers, he said.

Johnson should know — he was a Progressive Conservative MPP himself under the Mike Harris government.

“Is he suggesting teachers are perfectly capable of regulating themselves, but tradespeople aren't?” Johnson asked.

Some employers and tradespeople are definitely a “little bit nervous” about the Ontario College of Trades, he said.

“There's a lot of misinformation out there,” Johnson said. “That's one of the reasons I'm coming up there to speak to the chamber, just to give them the facts, as they are.”

Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce CEO Debbi Nicholson said she thinks the roundtable with Johnson will be very interesting.

“We have a lot of members that are going to be attending,” she said.

“I'm sure they have their own circumstances and questions and issues that they'll want to float past him as well. I think it's great that he's coming, though, and it provides a great opportunity for dialogue.”

Nicholson said some of her members have expressed concern about the fees being imposed by the Ontario College of Trades. But that's not the only topic Nicholson hopes will be addressed.

She said the college has been given the responsibility to address the fact that Ontario requires three or four tradespeople in a business for every apprentice being trained in that discipline. Apprenticeship ratios in other provinces are much lower.

Another topic she'd like covered is what the Ontario College of Trades plans to do about the impending skilled trades shortage.

Johnson said the college has already reviewed some of the apprenticeship ratios and lowered the number of qualified tradespeople required for each apprentice.

He said he expects a similar process to take place for other trades over the next eight months.

As for the impending skilled trades shortage, Johnson admits the college has a lot of work to do in the area, but said it's one its highest priorities.

“We need to get to young people and educate them on the value of a career in the trades,” he said. “We're certainly going to do that. We're going to do that through the high school system. We're going to do it by talking to parents, guidance counsellors and school boards.”