College of Trades Puts Thousands of Apprentice Jobs at Risk: MPP Bailey

Queen’s Park – With only three weeks to go for apprentices in the trades to complete their mandatory registration with the Ontario College of Trades only about 10% of the men and women currently required to register with the College have done so, warned Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey.

“This means that on April 8th, the 85,000 apprentices in Ontario who have not paid the Liberal Government’s $60 registration tax to the College of Trades will lose their standing with the College, making them ineligible to work in the trades in Ontario,” added MPP Bailey.

The College of Trades, which was created by the Liberal Government, requires that all trades workers in the apprenticeship class, journeyperson candidate class and tradesperson class pay $60 annually ($67.80 when you include the HST), while those in the journeypersons class must pay the College $120 (135.60 with HST).

“The Liberal Government claims that the College was created to attract young people to the trades, but so far all they have done is hire an army of tax collectors” noted MPP Bailey. “The College of Trades is forcing people out of work until they pay up. This is nothing but a money grab,” added MPP Bailey.

In an effort to save the tens of thousands of apprentice jobs in Ontario, MPP Bailey is calling on the Liberal Government and their NDP supporters to immediately adopt Bill 169 – Saving Apprentices’ Jobs Act that was introduced by PC MPP Garfield Dunlop. Bill 169 eliminates the April 8th requirement for apprentices.

“Nothing the College of Trades has done so far indicates that they will be able to process 85,000 registration applications in less than three weeks. To save those apprentice jobs and keep jobs sites functioning Bill 169 needs all party support and to be immediately adopted into law”.

MPP Bailey and his colleagues in the Ontario PC Caucus voted against the creation of the College of Trades and have promised to abolish the College if they form the next government in Ontario.

-30-