PCA Calls on Toronto City Council to Save Millions and Imagine More

Toronto (June 4, 2019) – The Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA) is launching it’s new Imagine More Toronto campaign, calling on Toronto city council to imagine more growth and services for the city.

Toronto has an opportunity to save taxpayers millions of dollars in wasteful spending that could be invested in vital infrastructure like subways or services like childcare. In April, the Ontario government passed Bill-66, “Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act”.

Bill 66 gives municipalities the power to work with any qualified construction contractor they deem most fit, driving down costs by breaking apart union monopolies and increasing competition.“When other qualified, union and non-union contractors are also allowed to compete for municipal construction work, the estimated savings range from 8 to 15 per cent to as high as 30 to 40 per cent,” said Sean Reid, Vice President and Regional Director, PCA.

Reid added “even at 8 to 15 per cent savings, the City of Toronto and Toronto Community Housing would save anywhere from $48 million to $90 million on as low as a $600 million annual infrastructure budget, as referenced in Toronto city staff’s report.”

Torontonians will see the comprehensive Imagine More Toronto digital campaign splashed across their device screens on all major social media platforms. As campaign founder, PCA is imploring city council to reject the opt-out and choose to save millions for taxpayers.

Municipalities have until July 3, 2019 to back out of this new open tendering arrangement and go back to the union monopoly status quo – if they do, they will leave millions of dollars on the table. Toronto would likely be alone among municipalities across Ontario if it decided to turn down this opportunity.

“Our cities are where we build our lives. They are where we work, live and grow. Imagine if our dollars could go further, and we could build more in Toronto. That’s the vision behind the Imagine More campaign, and the opportunity for open tendering has given the City of Toronto a path to achieve it,” said Reid.

Background

Bill 66 amends the Labour Relations Act, 1995, to change the designation of public bodies from “construction employers” to “non-construction employers.” This change allows public entities to open bidding on construction contracts to all qualified contractors, not just the Ontario Building
Trades affiliated contractors. Toronto city council is now faced with the decision to embrace open tendering or opt-out of the legislation and effectively maintain the construction union monopoly status quo.

About the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA)

PCA is the voice of progressive unionized employers in Canada’s construction industry. PCA member companies are leaders in infrastructure construction across Canada, employing more than 25,000 skilled construction workers who are represented primarily by CLAC.

Source: The Progressive Contractors Association of Canada

For further information, contact:
Danna O’Brien
Danna@obriencommunications.ca
416-500-0699

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