(June 7, 2018) – The Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA) welcomes Ontario’s next premier Doug Ford, whose Progressive Conservative party has changed the province’s political landscape by winning a majority government in today’s Ontario election.
Top priorities for PCA include fair and open tendering across Ontario and modernizing the skilled trades training and apprenticeship system.
“We look forward to working with Ontario’s new PC government to help ensure all local taxpayers are getting better value on infrastructure investments,” said Karen Renkema, Public Affairs Manager at the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA). “We now have a real opportunity to change provincial laws so that taxpayers, workers and local contractors get the fair treatment they deserve.”
PCA’s first order of business will be advocating for a change to the Ontario Labour Relations Act so that local contractors and workers can build public projects in ALL Ontario municipalities. Currently, tendering is restricted on taxpayer funded construction work in the Region of Waterloo as well as in Toronto, Hamilton, Sault Ste. Marie and other public entities including Hydro One and OPG. As a result, construction contracts are awarded time and time again to a select group of contractors and their affiliated unions. Research shows this lack of competition has driven up construction costs between 20 and 30 percent.
“PCA is excited about the opportunity to work with a new government to find creative ways to address Ontario’s skilled trades shortage,” added Renkema. “Our goal is to help close the skills gap by addressing issues such as apprenticeship ratios in order to open up more opportunities for young people in the skilled trades.”
For further information, contact:
Danna O’Brien, Danna@obriencommunications.ca 416-500-0699