PCA Presses for Greater Fairness for Contractors and Tradespeople

PCA Presses for Greater Fairness for Contractors and Tradespeople

Toronto (February 13, 2023) – In its pre-budget submission, the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA), is urging the Ford government to make policy changes that will help ease the skilled trades shortage, and open up competition on all taxpayer-funded projects.

PCA is recommending reform of the Training Delivery Agency (TDA) model, to improve access to in-class training for tradespeople in ALL regions and from ALL labour models.

“Tradespeople in every region of the province, especially in rural and northern Ontario should have access to in-class training,” said Stephen Hamilton, Public Affairs Director, Ontario at PCA. “Unfortunately, the Training Delivery Agency (TDA) is still stuck in the 1970s, putting too many workers and companies outside the GTA at a great disadvantage. That has to change, to help more tradespeople put their needed skills to work.”

Long-standing policies have undermined innovation and productivity in the construction industry. PCA is urging the province to help improve Ontario’s competitiveness, by ending restrictive Project Labour Agreements (PLAs) along with restrictive municipal procurement policies that still exist in the City of Toronto.

“As Ontario makes major investments in building more hospitals and other crucial infrastructure projects, it has a responsibility to ensure taxpayers get good value and that all qualified workers and companies have a chance to build these projects,” added Hamilton. “A fair, open and competitive procurement process is the way to do that. There should be no exceptions.”

Currently, Toronto is the only city in the province to resist competition on municipal construction work. The Ottawa Hospital is also a glaring exception. It’s building a $2.8 billion Civic Campus through a restrictive Project Labour Agreement (PLA) that shuts out contractors and workers that are not affiliated with select unions.

About the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA)

PCA is a national association of leading construction companies that build major infrastructure and capital projects. Its members employ more than 25,000 skilled construction workers who are represented primarily by CLAC. PCA advocates for a fair, open and competitive construction market.

For further information, contact:

Danna O’Brien, Danna@obriencommunications.ca 416-500-0699

Leave a Comment