Ontario Government Asked to Address the Skills Gap

The Ontario Skilled Trades Alliance (OSTA) has written to Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities Merrilee Fullerton with bold proposals to address the skills gap.

The Ontario construction industry is experiencing the long-expected skills gap and OSTA has proposed that action be taken now to support the availability of trades.

This includes:

• Halt new trade certifications and remove the trade certification process from OCOT.
• Lower apprenticeship ratios and remove the ratio setting process from OCOT.
• Remove all enforcement responsibilities from OCOT.
• Refocus the OCOT mandate to address the skills gap through reform of the apprentice system and training delivery system.

OSTA has now launched a discussion focusing on the attached proposal.