Ontario College of Trades Update

Many of our members have been asking why they are still receiving renewal dues from the Ontario College of Trades since the passage of Bill 47, Making Ontario Open for Business Act, 2018.

The Act: 

• Sets the journeyperson to apprentice ratios to one-to-one,
• Establishes a moratorium on trade classification and reclassification, and,
• Abolishes the Ontario College of Trades (College), by repealing the Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2009, on a future date to be proclaimed.

Until formal legislation removes the following functions, the College of Trades still has the authority to: 

• Issue or renew Certificates of Qualification and other credentials,
• Verify credentials on worksites for compulsory trades,
• Undertake trade equivalency assessments, 
• Support labour mobility through credential verification, and,
• Inspectors continue to conduct spot checks for credentials for compulsory trades.   

Annual membership fees have been reduced or eliminated to be:

• $0 for Apprentices Class members
• $0 for Journeyperson Candidates Class members
• $0 for Tradespersons Class members
• $60 (+ HST) for Journeypersons Class members 

Involuntary trades (such as carpenters) are not legally required to renew their membership with OCOT.

Please contact Steven Crombie if you have questions.