Ontario’s Government Moves to Create and Keep Jobs in Dufferin-Caledon

November 15, 2018 · 0 Comments

by Sylvia Jones

This week our government introduced a new bill that, if passed, will create and protect jobs right here in Dufferin-Caledon and across the province of Ontario. Bill 47, Making Ontario Open for Business Act, 2018 addresses job-killing, inefficient and out of date regulations that hurt Ontario’s competitiveness in the global economy.

As we made clear during the campaign, minimum wage will remain at $14 an hour. The recent increase of the minimum wage has caused great uncertainty for businesses. Last fall, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce stated that the minimum wage increase has reduced capital investment, increased the use of automation, and reduced staff hours in hospitality, agriculture and tourism.

Bill 47 replaces the personal emergency leave rules with a clearer understanding for both employers and workers. Workers will be able to take up to 3 days for personal illness, 2 days for bereavement and 3 days for family responsibilities. Workers are still entitled to take up to 17 weeks leave to care for a critically ill adult family member, or 37 weeks in the case of a child family member. The leave provisions for victims of domestic or sexual violence also remain unchanged, at fifteen days.

Another major concern raised by both tradespeople and businesses is the Ontario College of Trades. Since its inception, I have heard from many Dufferin-Caledon tradespeople and students looking to get into the trades about the complexity of the rules and fees. I have heard numerous stories from individuals who chose not to get into the trades or to leave a trade after 25 or more years, because of the regulations and fees required by the Ontario College of Trades. That is why this legislation will wind down the Ontario College of Trades. The Ontario College of Trades has imposed regulations that prevent companies from hiring skilled tradespeople. The Making Ontario Open for Business Act, 2018 will eliminate the Ontario College of Trades and reduce regulations in order to increase the hiring of skilled tradespersons.

Our government is listening to job creators, businesses and workers to create a competitive and fair business environment in Ontario.

If you have would like to know more about this Bill or any other pieces of legislation, please call my office at 519-941-7751 or email sylvia.jonesco@pc.ola.org.