Barrie Tradespeople Join Battle to Stop The Trades Tax

Tradespeople Try to Stop Rising Cost of Hair Cuts, Car Servicing & Calling a Plumber or Electrician

BARRIE, ON, Dec. 4, 2012 /CNW/ - The Barrie Construction Association, representing over 3,200 Barrie construction workers and 380 business owners, has joined a campaign to stop the Ontario government from implementing a tax on tradespeople across the province. The trades tax will cost tradespeople and employers millions, kill jobs and drive up the cost of construction.

"We've seen little or no evidence that this trades tax will have any benefit," said Katherine Van Leeuwen, Vice President of the Barrie Construction Association. "It will drive up construction costs in Barrie, feed the underground economy and drive people away from skilled trades. We joined the campaign because we can't afford to let that happen."

The McGuinty government has announced that a multi-million dollar trades tax will hit businesses and tradespeople in spring 2013. It will impact all Ontario apprentices, journeypersons and their employers by forcing them to pay membership fees to the Ontario College of Trades.

In response, the Stop The Trades Tax campaign was launched in 2011 and has grown to 21 organizations whose members represent more than 6,400 small, medium and large Ontario businesses and 113,200 skilled tradespeople across the province. The campaign is supported by tradespeople and business owners who fix our cars and roads, cut our hair, and build and renovate our homes and hospitals.

"The McGuinty government will use the trades tax to build another layer of government bureaucracy that no one needs or wants," said Campaign Chair Sean Reid. "We're encouraging tradespeople, their families and friends to help us stop the trades tax by writing to their MPP and signing our petition."

To learn more about the Campaign visit: www.stopthetradestax.ca

SOURCE: Ontario Construction Employers Coalition

Danna O'Brien, [email protected] 416-500-0699

Sean Reid, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada and Campaign Chair, [email protected] 289-335-1181

Katherine Van Leeuwen, Barrie Construction Association, [email protected], 705-424-0203