Ontario College of Trades Announces Fee Structure

Membership Fees and Classes of Membership are now publicly available

TORONTO, Nov. 14, 2012 /CNW/ - As a first of its kind in North America, the Ontario College of Trades puts decision-making power in the hands of skilled tradespeople. The College will work with members to create training and work standards for the trades that inspire confidence for consumers and employers.  As an independent, regulatory body, the College provides professional recognition for skilled workers.

Members will benefit from the opportunity to participate in key decisions affecting training standards for the trades.  Working with the members, the College will provide enhanced enforcement within the industry, making sure there's a level playing field for everyone.

Like other regulatory bodies in Ontario, the College of Trades will be funded through membership fees, and they are the lowest of any regulatory body in Ontario.  The College is committed to being open and transparent about key decisions that affect future members.  A public consultation on membership fees was held earlier this year, and a summary is posted on the College's website.

MEMBERSHIP FEES

The College will begin receiving members in spring of 2013. The following are the Membership Classes and their applicable fees:

Membership Class	Annual Membership Fee
Apprentices	$60
Tradespersons	$60
Journeyperson Candidates	$60
Journeypersons	$120
Employers/Sponsors	$120 (for optional membership applications)

QUOTES

"In 2013, skilled trades professionals will have the responsibility of governing and regulating their industry, just as nurses, teachers and doctors do now. This move from a government-run to an industry-driven skilled trades system will benefit consumers and Ontario's economy."- Ron Johnson, Chair, Board of Governors

Backgrounder

Ontario College of Trades

Ontario College of Trades Announces Fee Structure

Q. What is the Ontario College of Trades?
A. The Ontario College of Trades (the College) is an industry-driven organization that will protect the public interest by regulating and promoting the skilled trades.

The College will benefit the trades system as a whole as well as protect the public interest.  Some of the benefits of having a professional self-regulatory body for the trades include:

• Industry-driven processes where tradespeople and employers can make submissions to recommend  changes for a trade (e.g. journeyperson to apprentice ratio reviews, trade classification reviews);
• Promotion of skilled trades careers in order to attract people who will contribute to the renewal and growth of the industry;   
• Opportunities for skilled trades professionals to speak out about key issues affecting their careers;    
• A complaints, investigation and discipline process that protects the public from unqualified, incompetent or unfit practitioners; and
• A public register - which will provide consumers with confidence that members are qualified to do the work in their trade.

Q. What does it mean to be a regulatory body?
A. A regulatory body is an industry-driven organization that regulates a profession, governs its members and protects the public interest. The primary function of regulatory bodies is to protect the public from unqualified, incompetent or unfit practitioners. The provincial government has given the skilled trades the privilege and responsibility of regulating itself in the public interest.

Q. What does "membership class" mean? What are the membership classes?
A. The College's membership classes are defined in the Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2009 and Ontario Regulation 321/12.

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/source/regs/english/2012/elaws_src_regs_r12321_e.htm

Q. What does it mean to be in the Apprentice Class?
A. Individuals in the Apprentice Class:

• Hold valid Registered Training Agreements with the Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities  in both compulsory and voluntary trades; and
• Can remain in this class until they receive their Certificate of Apprenticeship.

Q. When are fees due for Apprentice Class members?
A. Any person who holds a valid Registered Training Agreement on the day the College begins accepting members will automatically become a member in the College's Apprentice Class.

They will not have to take any action, including paying their annual membership fee for one year.

For individuals who will become apprentices after the date the College begins enrolling members, the annual membership is due when their application for membership is accepted by the College.

There is a $60 /year membership fee for Apprentice Class members. All apprentices must be members of the College, once it begins to welcome members in spring 2013.

Q. What does it mean to be in the Tradespersons Class?
A.  Individuals in the Tradespersons Class:

• Practice voluntary trades where there is Certificate of Qualification exam to become certified as Journeyperson in the trade ;
• Have been members of the Journeyperson Candidates Class or are not eligible for Journeyperson Candidates Class, and have been assessed to have experience and/or qualifications that are equivalent to a Certificate of Apprenticeship in that trade;
• Have the option to write/have not passed the available Certificate of Qualification exam for their trade(s); and
• Can remain in this class indefinitely or until they pass the available Certificate of Qualification exam for their trade(s).

Q. When are fees due for Tradespersons Class members?
A. If an individual would like to become a member of the Tradespersons Class, the annual membership is due when their application for membership is accepted by the College.

There is $60 /year membership fee for Tradespersons Class members. Individuals who practice voluntary trades may choose whether or not to join the Tradespersons Class in 2013.

Q. What does it mean to be in the Journeyperson Candidate Class?
A. Individuals in the Journeyperson Candidates class:

• Have completed an Ontario apprenticeship program (hold a Certificate of Apprenticeship) in a trade that has a Certificate of Qualification exam (voluntary or compulsory) and have not yet written or passed that Certificate of Qualification exam for their trade(s); and
• Can remain in this class until they pass the Certificate of Qualification exam and become members of the Journeypersons Class or for a maximum of one year (whichever comes first).

Q. When are fees due for Journeyperson Candidates Class members?
A. If an individual would like to become a member of the Journeyperson Candidates Class, the annual membership is due when their application for membership is accepted by the College.

There is a $60 /year membership fee for Journeyperson Candidate Class members.  Journeyperson candidates in compulsory trades must be members of the College to continue to work legally in their trade.

Without the Journeyperson Candidates Class, individuals who have received their Certificate of Apprenticeship in a compulsory trade but have not yet written their Certificate of Qualification exam would not be legally able to work.

Q. What does it mean to be in the Journeypersons Class?
A. Individuals in the Journeypersons Class:

• Have met all of the requirements set out for their trade(s) and hold a valid Certificate of Qualification; or
• Have been assessed to have experience and/or qualifications that are equivalent to a Certificate of Apprenticeship and have been issued a valid Provisional Certificate of Qualification.

Q. When are fees due for Journeyperson Class members?
A. Existing journeypersons, meaning holders of a valid Certificate of Qualification, will be receiving personalized membership information in the new year.

There is a $120 /year membership fee Journeypersons Class members. All journeypersons must be members of the College, once it begins to welcome members in spring 2013.

Q. What does it mean to be in the Employers / Sponsors Class?
A. Individuals in the Employers / Sponsors Class:

• Are potentially employers/sponsors of individuals who are in the apprentice, tradesperson, journeyperson candidate or journeyperson class.

Q. When are fees due for Employers / Sponsors Class members?
A.  If an employer / sponsor would like to become a member of the Employer/Sponsor Class, the annual membership is due when their application for membership is accepted by the College.

There is $120 /year membership fee for Employers / Sponsor Class members. Employers may choose whether or not to join the College in 2013.

LEARN MORE

To learn more about the Ontario College of Trades, please visit our website. www.collegeoftrades.ca

 

 

SOURCE: Ontario College of Trades

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