Stop The Trades Tax Campaign Applauds PC Party Plan to Shut Down College of Trades

TORONTO, Oct. 11, 2012 /CNW/ - Sean Reid, Chair of the Ontario Construction Employers Coalition, released the following statement in support of the Ontario PC Party's commitment to scrap the Ontario College of Trades:

"The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party's commitment to shut down the Ontario College of Trades is the right thing to do for hardworking tradespeople across the province.

"The College of Trades is an unnecessary new bureaucracy that will hit hardworking tradespeople with a huge tax grab and drive up costs for everything from a haircut to a new roof. If the McGuinty government continues with its planned launch of the trades tax on Jan 1, Ontario will see more job-killing red-tape, while tradespeople will be forced to pay a tax for a College they never asked for.

"For months now we, along with thousands of tradespeople, have been fighting for the Ontario Government to stop the trades tax and shut down the Ontario College of Trades. We are pleased the Ontario PC Party is showing leadership by renewing its commitment to shut it down. We will happily support any party or individual MPP that has the courage to do the same.

"We will continue to urge the McGuinty government to put hardworking tradespeople first by scrapping its plans for a trades tax and new job-killing bureaucracy."

About the Ontario Construction Employers Coalition

The Ontario Construction Employers Coalition was formed in September 2011 by 8 major provincial construction associations. The Coalition has grown to include 18 associations and its members employ more than 100,000 skilled tradespeople across Ontario. The Coalition regularly receives calls from interested individuals, employees and employers in a variety of sectors concerned about the implementation of the College and its job killing tax. To learn more about the Coalition and the Stop The Trades Tax Campaign please visit www.stopthetradedstax.ca.

The Coalition includes:

• Conestoga Heavy Construction Association
• Durham Region Heavy Contractors Association
• Grand Valley Construction Association
• Greater Toronto Sewer & Watermain Contractors Association
• Hamilton & District Heavy Construction Association
• HCAT - Heavy Construction Association of Toronto
• Heavy Construction Association of Regional Niagara
• LDCA - London and District Construction Association
• Merit Openshop Contractors Association of Ontario
• National Capital Heavy Construction Association
• OEL - Ontario Electrical League
• OGCA - Ontario General Contractors Association
• ORBA - Ontario Road Builders Association
• OSWCA - Ontario Sewer & Watermain Construction Association
• OCA - Ottawa Construction Association
• PCA - Progressive Contractors Association of Canada
• RESCON - Residential Construction Council of Ontario
• Sarnia Heavy Construction Association

SOURCE: Ontario Construction Employers Coalition

Jessica Georgakopoulos, Playbook Communications, [email protected] 416-994-7901

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