July 19, 2012

Letter to the editor:

College of Trades would benefit consumers: Ontario Construction Finishing Industries Alliance

One has to question the motives of those who criticize the Ontario College of Trades saying that it will create more bureaucracy and drive more construction contractors into the underground economy. It sounds like these people have reason to fear the greater level of oversight, consumer protection, disciplinary and enforcement capability the College will provide.

Far from driving more contractors underground, its legislated mandate suggests that the College will be an important tool in persuading contractors and tradespeople to operate legitimately.

Of Ontario’s 45 regulatory colleges, this is the only one that has drawn that criticism. And of Ontario’s 157 skilled trades who will be represented by the College, only the construction sector has been vocal in its opposition to it. Why is that? Is it because the construction sector accounts for approximately one third of Canada’s $36 billion underground economy, according to Statistics Canada?

Is it because Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (ICI) construction accounts for between $1.5 and $2.5 billion annual revenue leakage to the federal and provincial governments, according to the Ontario Construction Secretariat?

A lot of people want the underground economy to thrive and flourish, everyone from a homeowner who wants to save a few thousand dollars off the cost of a home renovation by paying cash, to the general contractor who tacitly encourages such activity because they want to win a contract with the lowest bid, to different levels of government which do not properly vet or pre-qualify the various sub-trades who might be engaged when they award a contract.

For the first time, homeowners who have been subjected to shoddy workmanship or defrauded out of money will have an avenue of restitution and compensation without having to resort to the costly and cumbersome court process. How is this a bad thing for the consumer? The College is expected to maintain a registry of members in good standing and also of those whose have been subjected to disciplinary action.

This is something that would again be to the consumer’s benefit and help the conscientious consumer avoid situations where they might be taken advantage of.

I can’t help but wonder how receptive those who bang the underground economy drum in their opposition to the Ontario College of Trades would be to a visit from the Canada Revenue Agency.

Jeff Koller
Industry Compliance Officer
Ontario Construction Finishing Industries Alliance

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