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