Ottawa Construction News staff writer
The Ontario College of Trades (OCOT) has announced that the new apprenticeship trade ratios have been implemented for 15 trades.
“For the first time in Ontario there is an open and transparent process in place to review all trades subject to ratios,” says OCOT registrar and CEO David Tsubouchi. “Never before has a comprehensive review of all 33 ratios been done in the province,” he said in an announcement.
The reviews, conducted by three-person adjudication panels, have been controversial, as in many cases, the decisions appeared to reflect the panellist’s labour or management background.
The OCOT says that of 156 Ontario trades, 33 are subject to journeyperson to apprentice ratios. Ratios for 15 of the 33 were changed. “Of the 15 trades with ratio changes, 14 trades’ ratios were decreased (i.e. fewer journeypersons required per apprentice) and one trade’s ratio was increased.
The OCOT says the most commonly occurring ratio is 1:1, and the next review process will commence in 2016.
