In Ontario, the federal government initiatives will be undermined by the mandatory fees being levied on skilled trades by the Ontario College of Trades, says Sean Reid, chair of the Stop the Trades Tax campaign.

“We have a federal government supporting skilled trades through a new job grant program, at the same time the Ontario government is hammering tradespeople and employers with a new trades tax. The two run completely counter. Unless Ontario stops the trades tax it will wind up contributing to Canada’s skilled trades shortage.”

The Ontario College of Trades, which will teach no courses and train no workers, is set to begin mailing $120 fees invoices, which must be paid, under law, to some 157 categories of tradespeople in the province.  In the home improvement industry, this includes electricians, plumbers, sheet metal workers and air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics. Apprentices must pay $60.

“The Ontario government’s new trades tax will drive good people out of skilled trades,” Reid added. “We’re already hearing from tradespeople who’d rather find other work than pay a hefty new trades tax. This new federal initiative will not be able to undo the damage caused by Ontario’s regressive and shortsighted tax on tradespeople.”

To learn more about the Stop the Trades Tax campaign go towww.stopthetradestax.ca.

Originally published by CanadianContractor.ca. Read the post here.