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Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe (left) and Ontario Premier Doug Ford hold a joint news conference after a meeting at Queen's Park in Toronto on Monday, October 29, 2018. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press)
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On behalf of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and its 60,000 members in 135 communities across Ontario I would like to applaud Premier Doug Ford for responding to the needs of workers and businesses across the province with Bill 47, the Making Ontario Open for Business Act.
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It is important that labour reforms are both reasonable to employers and fair to workers.
We applaud the Government of Ontario for taking swift action with a near-full repeal of Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces Better Jobs Act, 2017, and support those provisions of the bill – including the $14 minimum wage – that have remained in place.
Businesses across the province have long felt the impact of labour shortages in the skilled trades, but were further challenged this year with new regulatory and cost burdens imposed by Bill 148, hampering their ability to create jobs.
Our position had been clear from the beginning: Bill 148 was too much, too fast.
Rocco Rossi, president and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), releases the 2018 Ontario Economic Report Wednesday February 7 2018 at Queen’s Park. (Toronto Sun/Antonella Artuso)
The compounding reforms introduced by that legislation forced employers to decrease staff hours, halt capital investment, and increase their reliance on automation in an effort to stay afloat. Government policy that makes it difficult to grow and hire is not good for the economy or for workers.
About 77% of our members state that access to talent is critical to their competitiveness. With this share increasing from 60% in 2017, it is clear that Ontario must better leverage our greatest asset — human capital.
The OCC has long advocated for the Ontario College of Trades to modernize the apprenticeship application system, promote skilled trades as a viable career option for young people and revise the journey person-to-apprentice ratio framework.
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With our province facing both a skills and labour shortage, it is now more critical than ever for government to ensure both employers and employees are prepared for the labour market needs of tomorrow. We believe that Bill 47 is a step in the right direction for this province’s labour market.
The OCC supports the implementation of balanced policies that make it easier to invest, start, and grow a business in Ontario, as well as create an economy that connects workers to jobs.
Premier Ford pledged to make Ontario ‘Open for Business’. The reforms announced on Oct. 23 are an excellent first step towards that goal.
Rocco Rossi is President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. Follow him on Twitter @ontariocofc
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