b'GOVERNMENT RELATIONSGOVERNMENT RELATIONS UPDATEBY JIM WILKINSONSCAFFOLD AND ACCESS COMMITTEEapprenticeship system in order to helpalso came into effect in January 2020 MAKING STRIDES fill any skillsshortages.and is expected to result in a 17 per cent The Scaffold and Access Equipment SectorInvesting in more than $3 billion to renewreduction on the average premium rate and Committee, a partnership between SIACpost-secondary infrastructure in collegesincreased benefits to injured workers. and the IHSA, met on January 14 andand universities and for stateoftheart discussed several top-of-mind issues forequipment for apprenticeship training.WSIB REBATES FOR SAFE our members. The new committee hasPromoting apprenticeship and skilledEMPLOYERS given SIAC a foot in the door on decision- trades as a pathway of choice for youngLed by the Chief Prevention Officer (CPO), making and allows us to better advocatepeople. This will include a marketingthe Ontario government has recently for members interests. campaign, targeting students andlaunched a program called Supporting Safe The committee meets quarterly and hasgroups typically underrepresented inEmployers, which will formally recognize representation from management, labourapprenticeship training, planned foremployers who successfully implement and the Ministry of Labour itself. If youearly 2020. The campaign will promotehealth and safety programs in their have an issue you would like to bring up the trades as exciting, productiveworkplaces through WSIB rebates totalling to the Committee, please email and lucrative careers to a variety of$140 million over three years.info@siac-ontario.com. audiences, including high schoolIn order to be awarded rebates, employers students, their parents and educators.must have:ONTARIOS ECONOMIC OUTLOOKWSIB ELIMINATES UNFUNDED1. Accreditation of an occupational FAVOURS SKILLED TRADES LIABILITY CHARGEhealth and safety management system The provincial Fall Economic Statement,(OHSMS); andA Plan to Build Ontario Together,In January 2020, WSIB began eliminating2. Implemented an accredited OHSMS offered some insights on this governmentsthe unfunded liability charge, or Past Claimsand met other criteria set by the priorities heading into the new decade. Cost, which is expected to reduce premiumsCPO, including third-party audit, to 222,000 businesses. The unfundedOccupational Health and Safety Act Specific to our industry, the governmentliability was the shortfall between futurecompliance and worker participation.will be: obligations to pay injured workers and the Leading consultations with industrymoney available to pay them.Recognized employers will also be posted and stakeholders and provideon the Ministry of Labour, Training and recommendations on ways toThese changes come as WSIB introducesSkills Developments website and will be able modernize the skilled trades andits new Premium Rate Framework, whichto brand themselves as CPO-recognized.DID YOU KNOW? BETWEEN 2015 AND 2019, CPO-APPROVED PROVIDERS TRAINED OVER 635,000 WORKERS ON WORKING AT HEIGHTS. IN THE 2018-2019 FISCAL YEAR ALONE, OVER 123,000 WORKERS COMPLETED WORKING AT HEIGHTS TRAINING OR REFRESHER TRAINING.10THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SCAFFOLD INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF CANADA'