Alberta Electrician John: I am a permanent resident of Alberta and the programs which caused the 500% increase do not have jurisdiction in Alberta.
Ontario College of Trades: Since you obtained your license in Ontario you need to pay the membership fee.
Alberta Electrician John: What location was the industry from that was involved driving the new programs? AB? SK? BC?
Ontario College of Trades: The Ontario industry.
Alberta Electrician John: The new program is designed to attract people to the trades. Would this attraction occur in AB? SK? BC?
Ontario College of Trades: No. Just Ontario.
Alberta Electrician John: The new program provides opportunities to speak out. If I have some issues during my day to day work in Alberta can I bring those opportunities forward?
Ontario College of Trades: No. Just Ontario.
Alberta Electrician John: There is going to be a public register available for the public to see who the Electricians are. Will that be in AB? SK? BC?
Ontario College of Trades: No. Just Ontario.
Alberta Electrician John: The new program will better regulate trades. Will that be for AB? BC? SK?
Ontario College of Trades: No. Just Ontario.
Alberta Electrician John: The new program will modernize the skilled trades system. Will that be in AB? BC? SK?
Ontario College of Trades: No. Just Ontario.
Alberta Electrician John: The new program will have evolving skills and training needs for employers and consumers. Will that be on AB? BC? SK?
Ontario College of Trades: No. Just Ontario.
Alberta Electrician John: The ratio of tradesmen to apprentice will be reviewed periodically. Will that be in AB? BC? SK?
Ontario College of Trades: No. Just Ontario.
Alberta Electrician John: The number of tradesmen and apprentices working in the trade will be reviewed as part of the new program. Will that be in AB? BC? SK?
Ontario College of Trades: No. Just Ontario.
Alberta Electrician John: You will be tracking the rates of completion of apprentices in the training programs. Will that be in AB? BC? SK?
Ontario College of Trades: No Just Ontario.
Alberta Electrician John: There was a consultation conducted from the Ontario College of Trades over the past several years. Did you include BC? AB? SK?
Ontario College of Trades: No. Just Ontario.
Alberta Electrician John: Why did I receive a mandatory membership into the Ontario College of Trades system if everything you described has nothing to do with Alberta?
Ontario College of Trades: You are in our database.
Alberta Electrician John: I have an inter-provincial red seal which I achieved 33 years ago in Ontario and I am a 22 year permanent resident of Alberta and do not understand why you are making me have mandatory membership in a system designed by Ontario industry for Ontario tradesmen.
Ontario College of Trades: You obtained you license here and need to pay the membership fee.
Alberta Electrician John: What if a tradesman obtained their license from AB or SK or BC and complete any renewal processes in their original province will they also need to pay a membership fee in Ontario?
Ontario College of Trades: Yes
Alberta Electrician John: I see in the Ontario College of trades there is a requirement for ongoing educational upgrading which also include additional fees. I am expected to take additional educational upgrading and pay additional fees in the future based on an Ontario system that does not apply in Alberta?
Ontario College of Trades: yes it is coming in the future and you will be required to do that.
Alberta Electrician John: To the best of your knowledge do you know if anybody has started a class action law suit against the Ontario College of trades.
Ontario College of Trades: I don’t know.
Note: I am a 57-year-old licensed red seal Alberta Electrician and have no interest on returning to school for continuing education requirements in the future to maintain membership in this insane organization. That means I will lose my license because of the bureaucracy of this new program that will force me to jump through hoops that are not required. Any Electrical work completed in Alberta needs to adhere to the Canadian Electrical Code and is inspected by an Electrical inspector. Ongoing improvements are conducted through the Electrical Code that every Electrician needs to adhere to. The extra layer of bureaucracy created by the College of Trades will cause me to lose my Electrical license which I am very proud of.
According to their letter I received last week the mandatory membership fee is required upon receipt of their next letter. I have already renewed my license through the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities and it is not up for renewal until 2014. I will not be paying the Ontario Colleges of Trades any membership fee for a program that does not apply to Alberta Electricians. Unfortunately their arrogance with this mandatory fee requirement will cause me to lose my interprovincial Electrician license based on their system in the very near future upon receipt of their demands in the next letter stating I need to pay or lose my license. This means an end to my 33 years as a licensed Electrician. I have been very proud of my Electrical career. It has been my passion every since I started my electricity courses in high school. I had excellent opportunities and even trained new apprentices while working in Ontario years ago. I am a man of principles and will not be blackmailed by these bullies to pay up or else.
John MacMillan
Fort Saskatchewan, AB
