Ontario College of Trades celebrates one-year anniversary

Skilled trades professionals and industry advocates met at Toronto’s Queen’s Park on April 8 for the one-year anniversary of the Ontario College of Trades (OCOT). 

OCOT is the self-governing regulatory body that allows skilled trades professionals to govern and regulate their own industry. The college now has more than 260,000 active members.

Since inception one year ago OCOT has created a public register of members to allow the public to easily confirm a tradesperson’s qualifications, reviewed all 33 trades with journeyperson-apprentice ratios, completed close to 6,000 field inspections, and issued 131 Provincial Offences Notices (tickets).

In Ontario, 22 trades are designated as compulsory. In order to practice in a compulsory trade a person must be one of the following: a licensed journeyperson (with a valid Certificate of Qualification), a journeyperson candidate, a registered apprentice with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, or a holder of a provisional Certificate of Qualification.

There are currently 134 trades designated as voluntary in Ontario. Certification is offered in some voluntary trades but it is not a requirement to practice in the trade.

For more information about OCOT visit www.collegeoftrades.ca.