Wallet cards coming for Ontario’s trades professionals
By Adam Freill
Construction Skills DevelopmentSkilled Trades Ontario is set to provide credentials wallet cards to skilled trades professionals across the province.
Skilled Trades Ontario is making it easier for apprentices and journeymen to show their qualifications in that province. The organization will be issuing over 17,500 certificates of qualification and more than 200,000 wallet cards to apprentices and certified skilled trades workers starting this summer.
“This is an exciting milestone for thousands of skilled trades professionals,” said Melissa Young, CEO and registrar with Skilled Trades Ontario. “Not only do certificates of qualification and wallet cards serve to validate credentials, they are a testament to the hard work, resilience and unwavering dedication behind every certified skilled trades professional. I look forward to seeing them proudly displayed on worksites and in businesses across the province.”
Over the coming months, skilled trades professionals in compulsory and non-compulsory trades who received their certification after January 1, 2022, will begin receiving their certificates of qualification in the mail. Beginning this fall, wallet cards will be issued to apprentices and certified compulsory and non-compulsory skilled trades professionals in the province. Wallet cards can be easily carried while working on the job, in the event they are requested by inspectors or clients.
“The flow of skilled people into our business is critical given the link to innovation and efficiency that are so essential to our global competitiveness,” said Linda Hasenfratz, executive chairman and CEO, Linamar Corporation. “That is why we are heavily invested in developing a generation of young people in skilled trades. I am thrilled to see our skilled tradespeople getting the recognition they so richly deserve for the critical work they do and essential role they play in our business.”
“The Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) applauds Skilled Trades Ontario for their continued efforts to elevate all skilled trades to the level of respect that they truly deserve,” stated Giovanni Cautillo, president of the Ontario General Contractors Association. “Nothing in Ontario is created without the skills, drive and dedication of those in the trades and being part of the construction sector is a very rewarding career.”
“Ontario needs more skilled trades and construction workers to build our growing province. RCCAO commends the Government of Ontario, Minister McNaughton, and Skilled Trades Ontario for continuing their focus on addressing the labour shortage to ensure industry has the necessary workforce to build critical infrastructure for all Ontarians,” added Nadia Todorova, executive director of the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario.
Since launching last year, Skilled Trades Ontario has provided online verification of the status and license details of compulsory apprentices and journeypersons on its online public register. This service will continue to be publicly available and updated.
Certificates of qualification issued prior to January 1, 2022, will continue to be valid and recognized by Skilled Trades Ontario.
