ECAO NEWS

Reminder to Stay Vigilant from Graeme Aitken and James Barry
ECAO

A CRUCIAL REMINDER TO ALL IBEW AND ECAO MEMBERS
ECAO

Our Need for Continued Vigilance on Construction Sites to Stop the Spread of COVID-19

We offer our continued and sincere gratitude to all IBEW and ECAO members for all you have done to this point in our continuing fight against COVID-19! Your commitment, diligence, and awareness thus far have been an inspiration to our industry, other sectors, and Ontarians.

Develop and Implement Site-Specific COVID-19 Plans that meet MOLTSD and Municipal Health Authorities' Requirements.

Maintain Physical Distance. The pandemic isn’t over.
Wear a Mask. The pandemic isn’t over.
Wash your Hands Often. The pandemic isn’t over.
Do Not Relax. The pandemic isn’t over.

We are all still battling COVID-19. So, while construction has, thus far, performed well; please continue your tremendous efforts to curb the spread.
Stay vigilant, stay safe, and stay well. Take care of others and take care of yourself.

On behalf of

ECAO Health and Safety Excellence Program Webinar- January 13 at 10:00
ECAO

Contractor Members are encouraged to attend ECAO’s Informational Webinar on WSIB’s Health & Safety Excellence Program. In 2020, ECAO was approved by WSIB as an Approved Provider. This session will provide details of the benefits of joining the program and how you, as an ECAO member, have an advantage to take part. The ECAO Program will guide you in the best way to apply for WSIB premium rebates.

This Webinar will be facilitated by ECAO’s Director of Health and Safety, Tom Mackay and Sara Kitcher, Health and Safety Administrative Assistant. The full brochure is attached for your review of the details of the Program.

When: Jan 13, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Please register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpcOqrrDgiGtXMDU7rahAW-nYcCdCik6ym

After registering, you would have received a confirmation email containing zoom information about joining the meeting.

 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

Report for Labour-Management Network, January 2021
MINISTRY OF LABOUR, TRAINING, AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

Occupational Health and Safety Branch
Construction Health and Safety Program

Brian Barron, Senior Manager for Construction Health and Safety Branch provided some stark results on fatalities in December 2020. There were 8 construction fatalities in Ontario, proven to be one of the worst months in years. Tom Mackay, ECAO Director Health and Safety stated, “We recognize that workers may be under more pressure to complete construction projects at the end of the year, but we must ensure that contractors, employers, supervisors and workers stop what they are doing and refocus to ensure they are following proper health and safety protocols to prevent injuries and fatalities. All of of which are preventable”.

To see the full details on the Ministry’s reported fatalities can be found here

Certi-Fire and Registered Fire Alarm Contractor (RFAC) Webinar-January 27
CERTIFIRE

Please join us for a short webinar to learn more about the Certi-Fire Program and the benefits of becoming a Registered Fire Alarm Contractor. ECAO will review the steps for your electricians to become Certi-Fire Licensed Electricians and increase your fire alarm services. In addition, by becoming an ECAO Registered Fire Alarm Contractor you can bid on more fire alarm work by having qualified Certi-Fire Electricians in your company. There is no cost for ECAO Contractor Members in becoming an RFAC so if you wish to learn more please join us on January 27.

When: Wednesday, January 27, at 2:00 pm

Zoom Meeting Details are Below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6438347371

Meeting ID: 643 834 7371

If you wish to attend or want more information on the session please email contactus@certifire.org

Youth Advisors - Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development- Survey Request
ONTARIO

Ontario appointed three youth advisors to work with Monte McNaughton, the Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development, to attract more youth, including under-represented groups, to skilled trades careers. The appointed youth advisors are Jennifer Green, Adam Melnick, and Andrew Pariser.

The Youth Advisors have recently reached out to ECAO requesting we send out their survey which they hope will help them obtain feedback from parents, youth, educators, employers, unions, tradespeople, and everyone in Ontario on their suggestions to get more youth into the trades.

The full survey can be found here and we encourage members to complete the survey or to pass this on to their employees who might provide valuable information on entering the trades and their experiences on the trade journey.

 INDUSTRY NEWS

Ontario introduces legislation to dampen COVID-19 impact on WSIB premiums and protect benefits
ONTARIO CONSTRUCTION NEWS

The provincial government has introduced legislation to protect employers from an unexpected increase in Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) premiums, while maintaining an increase to the maximum earnings cap for workers’ benefits.

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act, 2020, introduced on Dec. 8, will, if passed, alleviate potential WSIB problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Construction spending expected to rebound this year with Ontario gaining momentum, report says
ONTARIO CONSTRUCTION NEWS

Despite a decline of 8.5 per cent in 2020, prospects are much brighter after the first few months of 2021 and for the two years following.

Ontario will regain momentum in 2021 with capital spending investment expected to rise by eight per cent in 2020, with more funds pledged to municipalities. Ongoing and proposed projects drive activity in healthcare, transit, and utilities. Multiple LRT projects (Eglinton, Hurontario, and Finch) lead in the GTA, with the Ottawa LRT and redevelopment of Centre Block the high-profile projects in eastern Ontario.

CSA C22.1:21, Canadian Electrical Code, Part I - Pre-Order Special Offer
CSA GROUP

The 25th edition of the CSA C22.1:21, Canadian Electrical Code, Part I is due to publish in January 2021. For over 90 years, the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I has been developed and updated to help better protect electrical workers and promote improved consistency in electrical installations across the country. The new edition includes over 200 additions and revisions, including:

• New subsection for energy storage.
• Requirements regarding climate change adaption addressing risks from floods.
• Substantial changes to wiring methods.

Pre-order today and receive 75% off the Online Overview of Changes course, and 30% off the Canadian Electrical Code Handbook – total savings of almost $200! The French edition, CSA C22.1:F21, will be available in April 2021.

Ontario Electrical Safety Code (27th edition/2018)-OESC

The current version of the Ontario Electrical Safety Code which was adopted in May 2019 is still in effect until May 2022 when the next version is expected for Ontario.

Discussing the Importance of Licensing and Safety with ESA’s Soussanna Karas
ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY

Soussanna Karas is ESA’s Director of Licensing. Part of her role, which she took on in January 2020, is to manage the ESA licensing department. There are approximately 8,500 Licensed Electrical Contractors and 14,500 Master Electricians licensed with ESA. “My department manages renewals, registrations, concerns and inquiries compliance issues in relation to licence holders and receives and address and complaints from the public,” she explained.

Karas’ department also manages reports from the public on the underground economy. Electricians doing electrical work without a license or those who pose as licensed electricians. They do proactive investigations, as well as respond to complaints or reports from the public.

 UPCOMING WEBINARS

Nexans Free Webinar

Key 2021 Electrical Code Changes Impacting Wire and Cable

Join NEXANS for a free webinar with Isaac Müller, Applications Engineer for Nexans as he reviews and discusses the changes to the 2021 Canadian Electrical Code related to wire and cable.

This free webinar will take place Wed, Jan 27, 2021 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST.

This webinar includes:

• Updated rules to protect cables (12-514,12-516)
• New conditions of use for wire & cable (Table 19)
• An opportunity to ask your questions

Click here to register today

Partnership

CAF-FCA's Virtual National Apprenticeship Conference brings together members from every corner of Canada's apprenticeship community to highlight promising practices and innovative solutions in apprenticeship training. 

FEBRUARY 22, 2021
FEBRUARY 23, 2021 VIRTUAL

Developing Your COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan

IHSA is offering on-demand webinars that reviews the steps required to develop your COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan. Recorded in partnership with the MLTSD this webinar is 25 minutes in length and includes a certificate of completion.

If your members are having trouble developing their safety plans, they can register for the IHSA webinar

Register here