July 25, 2008

Construction industry looks for more details on national labour mobility directive

VINCE VERSACE

staff writer

A decision by Canadian premiers to increase full labour mobility nationwide is being met with cautious optimism across the Canadian construction landscape.

At the recent Council of the Federation meeting in Quebec City, premiers directed internal trade ministers to amend the Agreement on Internal Trade to allow:

• Any worker certified for an occupation by a regulatory authority of a province or territory to be recognized as qualified to practice that occupation by all other provinces and territories; and

• Expeditious granting of recognition of the worker’s certification, without further material training, examinations or assessment.

Michael Atkinson, president of the Canadian Construction Association (CCA), says the CCA supports the elimination of labour mobility barriers but more details are needed.

“The principle sounds great but there is a difference between standards and barriers,” says Atkinson. “What does this mean for a program like Red Seal? We have to wait for the fine print to see how it all works out.”

The directive by the premiers also includes that any exceptions to full labour mobility would have to be clearly identified and justified, as required, to meet an issue such as health protection or public safety. By the 2009 council federation meeting, the amendments are to result in mutual recognition of occupational credentials between provinces and territories.

The issue of health and safety for workers in a mobile work force must remain a key point, says Patrick Dillon, business manager for the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario.

“The issue they are looking at is right but their focus is wrong in my view,” says Dillon. “The lowering of standards is a real negative impact for the trades. It does not just lower the quality of work but a better trained worker is a safer worker.”

Dillon says he would like to see the premiers tackle issues of tax deductions for mobile workers, so they can deduct their travel and living expenses incurred while working away from home.

Qualified foreign-trained workers, once certified, will also have the same mobility rights as qualified Canadian workers under the amendments introduced by the premiers.

Stephen Kusher, president of the Merit Contractors Association, says a reduction in mobility barriers will help tackle labour shortages.

“Tradespeople across Canada have faced archaic and inconsistent rules when seeking work in another province for too long,” says Kusher.

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