TORONTO, ON – “When it comes to the skilled trades file, Minister Monte McNaughton has backed up his talk by consistently walking the walk.”

The Trillium Automobile Dealers Association welcomes Minister McNaughton’s creation of a Skilled Trades Panel Chaired by Michael Sherrard, tasked with transitioning the skilled trades away from the bureaucratic College of Trades to a new delivery model.

Our Association has been a critic of the College of Trades, long before it opened its doors in 2013. Unfortunately, the College focussed on increasing annual fees on hardworking tradespeople, and doing next to nothing to help people consider a career in the skilled trades. Today’s announcement changes that.

We also welcome the new investment of $75 million to help lower the cost of living for apprentices, provide newer equipment for apprentices to train with and provide safety equipment during the pandemic to make in-person training safer. These are crucial measures given today’s reality.

Today’s announcement is just one of many that Minister McNaughton has made to champion the skilled trades. Ontario’s new car dealers are in dire need of more automotive technicians now and for the foreseeable future. Modernizing the skilled trades and apprenticeship system and lowering the cost for apprentices takes us one step closer to filling job vacancies at new car dealerships.

We look forward to working with the Skilled Trades Panel as we move beyond the College of Trades and focus on what matters – making it easier for people to consider the trades as a viable, rewarding and well-paid career option.”

– Frank Notte

Director of Government Relations

Trillium Automobile Dealers Association