UPDATE - ON: Minister’s roundtable looking to address skills shortage in propane sector to support pandemic recovery

As some members are aware, CPA staff and propane representatives addressed Minister of Government and Consumer Services, the Honourable Lisa Thompson, on June 3, 2020, providing a number of suggestions to assist the sector in recovering from the economic impacts of the pandemic in the immediate, medium and longer term.

One of the long-standing and on-going issues members raised with the minister was the sectoral skills deficit for gas fitters and truck drivers in the province. As a result of this discussion, Ontario Government Relations Director, Marcelline Riddell, has been in communication with Lauren MacDonald, an employment and training consultant with the Ministry of Labour and Skills Development, on the particular skills and training needs of the sector and how the ministry could help mitigate these.

Specifically, MacDonald is interested in:

• The provincial demand in each of these occupations (e.g., in need of 300 truck drivers and 200 gas fitters).
• The geographical breakdown for this demand in each trade (e.g., 100 truck drivers needed in the GTA, 50 in the Kingston area; 75 gas fitters required for the Haliburton area, 45 in Ottawa, etc.)
• The ability for micro-credentialing to work in the occupations identified above.
• Approximate training costs and timeframes for completion in each occupation.
• Wage scales and licenses required for each.

In early October, Riddell responded to MacDonald with the assistance of PTI Executive Director Bruce Leslie. Leslie is also working on a member survey whose results should help augment some of this information.

Riddell is interested in any anecdotal information members could provide to assist in these efforts while the survey is being developed. Please contact her at marcellineriddell@propane.ca.