The 2019 Leadership Conference will focus on leading change in your workplace by letting you know what is new from government and the safety industry.

We expect important announcements on Accreditation of Employers and how COR compliant companies will benefit. We will consider the new study on the progress and challenges of working at heights, and much more.

Please click here to get the registration form, and register now.

2019 brings Ontario general contractors a significant cut in your premium rate. Effective for your January 2019 remittance, the general contracting rate #732 is reduced by 38% to $2.53 per $100 of payroll. It will be paid to a Maximum Insurable Earnings Ceiling of $92,600 a 2% increase over last year.

This was made possible with the elimination of the unfunded liability by the WSIB and the action taken by OGCA and our partner members of the Construction Employer Coalition (CEC) and our active lobbying efforts to reduce rates to reflect this change.

OGCA will continue to work with the government and the WSIB to manage your costs.

I'm pleased to report that we have just completed our strategic planning session for the next three years.

We will continue to build on the strong outcomes achieved over past strategic plans, and the proposals coming out of this one will strengthen those successes as well as focus on some areas where the membership responded that more work needs to be done.

Please click here to read the rest of Clive Thurston's Report.

On December 6, 2018, the PC Government passed Bill 57 which includes substantial amendments to the Election Finances Act. As political parties begin to host their fundraisers, here are some of the major changes you need to know about:

• Starting in 2019, the maximum contribution that a person can make annually to any one registered party or to registered constituency associations, registered nomination contestants and registered leadership contestants of any one registered party is $1,600.00 
• Bill 57 repeals the requirement that contributors certify that their contribution comes only from funds belonging to them, and not from funds given to them for the purpose of making a contribution
• A sitting MPP, or the leader of a party, is no longer prohibited from attending a fundraising event
• As of January 1, 2018, all political donations must come from personal funds; corporate funds are no longer permitted for political fundraisers.  

OGCA will be hosting a fundraiser in the coming months. We encourage all of our members to attend but also be cognizant of the new political financing laws.

We are pleased to announce that Marjorie Javier took on the role of Program Coordinator for the League of Champions as of January 21st, 2019.

Marjorie will be responsible for organizing and planning safety excellence-focused programs and activities for the League of Champions.

Marjorie has a Bachelor of Science in Information and Computer Science from Lyceum of the Philippines University and a postgraduate certificate in Information Technology Business Analysis from Conestoga College. She has a strong background working with organizations and collaborating with diversified teams.

We are happy to welcome her and we believe she is a great fit for the Program Coordinator position for the League of Champions.

Feel free to contact Marjorie by phone at 905-671-3969 or by email at marjorie@theLOC.ca

If you are having a celebration of some kind - be it an anniversary, a special project, a new hire - please be sure to contact the OGCA to put something inn this space! No charge for posting!

J.S. Held, a leading global construction-consulting firm, is pleased to announce the expansion of our services that are offered in Canada to now include Surety and Construction Services. These services include surety claims investigations, project management assistance, project and operational reviews, detailed CPM scheduling, affirmative and defensive claim analysis and preparation and litigation support. This extension is being led by Ron Hicks who joined the J.S. Held team in March of 2018.

Click here to read the full article.

APP member Sherrard Kuzz has provided an executive summary on the latest information concerning Ontario's Competitiveness Act.

Click here to read the executive summary.

The January 13, 2019 issue of the Ontario Legislative Reports is now available. Click here to read this issue.

To access earlier issues, please click here.

Only a few more days before the Early Bird Pricing ends ... prices go up February 1, 2019!

You can pay online at www.ogca.ca, go to STORE, then go to EVENTS, but remember to complete the registration form as well.

If you wish to sponsor the 11th Construction Symposium, please visit the OGCA website at www.ogca.ca and click on Events.