The Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development has announced the Supporting Ontario’s Safe Employers program that will recognize excellence in health and safety and pay a financial incentive to employers who are successful. COR^TM certified employers will only need to complete an upgrade to complete the program requirements.

This is an outstanding opportunity for COR^TM certified employers and those who are working towards certification. Qualified employers can receive up to a 10% premium rebate from the WSIB. The WSIB is also launching a supporting program called Health and Safety Excellence that will promote safe work practice through a serious of modules. Financial incentives will also be available for their successful completion.
COR^TM will receive a 2020 update that will meet the accreditation standard, and IHSA will soon announce the details and the opportunities to obtain it. The COR^TM requirements will soon be adjusted to meet the upgrade standard.

IHSA and OGCA brought COR^TM to Ontario so it could eventually be used to accredit construction employers. Contractors who are now COR^TM certified are well positioned to become recognized by the Ministry's program. OGCA has worked closely with Chief Prevention Officer Ron Kelusky and Minister McNaughton to make sure COR^TM is included in the program. It is vital that all contractors who have invested in the program be recognized. This will result in members receiving millions of dollars in incentives to support investment in COR^TM and workplace health and safety.

The news release provides some information but many details about next steps are still to be confirmed. We will make them available and will be organizing an information session for interested members.

This President's Report is in regards to proposed changes to the CCDC 2, and is for Members Only.

Please click here to access it.

The President of the Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) advances member interests for the largest Association representing General Contractors in Ontario and among the largest in Canada. The position requires a leader who is passionate about construction, and who engages people personably and proactively. Please click here to access the recruitment notice.

Qualified individuals are invited to apply by December 1, 2019, in confidence, by submitting your cover letter and résumé: Click here.

Here is a sample of what tender requests looked like back in 1880.

Seems things haven't changed all that much - the Council did not bind itself to accept the lowest tender even back then!

The Surety Association of Canada (SAC) held its 28th Annual General Meeting and Awards Gala Dinner event on September 18 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. During the Awards Gala Dinner event, the association recognized the 2019 Graduating Class of the Associateship of Canadian Surety Bonding (A.C.S.B.) Designation Program.

Click here for the full report.

Remember that OGCA is always looking for celebrations from our members - anniversaries, new hires, moving advisories and so on.

The Generals Magazine likes to include any of these announcements as well as here in the newsletter.

Send your news to mary@ogca.ca for inclusion.

Deadline for The Generals magazine in January 15, 2020.

Are you an architect, design professional, engineer, developer, policy maker, government official, contractor or just have a general interest in the benefits of concrete?

ICFs are quickly becoming a fundamental building technique for single family homes, multi-family homes, schools and commercial buildings. This is due to the resiliency, energy efficiency and ease of use.

Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) Workshop
January 23, 2020
10:30 am - 2:30 pm
Phoenix Room C

Join us to find out what makes ICFs the best choice for your next building project. Click here to register.

As most employers can attest, complaints of workplace harassment are on the rise.

Complicating matters is that employees are no longer content to restrict the airing of their complaints to specialized human rights tribunals. Instead, we increasingly see an employee alleging workplace harassment in several fora simultaneously – before a human rights tribunal, before a workplace safety and insurance tribunal (seeking compensation for “chronic mental stress”), in the civil courts (seeking damages for “constructive dismissal”), and more recently before provincial labour boards.

This “forum shopping” can cause considerable stress and financial burden on an employer that has no option but to respond to each and every claim, or risk a finding of liability.

Click here to read the full Briefing Note from Sherrard Kuzz.

Are you a COR / ISO Certified company, in the process of getting COR / ISO or thinking about COR / ISO?  We have got some great news for you!  Your COR / ISO program can now get you a rebate on your premiums through WSIB's H&S Excellence program! Here’s a good opportunity to meet & learn more from WSIB about:

• The new Health & Safety Excellence Program.
• How your COR / ISO program can now start paying you back.

4S is conducting a seminar on: 
Tuesday, Dec 03, 2019 

Location:
OGCA Offices, 180 Attwell Drive, Suite 280, Toronto, ON M9W 6A9

Seminar Topic:
"How can the COR / ISO program can get you rebates through WSIB's H&S Excellence Program?"

Speakers:

• WSIB
• 4S Consulting (WSIB-Approved Provider for the H&S Excellence Program)

You're Invited!!
***Only 15 seats*** ***Free Parking*** ***Breakfast***

BOOK NOW

The November 12 issue of the Ontario Legislative Report is now available. Click here to read it.

Other issues are available on our website under Government Relations.

The Ontario Dispute Adjudication for Construction Contracts (“ODACC”) website is fully operational.

ODACC is the Authorized Nominating Authority that administers and oversees the adjudication of construction disputes in the province of Ontario. The Act, which came into force on October 1, 2019, establishes a dispute adjudication regime for construction contract disputes in Ontario.

Under this regime, parties of payment disputes related to a construction contract may refer such payment disputes to third party Adjudicators for expedited determination. A Determination in a Party’s favour should ultimately result in payment to that Party by the other Party.

Adjudicators hold certificates of qualification to adjudicate issued by ODACC. All adjudications must proceed through ODACC. After the Adjudicator makes their Determination, ODACC will provide a Certified Determination to the Parties seven days following the making of the Determination.

Please contact 416-307-0008 or authority@odacc.ca for any questions regarding the ODACC website.

November 26, 2019 marks the Canadian Construction Association’s (CCA) first annual celebration of the construction industry with National Construction Day 2019.

CCA is pleased to be leading the celebration by launching new videos highlighting the exciting and diverse careers and people that make up our industry. We will also be sharing interesting construction facts, highlighting interesting events and initiatives that have occurred, and shining the spotlight on our industry in general through our social media channels.

We invite you to join with us in the celebration. Click here for some interesting ways to enjoy the celebration!