2009 Annual Report - Ontario Road Builders' Association

6 2009 Annual Report
Provincial Government Affairs
Infrastructure investment became a priority
for governments in 2009 as they attempted to
provide stimulus for a lagging economy and
recognize the need to address huge and growing
core infrastructure deficits. The province
committed $32.5 billion over two years to infrastructure
and the Ministry of Transportation
saw its capital budget for highways construction
reach a new record of $1.8 billion. As well,
the federal government promised billions more
for municipal infrastructure.
Despite the renewed attention to infrastructure,
federal monies must be spent by March, 2011.
Therefore, ORBA has been active advocating
for a more timely release on all environmental
approvals and permits so that work might
be completed on time. The Association also
continues to send a clear message that governments
must recognize the need for sustained
infrastructure investment and maintain their
commitment when the economy starts to grow
again.
ORBA’s efforts to promote an easily administered
Harmonized Sales Tax system were rewarded
with the announcement in the Provincial
Spring Budget that the province will move
to harmonize the GST and RST. HST proved
to be a political ‘hot potato’ in 2009 and there
was much pressure from various parities to
re-consider the harmonization decision. Because
of this, ORBA, over the past year, has
been active in an ongoing campaign to support
the government’s plans through the legislative
stages. Considerable efforts were also made to
encourage MTO to add language to their contracts
that would direct contractors how to bid
as the HST is expected to implemented on
July 1, 2010. This was especially a concern for
multi-year contracts. Contract language was
developed for MTO contracts but ORBA has
continued to work with MTO and the Ministry
of Finance to develop contract language that
will facilitate a smooth transition.
ORBA was also very active in 2009 with the
development of the new College of Trades – an
organization that will manage and regulate the
training and apprenticeship system in Ontario.
A self-regulatory body, the College of Trades
also has the ability to make decisions on issues
such as compulsory certification and ratios, in
addition to setting guidelines for enforcement
and discipline. ORBA has worked closely with
the government, and will continue to do so, in
the process of defining how the College will
proceed and what powers it will have, and to
ensure that the civil construction sector has a
voice at the table. The college has the ability
to make decisions that will greatly affect how
training and labour practices continue in our
industry.
ORBA’s initiatives at Queen’s Park in 2009
covered a broad spectrum of legislative issues
requiring direct involvement with a number of
different ministries. The committee reports in
this Annual Report will discuss many of them.
The issues are varied and range from vehicle
impoundment and new ‘hands-free’ cell phone
legislation, to charges for taking water to perform
construction work.
The Association is recognized as an industry
leader on these and many other issues playing
out within the provincial government. Solid
working relationships have been established
in pertinent ministries and ORBA meets with
ministers and their political staff on a regular
basis.
ORBA is also making a conscious effort to bring
government relations objectives and activities
more directly to the membership. In 2009 we
invited local MPP’s to our regional fall meetings
to discuss the HST and the economy. Our
sense was that this was a change that was well
received by members who attended.