MCA Ontario Newsletters

2022 - 2025 Collective Agreement

The Collective Agreement is now accessible on our website.

Just a reminder, the effective payroll change over date shall be the closest Sunday to the Wage Schedule effective date.

April 30th was the start date of the traditional "May 1st" increase for all UA members in the province. This was intentionally added to the Collective Agreement in the last round of bargaining to align the May 1st increase effective date with most companies' start of their payroll week, therebye liminating the need to do two labour rates for each member during the same payroll week.

9-8-8 number for mental health andsuicide prevention

A new three-digit number, 9-8-8, will be implemented on November 30th, 2023 for mental health and suicide prevention services. You will be able to call or text 9-8-8 from anywhere in Canada for free. You will be directed to the appropriate mental health crisis or suicide prevention service in your area.

Until November 30, anyone, anywhere in Canada can call 1-833-456-4566 or text 741741.

TSSA Fee Changes
TSSA has implemented a 4% fee increase in the following two Boilers & Pressure and FuelsSafety effective May 1, 2023.

Effective May 1, 2022 - April 30, 2023 -$137.00

Effective May 1, 2023 -$ 142.50

For more information visit TSSA Fees.

MCA Ontario’s Standard Provincial Welding Procedures Program

The program currently includes 19 welding procedures. MCA Ontario covers all costs for tests in relation to MCAO’s Standard Provincial Carbon Steel Procedure(MCAO F3F4-07) (ie TSSA Fee, Test Facility & Materials Fees; Welder’s time incompleting the Test).

If you have any questions or would like to participate in our welding program, please contact Pat Bianco at 905-629-0344 or email pat@mcao.org.

Student Chapter Competition

Congratulations to McMaster who once again this year placed in the top four of all the schools in North American that competed in the MCAA Student Chapter Competition.While they didn’t end up winning for the second year in a row, placing in the top and being invited to attend the conference and present their project in front of a large audience is a significant accomplishment in and of itself. Well done!!!

Student Chapter Competition Final Four

CBTU's In The Trades Apprenticeship Program

Your company could be eligible to receive up to $10,000 in federal funding through CBTU’s In the Trades program for onboarding a first-year Red Seal apprentice. Call the office today if you would like more information, we would love to make this easy for you to obtain and grow the number of our member companies, like Alberici who accept cheques for this in the future.

Upcoming Training

Great news! MCAO is expanding our reach to assist member companies with training beyond that which only TSSA provides. During our AGM and conference at the end of April we had great dialogue with the MCAA President and CEO and are pleased to announce that we have been invited to register members for their virtual PIPM course. We expect this to be the first of many courses available through MCAA. Further, MCA Toronto has invited MCAO members to attend their courses as well and we’re looking at others as well.

TSSA Courses

MCAO helped facilitate the following TSSA training this past spring:

ASME B31.1 Power Piping Seminar & ASME B31.3 Process Piping Seminar

Ontario Boiler and Pressure Vessel Regulations and TSSA Requirements Course.

ASME Section IX Welding Qualifications Seminar

Ontario Repairs & Alterations Seminar

Please contact our office if you are interested in hosting any of these or other TSSA coursesin the fall. We want to fill our schedule!

Apprenticeship Grants

Year one of the program is over; however, year two allows businesses to apply for another apprenticeship grant. You can enroll/apply for another new apprentice between April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024.

If you have not yet signed up, please visit https://buildingtrades.ca/inthetrades/ - all the information is there, or call the MCAO office. We will be happy to forward you moredetails about this valuable incentive.

In The Trades - FAQs
How to Access Grant Funding
In The Trades Presentation

MCAO’s new Operations Manager

We are excited to announce that our office is growing. We are looking to add a member to our team who’s principle focus will be on membership engagement and the pursuit ofopportunities where MCAO can bring value to our members. Over the course of the last two months we have worked through over a hundred applicants, conducted phone interviews with those that stood out and interviewed five.

Mr. Dylan Knight was offered the position this week and pending the positive outcome offinal administrative items will be offered the job, starting on May 23. Expect to hear from him directly within a month. His first major task will be to reach out to each company that resides within a Zone that isn’t already supported with a full-time manager.

Look to see an e-mail from Dylan as early as June!

2024 AGM

Be on the lookout....... MCA Ontario's next AGM will be held in London, England. More information to follow in late September!

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Our intent is to make this a quarterly newsletter that is full of timely and valuable information for you. If you would like to see a specific topic or concern included in a future version please reach out to us at mcao@mcao.org. We welcome any feedback and/or questions you may have.

MCA Ontario Newsletters

March 2026

March 25, 2026

Why Operational Intelligence Is Becoming the Industry Advantage The construction landscape is continuing to evolve, and a clear trend is emerging for mechanical contractors across Ontario. Success in the coming years will not be defined by company size alone, but by how effectively firms operate, make decisions, and leverage the systems behind their teams. For many years, growth in the industry often meant scaling headcount to take on more work. That approach is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain. Ongoing labour shortages, combined with rising operating costs, are pushing members to rethink how they structure their businesses. The focus is shifting toward maximizing productivity per employee rather than simply increasing workforce size. This shift places greater emphasis on operational efficiency. Beginning to adopt tools and processes that reduce administrative burden will improve visibility across projects. Streamlined workflows, better data management, and emerging technologies such as AI-supported document review and automated reporting are helping teams handle routine tasks more efficiently. As a result, staff can dedicate more time to higher-value activities like project planning, coordination, and on-site problem solving. This all reinforces an important strategic direction. Competitive advantage is increasingly tied to how well a company organizes its internal systems, manages information, and supports its workforce with practical tools. Firms that invest in improving their processes are better positioned to respond quickly to bid opportunities, manage project risk, and maintain healthy margins in a challenging market. Looking ahead, the most resilient and competitive contractors will be those who successfully combine skilled labour with smarter, more efficient systems. Strengthening both sides of that equation will be key to delivering projects effectively and sustaining long-term growth in Ontario’s mechanical contracting sector. Are you planning for the future of the industry?

January 2026

January 21, 2026

New AED Requirements and WSIB Reimbursement Starting January 1, 2026, construction projects with 20 or more workers and an expected duration of three months or longer in Ontario will be required to have a Health Canada–licensed Automated External Defibrillator (AED) on site under O. Reg. 157/25 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The regulation also sets out requirements for signage, inspections, accessories, and ensuring a worker trained in CPR/AED use is present while work is underway. To help offset costs, the province has introduced a WSIB reimbursement program through Bill 30, the Working for Workers Seven Act, 2025. Key details for members: Reimbursement of up to $2,500 per AED, limited to one AED per qualifying construction project Separate applications required for each project, with no limit on the number of projects a contractor may apply for AEDs must be purchased between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2027 Only Health Canada approved AEDs qualify (verified through the MDALL database) Applications opened January 1, 2026, and must be submitted through WSIB online services with approved reimbursements expected to be credited within approximately 60 days. Reimbursement details and applications HERE! Read the legislation HERE!

October 2025

October 28, 2025

Upcoming Release: 2025 Collective Agreement The finalized 2025 Collective Agreement will be available online next week. Hard copies will also be sent to local zone offices for appropriate distribution by the end of November. If you have any questions, please contact our office at mcao@mcao.org

August 2025

August 20, 2025

Upcoming MCAO Events MCAO is hosting two very exciting important events in October on back to back days so that you don’t need to travel twice! October 23 – Joint Leadership Conference The Electrical, Mechanical, and Labour Sectors Unite! Join the Electrical Contractors Association of Ontario ( ECAO ),Mechanical Contractors Association of Ontario ( MCAO ) and Construction Labour Relations Association of Ontario ( CLRAO ) for the 2025 Joint Leadership Conference! October 24 - MCAO’s S.M.A.R.T. Innovation Evening Experience a dynamic speed networking format at the Hockey Hall of Fame, where participants will rotate between supplier & manufacturer to discuss progressive solutions to challenges in the mechanical contracting industry. Click HERE! to register for both events!

June 2025

June 25, 2025

Free Project Management PMP Training Spots are Filling Up! MCAO, in partnership with ECAO and CLRAO, is offering a fully funded training opportunity for MCAO member contractors: PROMEX – Project Management Skills for Construction Excellence. Delivered in collaboration with the Schulich School of Business at York University, this program enables participants to earn a Master’s Certificate in Project Management (MCPM). Participants will also be eligible to write the PMP® exam through the Project Management Institute (PMI)—all at no cost, thanks to the Ontario Skills Development Fund. Program Details: The course runs for a total of 8 weeks: 6 weeks of project management training through Schulich ExecEd 2 weeks of AI and digital tools training through iKITES Live virtual sessions every Tuesday and Thursday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. PMP® exam prep and fees covered Upcoming cohorts September 4, 2025, and October 23, 2025. Get the full program overview and registration steps in the brochure HERE !

April 2025

April 23, 2025

New MCAO Training Webpage We are excited to announce the launch of a dedicated training section on our official MCAO website! This new hub is designed to be your one-stop destination for all things training-related, featuring everything from updates on upcoming and past MCAO training sessions, to exclusive giveaways and a range of free training resources. Whether you're seeking technical courses, safety certifications, or leadership development opportunities, our new platform makes it easier than ever to access the training you need to grow your staff’s skills. Explore training programs tailored to your professional goals and stay informed on the latest offerings. Be sure to check back regularly for updates, new resources, and more chances to win through our training-related giveaways!