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.


Register Now




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!

Looking for more?

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 atmcao@mcao.org. We welcome any feedback and/or questions you may have.

MCA Ontario Newsletters

December 18, 2024
Holiday Training Code Giveaway! – Waiting on Workplace Safety In honor of the holidays, we are thrilled to give away a large number of online BuildForce and Workplace Safety training courses to our members! All courses are self-paced, with BuildForce codes qualifying for gold seal certification credits. Courses include: BuildForce o Introduction to Construction Estimating o Construction Project Management Workplace Safety o Workplace Incident Investigation o Conflict Resolution If you would like to request any of the above codes, please contact our Operations Manager, Dylan, at dylan@mcao.org . Happy Holidays!
October 15, 2024
MCA Ontario 2025 Annual General Meeting/Conference
July 1, 2024
Artificial Intelligence Part 2 - Increasing Productivity In the rapidly evolving landscape of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing various industries. For mechanical contracting businesses, AI offers innovative solutions that enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve project outcomes. Here are some AI programs that are already beginning to transform the way mechanical contractors operate: OpenSpace is a reality capture program that utilizes automated 360-degree helmet cameras and AI-powered progress tracking to provide constant worksite updates. ClickUp Brain ’s AI-powered scheduling assistant simplifies scheduling by considering task dependencies, team availability, and project priorities. Field Wire is a data analysis program with sophisticated AI algorithms that provide insight into project trends and anomalies. PlanSwift is an AI-powered estimation tool that measures quantities and dimensions directly from digital floor layouts, streamlining the digital takeoff process. viAct is a safety program that employs a series of cameras to identify possible threats and plan deviations on site to avoid incidents. They boast 95% fewer accidents when used. Rhumbix offers an AI-based field data platform that improves labor productivity and project management through timekeeping and performance analytics. Other similar programs include Deepomatic , Timescapes , Buildots , Fusion 360 , and AVEVA , among many other innovative solutions that are continually being released and enhanced. Integrating AI into mechanical contracting enhances operational efficiency and provides a competitive edge in an industry that thrives on precision and productivity. By leveraging AI you can ensure your projects are executed flawlessly, on time, and within budget, ultimately leading to increased client satisfaction and business growth. Embracing AI today sets the foundation for a more innovative and successful future in the mechanical contracting industry.
May 1, 2024
Bill 149, Working for Workers Four Act On March 21, 2024, the "Working for Workers Four Act, 2023" received royal assent in Ontario.The bill amends various workplace laws, such as the Employment Standards Act, 2000, and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997. Provisions of the act key to the construction industry include: Enabling additional "super indexing" increases to Workplace Safety and Insurance Boardbenefits. Requiring employers to disclose salary ranges in job postings and inform if AI is used inthe hiring process. Banning the requirement of Canadian experience in job postings. Enhancing oversight of how regulated professions assess international qualifications. Lowering the employment period for firefighters diagnosed with esophageal cancer toreceive compensation. See the full bill HERE!
January 1, 2024
2024 WSIB Premium Rates The WSIB has announced that average premium rates for Ontario businesses will remain steady for 2024. While most sectors have had slight fluctuations, G6 Non-Residential Building Construction was one of few sectors to retain their same average premium rate from2023 of $1.55 per $100 of insurable payroll. This stability, however, may be short lived dueto the WSIB’s announcement of a 6.5% cost of living increase to people receiving in comereplacement, as well as, the 2% super indexing included in Bill 149, which both signal that rates are likely to increase in the future. To access your individual 2024 premium rate statements, visit the WSIB website HERE!
December 1, 2023
Holiday Giveaway! MCA Ontario recently purchased a large number of Project Management and Estimating Courses from BuildForce Canada to be distributed to our members throughyour local MCA’s! To celebrate the holiday season, we kept 10 BuildForce course codes to offer to members who subscribe to our newsletter. (Limited to one per company). Please email our Operations Manager Dylan Knight at dylan@mcao.org with your zone andcompany name to request one.
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