Actions tracking

Implement alternative apprenticeship testing formats for individuals with recognized learning disabilities

Status: Action tracking

What we heard

Apprentices with learning disabilities seeking to obtain a Certificate of Qualification in certain trades must take a standard test with no accommodation for their learning disability, which creates unfair employment barriers for those students. Businesses may see this as a contributing factor to potential labour shortage issues.

Our plan

Accommodation measures for the Certificate of Qualifications exams are available to those with learning disabilities. These possible accommodations include:

  • extra time to write the exam
  • writing in a separate room/space
  • the use of an interpreter or reader

Information about arranging exam accommodations can be found on the Ontario College of Trades (OCOT) exam process webpage. The Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development (MAESD) and OCOT explore opportunities to expand accommodation measures on an ongoing basis. As part of this continued partnership, the MAESD will work with the OCOT and bring to its attention the findings of the Red Tape Challenge, to consider whether the process for scheduling exams and arranging accommodations could be improved or better communicated. This will be an open, ongoing process.

Clearly communicate, with a consolidated approach (e.g., a single website) all Ontario government programs available to businesses, and reduce redundancy in application processes

Status: Action tracking

What we heard

Government support for businesses is not coordinated or standardized, resulting in businesses providing the same information to different ministry representatives multiple times. Also, businesses spend too much time trying to navigate applicable programs.

Our plan

The ministry, through its Ontario Investment Office (OIO), is committed to making it easier to do business in Ontario. The OIO provides readily available and up-to-date online resources that allow for access to a variety of information about services for entrepreneurs, Ontario-based companies and foreign investors, including:

  • Up-to-date information on government incentive programs and services.
  • Business Concierge Service, a one-stop source for information to increase business growth.

The ministry will continue to work with its partners across government to provide coordinated, timely and relevant information and to reduce redundancies, including:

  • Grants Ontario, a one-window portal for accessing information about, applying to and administering Government of Ontario funding programs.
  • OntarioNetwork of Entrepreneurs (ONE) advisory services to help entrepreneurs find the programs, services and other supports to launch, finance and grow a business.
  • Small Business Access to learn how to grow and manage a small business in Ontario.

The OIO will continue to work with ministry partners and other stakeholders to update, coordinate and expand the information available online to make it easier to do business, and drive investment activity and innovation in Ontario.

The government of Ontario is committed to creating a tell-us-once experience so that businesses do not provide the same information repeatedly by requiring all business programs to adopt a nine-digit Business Number issued by the Canada Revenue Agency by 2020. The unique identifier will be used across government programs, thereby eliminating the burden on business to provide the same business information to multiple program areas.

The Ontario Energy Board should continue to focus on its Local Distribution Company customer scorecards to promote a customer-centric culture

Status: Action tracking

What we heard

When Local Distribution Companies (LDCs) are unable to provide reliable power to businesses, there is no true form of recourse against the company if they can’t guarantee a minimum level of service. This negatively impacts businesses.

Our plan

Ontario’s 2017 Long-Term Energy Plan (LTEP), Delivering Fairness and Choice, provides a road map of Ontario’s energy sector for the next 20 years. As the energy sector becomes more consumer-focused, users will want increased transparency and accountability from the companies and agencies that provide energy services. Utilities and regulators will need to respond by renewing their focus on efficiency and reliability, and looking at new ways of doing business.

The LTEP outlines that Ontario will look to the Ontario Energy Board to review the standards that transmission and distribution utilities currently have for reliability and quality of service, and for options to improve those standards. The government has also asked the Independent Electricity System Operator to review how its planning and policies can improve customer reliability.

No action recommended

Consider if current approaches encourage compliance and discourage non-compliance

Status: No action recommended

What we heard

Stakeholder feedback indicated that regulations should be relaxed where current practices can be assessed as low-risk, but enforcement and sanctions should be strengthened proportionately against those who violate regulations in ways that create harm to the environment, ecosystems or society.

Our plan

The ministry is not considering amendments to legislation to pursue increases to maximum penalties.

Ontario takes a risk-based compliance approach in order to focus resources where the highest potential risks exist. The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change reviews potential impacts to human and environmental health and compliance history when determining the compliance and enforcement approach.

When companies fail to meet requirements, the ministry uses a range of compliance and enforcement tools, including orders, monetary penalties, and prosecutions.

Consider creating various chemical inspection and development processes

Status: No action recommended

What we heard

There should be a registration program for commercial manufacturers of chemicals backed by an inspection program. In addition, regulations surrounding the labeling of chemicals should be based on chemical structure, and information about chemical processes and compounds should be captured in a publicly searchable database.

Our plan

Commercial chemical manufacturers are required to report annually on toxic substances prescribed by the National Pollutant Release Inventory and Ontario’s Toxics Reduction Act, using a single window reporting system.

Ontario requires regulated facilities to develop toxic reduction plans and report back on annual reductions. This information reported by regulated facilities in Ontario is available through the interactive Toxics Environment Map and the Open Data catalogue.

Communicate rules and processes associated with work permits for international experts

Status: No action recommended

What we heard

Work permit rules for international experts (e.g., experts required to install a piece of machinery) are difficult to understand and any delays in the process can be costly to businesses.

Our plan

Work permit rules and processes are within exclusive federal government jurisdiction. The Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration’s Business Immigration and Stakeholder Unit (BISU) works with Ontario employers individually to help them better understand provincial and federal permanent and temporary residence options and pathways, including federal work permit rules. BISU is available on an ongoing basis to provide information and assistance to the chemical manufacturing sector and other Ontario stakeholders on the federal temporary foreign worker program when needed. BISU may be reached by email: Business.Immigration@ontario.ca.