For immediate release
Friday May 13, 2005

New Apprenticeship Moves Full Steam Ahead

Laurie Scott’s call for a new apprenticeship program for the fuel industry wins all party support

Today, Laurie Scott, MPP for Haliburton-Victoria-Brock, brought her private member’s bill, calling for a new apprenticeship program for people working in the fuel industry, through second reading in the Ontario Legislature. Ms. Scott’s bill, The Apprenticeship and Certification Amendment Act, 2005, received wide support from all three parties. Ms. Scott was congratulated by colleagues, on both sides of the house, for providing leadership on this “exciting opportunity” for people working in the fuel industry.

Bill 191, The Apprenticeship and Certification Amendment Act, 2005, calls for the development of a new apprenticeship program in the province of Ontario. If passed, this bill would be the first step in gaining recognition for a new apprenticeship program for people working in the fuel industry. This bill responds to concerns expressed by people working in this field, as well as educators, industry representatives, and labour representatives.

Ms. Scott was pleased to receive all party support for her bill, as it addresses educational accessibility, the potential for shortages in skilled workers in this industry, and the need to ensure that safety standards in the fuel industry are upheld.

“I am glad that my colleagues spoke favourably to this bill and are acknowledging that interest is out there to move this initiative forward”, commented Ms. Scott.

A number of industry representatives have endorsed Ms. Scott’s proposal to develop a new apprenticeship program for people who work with natural gas, liquid propane, fuel oil, and in the heating-ventilation-air conditioning sector. Scott Andison, President of The Canadian Oil Heat Association commented that Bill 191 is a “practical solution to the skilled trade shortage in our industry.” As Ontario colleges and individual workers have also supported the creation of this new apprenticeship program, the future of this bill looks promising.

Ms. Scott explained “it is imperative to provide all of the interested stakeholders with the tools to develop a new apprenticeship program for this large and critical industry.” As Ms. Scott received kudos from her colleagues today for bringing this critical issue forward and stimulating debate in the house, it appears that the time is right for this initiative to move forward, and for all interested parties to play a critical role.

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