7. LICENSING
- BY-LAW NO. L6-2000 – SCHEDULE 12 - ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS AND MASTER
ELECTRICIANS – REPEAL PERMIS – REGLEMENT NUMERO
L6-2000 – ANNEXE 12 – CONTRACTEURS EN ELECTRICITE ET MAITRE ELECTRICIENS -
ABROGATION |
That Council approve the repeal of Schedule No. 12 - Relating to
Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians and related Definitions, and
Procedural and General Provisions of Licensing By-law Number L6-2000 of the
former City of Ottawa.
Que le
Conseil d'approuver l'abrogation de l'Annexe 12 – Contracteurs en électricité
et maîtres-électriciens et les définitions connexes, ainsi que les dispositions
procédurales et générales du Règlement sur les permis numéro L6 2000 de
l'ancienne Ville d'Ottawa.
DOCUMENTATION
1.
Deputy City Manager, report dated 2 February 2007 (ACS2007-CPS-BYL-0004).
Report to/Rapport au:
Community and Protective Services Committee
Comité des services communautaires et de protection
and Council / et au Conseil
2 February 2007 / le 2 février 2007
Submitted by/Soumis par : Steve Kanellakos, Deputy City Manager/Directeur municipal
adjoint,
Community and Protective
Services/Services communautaires et de protection
Contact
Person/Personne ressource : Susan Jones, Director
By-Law Services/Services des règlements
municipaux
(613) 580-2424 x25536,
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That the Community and Protective Services Committee recommend that Council approve the repeal of Schedule No. 12 - Relating to Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians and related Definitions, and Procedural and General Provisions of Licensing By-law Number L6-2000 of the former City of Ottawa.
RECOMMANDATION DU
RAPPORT
Que
le Comité des services communautaires et de protection recommande au Conseil
d'approuver l'abrogation de l'Annexe 12 – Contracteurs en électricité et
maîtres-électriciens et les définitions connexes, ainsi que les dispositions
procédurales et générales du Règlement sur les permis numéro L6 2000 de
l'ancienne Ville d'Ottawa.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Municipal licensing powers related to the electrical contractor industry
have been transferred to the Electrical Contractor Registration Agency of the
Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) by Ontario Regulation 570/05. City Council
approval is required to formalize the repeal of the former City of Ottawa
Electrical Contractor and Master Electrician licensing requirement and related
regulations. A province-wide licensing and enforcement program related to
electrical contractors and master electricians is now in place.
The Ontario electrical industry was consulted by the Province prior to the adoption of Regulation 570/05. A notice appeared in The Ottawa Citizen and Le Droit on January 26, 2007 and February 2, 2007 in Le Droit and February 3, 2007 in The Ottawa Citizen advising of the recommendation and inviting the public to present their comments, support or objections in writing before February 5, or in person at the February 15, 2007, Community and Protective Services Committee at which the recommendation will be considered.
RÉSUMÉ
Les pouvoirs municipaux d'attribution des permis aux contracteurs en
électricité ont été transmis à la Electrical Contractor Registration Agency de
la Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) par le Règlement numéro 70/05 de
l'Ontario. L'approbation du Conseil municipal est nécessaire pour rendre
officielle l'abrogation de l'obligation pour les contracteurs en électricité et
les maîtres-électriciens d'obtenir un permis de l'ancienne Ville d'Ottawa, et
du règlement connexe. Il existe maintenant un programme d'attribution de permis
et d'application de la loi dans l'ensemble de la province pour les contracteurs
en électricité et les maîtres-électriciens.
L'industrie de l'électricité en Ontario a été consultée par la Province
avant l'adoption du règlement 570/05. Un avis est paru dans le Ottawa Citizen
et Le Droit le 26 janvier 2007 et le 2 février 2007, dans Le Droit et le 3
février 2007 dans le Ottawa Citizen pour faire connaître la recommandation et
inviter le public à faire part de ses commentaires, de son appui ou de son
opposition par écrit avant le 5 février ou en personne à la réunion du 15
février 2007 du Comité des services communautaires et de protection où la
recommandation sera examinée.
Section 151 of the Municipal Act, 2001, as amended, ( the “Act”) authorizes municipalities to pass by-laws to license, regulate and govern any business or trade wholly or partly carried on within the municipality even if the business is being carried on from a location outside the municipality.
Section 158 of the Act provides the Minister
of Municipal Affairs and Housing the authority to make regulations exempting
any business or class of business from all or any part of a business licensing
by-law under any Act, including self-regulated businesses.
In 2006, the Province enacted Ontario Regulation 347/06 that was replaced by Ontario Regulation 583/06 effective January 1, 2007. This Regulation removes from municipalities the authority to establish a registry for or to license, regulate or govern electricians, master electricians or electrical contractors.
DISCUSSION
In 2005, following extensive industry consultation the Electrical Contractor Registration Agency of the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) received government approval (Ontario Regulation 570/05) to establish a province-wide licensing system for Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians in Ontario. The new licensing system, which took effect on July 1, 2006, replaces the fragmented and inconsistent municipal licensing regime. The new province-wide licensing system eliminates the duplicate fees that many contractors had to pay for multiple municipal licences.
A Council approved by-law is required to formally repeal the existing municipal licensing regulation related to Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians. In accordance with Ontario Regulation 583/06, the Community and Protective Services By-law and Regulatory Services suspended license renewals of municipal Electrical Contractors and Master Electrician licences.
Licensing By-law Number L6-2000, Schedule 12
- Relating to Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians of the former City
of Ottawa was enacted under the authority of a previous version of the
Municipal Act. The regulation was
enacted in the 1960’s and remains in effect within the boundaries of the former
City of Ottawa until it is repealed. No
other former amalgamated municipality enacted licensing by-laws to regulate
Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians.
The new licensing system for Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians is administered and enforced by the Electrical Contractor Registration Agency of the Electrical Safety Authority. The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) has the responsibility for public electrical safety as delegated by the Province, and does so through enforcement of The Ontario Electrical Safety Code, and more recently the introduction of Licensing of Electrical Contractors and Master Electricians Regulation.
The new system is expected to :
Improve work and public safety;
Ensure all
contractors are licensed to the same standard, including out-of-province
contractors;
Have a knowledgeable, industry-based body to regulate the trade;
Improve enforcement of regulations and licensing requirements;
Increase consumer protection;
Decrease underground economy activity; and
Provide one single licence to work provincially.
Electrical Contractors who already have a municipal licence and master electrician licence will be rolled into the new system. Contractors who do not currently have a municipal licence will have until December 31, 2012 to comply with the full requirements of the new Regulation. The grace period is expected to give contractors and electricians sufficient lead-time to meet the new requirements and take the requisite exams.
The licence fees established under the new
regulations are consistent with those fees formerly charged by municipalities
for Electrical Contractor licenses. The
new fees received government approval.
As of January 1, 2007, all Electrical Contractors are required to have a provincial Electrical Contractor Licence to operate in Ontario.
CONSULTATION
The Ontario electrical industry was consulted
by the Province prior to the adoption of Regulation 570/05. A notice appeared in The Ottawa Citizen and
Le Droit on January 26, 2007 and February 2, 2007 in Le Droit and February 3,
2007 in the Ottawa Citizen advising of the recommendation and inviting the
public to present their comments, support or objections in writing before
February 5, or in person at the February 15, 2007, Community and Protective
Services Committee at which the recommendation will be considered.
FINANCIAL
IMPLICATIONS
There are no budget implications related to the approval of the recommendation.
DISPOSITION
Corporate
Services, Legal Services Branch, in consultation with Community and Protective
ervices to process the required by-law to Council for enactment.