Legislation, regulations, policies

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The Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021 (BOSTA) introduces a legislative framework to govern skilled trades and apprenticeship in Ontario. The Act:

Came into effect on January 1, 2022.
Establishes Skilled Trades Ontario as a Crown agency to oversee trades certification in Ontario and, at maturity, oversee apprenticeship.
Authorizes the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development to prescribe and classify trades, prescribe scopes of practice and approve training delivery agents for in-class apprenticeship training.
Authorizes the Registrar of Skilled Trades Ontario to issue, renew, extend, suspend or revoke Certificates of Qualification and Provisional Certificates of Qualification.
Authorizes the Registrar to establish and maintain a public register of apprentices and Certificate of Qualification holders in compulsory trades.
Authorizes the Registrar to establish apprenticeship programs.
Sets out a compliance and enforcement framework.
Provides for transitional matters related to BOSTA and the repeal of the Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act.

BOSTA’s regulations define how the provisions of the Act are carried out in practical application.

O.Reg 877/21- General: This regulation sets out journeyperson-to-apprentice ratios, certificate terms and term extensions, academic entry requirements, information to be included in the public register, exemptions and transitional matters.
Reg 876/21- Prescribed Trades and Related Matters: This regulation lists all trades prescribed under BOSTA and identifies compulsory trades, trades requiring certifying exams and trades subject to ratios.
O.Reg 875/21- Scopes of Practice: This regulation provides the full scopes of practice for all trades prescribed under BOSTA.
O.Reg 874/21- Hearings: This regulation establishes which Skilled Trades Ontario employee will conduct hearings.
O.Reg 873/21- Definition of a Journeyperson: This regulation establishes the definition of “journeyperson” under BOSTA.
O.Reg 872/21- Administrative Penalties and Compliance Orders: This regulation establishes what information must be provided in a compliance order, the conditions for amending or revoking a compliance order and maximum penalty amounts.

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