Manufacturers welcome legislation to repeal Bill 148

MANUFACTURERS WELCOME LEGISLATION TO REPEAL BILL 148

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) congratulates the Ontario government for introducing legislation to repeal Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act and fully supporting the recommendations of our association. On behalf of our members, CME had expressed significant concerns about Bill 148 noting that it was unnecessarily costly and disruptive to manufacturing operations in Ontario, without providing much benefit to workers in a sector with higher than average wages.

“The repeal of Bill 148 is an important step toward restoring business competitiveness in Ontario,” said Dennis Darby President & CEO of CME. “Bill 148 increased the cost of labour and the regulatory burden on Ontario’s manufacturers. This had the direct hurt their ability compete against international competitors, create jobs, and generate prosperity in Ontario’s communities. While we support creation of more opportunity and security for Ontario workers, there must be a balance to ensure there are no significant additional costs or workplace disruptions placed on manufacturers.  Business cannot succeed without the right regulatory environment; Bill 148 was limiting Ontario manufacturers’ growth potential.”

Recent studies show that, since Bill 148 was enacted, Ontario manufacturers have experienced:

  • The highest unit labour cost of any province in Canada and is amongst the highest across North America;
  • A 7% increase in the rate of employee absenteeism causing increased lost production and a decline in output and profits; and,
  • Decreased in labour flexibility manufacturers need to remain competitive within globally integrated supply chains.

“The government is acting on its commitment to attract investment and restore Ontario to its historical place as the economic engine of this county. The repeal of Bill 148 is a great start for CME and our members on this track. We thank the government for listening to our concerns on this Bill and we look forward to continuing working with the government to drive investment and growth in Ontario’s critical manufacturing sector,” added Darby.

As part of the legislation tabled today, the Government also proposed changes to modernize Ontario’s apprenticeship system, including the setting of all journeyperson to apprentice ratios at one-to-one. CME had advocated for these changes and this is another positive step for Ontario’s manufacturing sector.

About Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters

Since 1871, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters has been helping manufacturers grow at home and thrive around the world. In 2016, CME released Industrie 2030 – a roadmap for doubling Canadian manufacturing activity by 2030. Our focus is to ensure the sector is dynamic, profitable, productive, innovative and growing. We aim to do this by strengthening the labour force, accelerating the adoption of advanced technology, supporting product commercialization, expanding marketplaces and, most importantly, ensuring a globally-competitive business environment. CME is a member-driven association that directly represents more than 2,500 leading companies who account for an estimated 82 per cent of manufacturing output and 90 per cent of Canada’s exports.

For more information, please contact:

Stefi Proulx

Director of Communications & Branding

Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters

613-292-6070

stefi.proulx@cme-mec.ca