Click HERE to view a summary of two reports produced for the CCA Civil Infrastructure Council by the Canada West Foundation (CWF) highlighting the importance of public investments in infrastructure. This document summarizes the conclusions of both reports and should be helpful to you in explaining their conclusions to public officials.
Over the past several months, the Department of Labour and Advanced Education has been consulting with the public to consolidate and amend the Workplace Health & Safety Regulations.
Since the consultation launched in September 2014, LAE has received considerable feedback and has decided to completely re-think what regulatory changes are needed at this time.
To read the full update, click here: WHSRs – Update Letter.
Employment and Social Development Canada has launched the Flexibility and Innovation in Apprenticeship Technical Training (FIATT) Call for Proposal (CFP).
Applications must be submitted by e-mail no later than March 3, 2015 before 11:59 p.m. EST. Applications received after this deadline will be disqualified. For the purpose of this CFP, it is expected that project activities will start after May 1, 2015, and have a maximum duration of three years.
Innovative approaches can include, but are not limited to: e-learning; distance education; videoconference; correspondence; blended learning (combination of e-learning with classroom teaching); mobile facilities; and simulation technology.
Click here for details about FIATT and how to apply for funding.
Health Canada is changing the Federal WHMIS legislation to bring it in line with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS). An international team of hazard communication experts developed GHS with the goal of having the same set of rules for classifying hazards, and the same format and content for labels and safety data sheets adopted and used around the world.
Currently many different countries have different systems for classification and labeling of chemical products. This situation has been expensive for governments to regulate and enforce, costly for companies who have to comply with many different systems, and confusing for workers who need to understand the hazards of a chemical in order to work safely.
In Canada, the current roles and responsibilities for suppliers, employers and workers likely will not change in WHMIS after GHS.
Employers must continue to:
Workers will still:
However, employers will need to update their education and training of workers to include the new format of labels and data sheets. Products with new Data Sheets and Hazard Symbols may start appearing on construction sites as early as Spring 2015.
Numerous resources are available for this, including:
Click HERE for a summary of the specification changes for 2015.
NS Depart. of Labour and Advanced Education (LAE) is in the process of changing 13 of the OH&S regulations and these changes establish Workplace Health and Safety Regulations. Join OEA and the employer community as they review the draft changes, new items and discuss the impact to employers and Nova Scotia businesses.
Please click the following link: HERE and complete the registration fields below the posting. You will recieve a confirmation e-mail within 24 hours.
If you have any questions, please contact Robert Benoit at robert.benoit@oeans.ca or 902-442-9367.
On December 4, 2013 the Minister introduced changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act as a first step to implementing a new administrative penalties system. These particular changes (Bill no 12) will focus on a simplified single appeal process for Compliance Orders and administrative penalties and provide legislative authority to direct funds collected through administrative penalties towards workplace safety initiatives. The details of the bill may be found at the Legislative counsel website. Learn more.
Proposed amendments to the Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act introduced today, Oct. 24, will help more apprentices complete their training sooner and easier.
Nova Scotia apprentices who pursue on-the-job-training in another province will no longer have to register in that province. Instead, they can remain registered in Nova Scotia. This lets them start training more quickly, and saves paying extra fees and writing more exams.
The legislation also ensures out-of-province on-the-job and trades training is recognized, meeting a government commitment.
“The role of the new agency is to work with industry to open up more opportunities for Nova Scotia apprentices,” said Marjorie Davison, CEO of the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency. “To accomplish this, we need to make it easier for our apprentices to get the training they need to complete their journey.”
Amendments will also allow the agency to make agreements with other provinces to ensure apprentice experience and training is recognized, and the training meets a quality standard.
These amendments complement work already underway to enhance consistency in apprenticeship programs across the country.
The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) applauded the release of the Asset Management Primer, part of the Canadian Infrastructure Report Card, which details the important need for asset management plans for Canadian municipalities, as well as recommendations for implementing asset management practices.
“The release of the Asset Management Primer as a follow-up to the 2012 Canadian Infrastructure Report Card is a great next step to tracking and monitoring the importance of ongoing infrastructure investment in Canada,” said Michael Atkinson, president of the CCA. “Since what gets measured, gets done, this primer will go a long way to assisting municipalities in their efforts to continually improve and build the infrastructure that drives the Canadian economy.”
The first-of-its-kind Canadian Infrastructure Report Card indicated that fewer than 15 per cent of municipalities could provide asset condition information that was derived from asset management processes. While the condition of aboveground assets is more easily identified, assets not as visible are only more accurately monitored with asset management processes.
This past year saw increased awareness and promotion of asset management processes, including the federal government highlighting their importance in the New Building Canada Plan, the province of Ontario requiring asset management plans as eligibility for some provincial funding, and a number of municipalities developing their own asset management plans.
“This primer once again showcases the importance of strong asset management to the long-term viability and sustainability of our core public infrastructure assets,” added Atkinson.
The Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency invites you to attend an Update Event. This event will be an opportunity for you to network with your colleagues, enjoy a warm meal, hear about our progress and help us identify how to better engage employers in the Apprenticeship and Trades Certification System.
Apprenticeship Agency Update Events are being held at Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) campuses across the province between October 20th and 29th, 2014. Below, please find a list of the session locations, dates and times. As meeting times vary by location, please make sure to register online for the session that is most convenient for you!
DATES:
October 20th
– Kentville, NSCC Kingstec Campus, 7:30 am – 9:30 am
– Bridgewater, NSCC Lunenburg Campus, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
October 23rd
– Yarmouth, NSCC Burridge Campus, 7:30 am – 9:30 am
October 27th
– Dartmouth, NSCC Waterfront Campus, 7:30 am – 9:30 am
October 28th
– Sydney, NSCC Marconi Campus, 7:30 am – 9:30 am
– Port Hawkesbury, NSCC Strait Area Campus, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
October 29th
– Stellarton, NSCC Pictou Campus, 7:30 am – 9:30 am
– Truro, NSCC Truro Campus, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm