RECENT NEWS: James Barry Responds to Decision of Provincial Government to Deem Construction as Essential
Read the letter here: IBEW Response to Ontario Govt Re: Construction Workplaces as Essential Workplaces
UPDATE: April 4, 6:18:17 PM
Message from IBEW/CCO Executive Secretary Treasurer, James Barry: See below as a better understanding of yesterday’s announcement by the Premier as it relates to construction.
The Ontario government has ordered the majority of construction jobsites in Ontario to be closed effective 11:59 on Saturday April 4, 2020. The only construction job sites and work that legally can continue to be performed are set out below:
- Construction projects and services
- associated with the healthcare sector, including new facilities, expansions, renovations and conversion of spaces that could be re-purposed for health care space;
- required to ensure safe and reliable operations of, or to provide new capacity in, critical provincial infrastructure, including transit, transportation, energy and justice sectors beyond the day-to-day maintenance;
- Critical industrial construction activities required for
- the maintenance and operations of petrochemical plants and refineries;
- significant industrial petrochemical projects where preliminary work has already commenced;
- industrial construction and modifications to existing industrial structures limited solely to work necessary for the production, maintenance, and/or enhancement of Personal Protective Equipment, medical devices (such as ventilators), and other identified products directly related to combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Residential construction projects where:
- a footing permit has been granted for single family, semi-detached and townhomes;
- an above grade structural permit has been granted for condominiums, mixed use and other buildings;
- the project involves renovations to residential properties and construction work was started before April 4, 2020.
- Construction and maintenance
- activities necessary to temporarily close construction sites that have paused or are not active and to ensure ongoing public safety.
In addition it is lawful for businesses engaged in the following to remain open and continue performing work:
E. Maintenance
- repair and property management services strictly necessary to manage and maintain the safety, security, sanitation and essential operation of institutional, commercial, industrial and residential properties and buildings.
All other construction jobsites and businesses are required to be shut down by 11:59 pm on Saturday April 4, 2020. If it is not on this list it must be shut down.
If you are unsure about whether you should go to work please contact your employer/ supervisor and get confirmation that your workplace is shut down.
If your employer/supervisor requests you to report to work and you are unsure if you are permitted to please contact your Local Union Representative right away.
James Barry
Executive Secretary Treasurer
IBEW Construction Council of Ontario