AIRWAVES - SEPTEMBER EDITION | | Stay tuned – and stay informed – with Air Waves. | | |
ICI / Non-ICI Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)
The MOU pertaining to the 2025 ICI Construction / Non-ICI Construction, Service Maintenance CBA is available on ORAC.ca. The Labour Burden Calculations and Rate Scale Sheet effective May 1, 2025 are also available. The new CBA is currently in the process of being updated and will be distributed once complete.
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Residential Bargaining
Residential Bargaining for the GTA agreement is ongoing but is expected to be completed shortly. Bargaining for the Oustide-GTA agreement will begin soon.
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ORAC First Year Apprentice Intake Program
The Summer Intake closed on June 30, with interviews being conducted in July. New and qualified candidates were added to the Ready-to-Hire List on August 1 and are actively looking to secure an apprentice position. Now is the time to hire new talent and develop your workforce.
View the First-Year Apprentice Ready-to-Hire List
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Associate Member Meeting
This month, ORAC Staff and the Membership Committee met with our Associate Members to discuss current industry challenges, collaboration opportunities, and ways to strengthen support for contractor members. These conversations help ensure alignment across the ORAC community and keep our network strong and connected.
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ORAC Scholarship Program
The ORAC Scholarship Program is dedicated to supporting and inspiring the next generation by providing financial assistance to the children and grandchildren of our contractor members as they pursue their education and training. This year, ORAC proudly offered 45 scholarships valued at $1,000 each. Applications closed on Sunday, August 31, with more than 60 submissions received. The Scholarship Committee will be meeting this month to review applications, and recipients will be notified on Friday, September 26.
| | Please join us in welcoming Rémi Dion - Sales & Marketing Director and Nelson Bi - Regional Sales Manager at RefPlus! | | RefPlus, a leader in custom commercial refrigeration, designs and delivers high-performance units tailored to customer needs across North America. With advanced facilities and strong engineering expertise, we integrate sustainability into every step, developing energy-efficient solutions and using natural refrigerants like CO₂ to reduce emissions and environmental impact. | | |
We are grateful to all who attended and contributed to our Charity Golf Tournament. Together, we enjoyed a wonderful day of golf while making a lasting impact beyond the greens.
With your support, $20,000 will be donated to the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides.
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Thursday October 2, 2025
Copper Creek Golf Club
8:00am - 2:00pm
| | ORAC Member Tickets: $59 | Non-Member Tickets: $89 | Tony Chapman, Triple Hall of Fame inductee and host of the award-winning podcast Chatter That Matters, has spent over three decades helping organizations break through the noise to earn attention and trust. In his keynote, Stop Telling Your Story. Become Part of Theirs., Tony shows HVAC leaders how to shift from talking about equipment, services, and features to becoming part of their customers’ journey, helping them feel safe, comfortable, and confident in their choices. Attendees will walk away with strategies to position their business where it matters most: as the partner who truly understands and supports the people they serve. | David Coletto, PhD, Founder & CEO of Abacus Data and one of Canada’s leading pollsters, will share powerful insights into how today’s economic pressures and uncertainty are shaping the way people live and work. In his session, David unpacks how the “precarity mindset” is influencing decisions at every level - from customers choosing HVAC services, to contractors recruiting and retaining skilled workers, to business owners leading through change. Attendees will gain data-driven strategies to adapt to shifting attitudes, strengthen their teams, and connect more effectively with clients in a competitive marketplace. | Wayne Lee, one of North America’s premier corporate speakers and peak performance experts, brings his high-energy style to A.C.E. Your Day. Using hypnosis and other powerful mind-expanding techniques, Wayne demonstrates how the words we use and the visualizations we repeat shape our energy, focus, and results. In this interactive session, HVAC professionals will learn how to unlock greater motivation, sharpen their mindset, and channel their potential into both business growth and personal fulfillment - walking away inspired and equipped to hit their biggest goals. | | |
SAVE THE DATE:
Fall Forum
November 6, 2025 | Woodbine Racetrack, Etobicoke
Registration Opens Soon
Holiday Toy Drive
December 12, 2025 | ORAC Office, Vaughan
CMPX Tradeshow
March 25 - 27, 2026 | Metro Toronto Convention Centre
ORAC's 59th AGM
May 14 - 17, 2026 | Quebec City, Chateau Frontenac
| | September 11th 2025 - SOLD OUT | | November 13th 2025 - OPENING SOON | | |
Off-Site Brazing provides the option to have a TSSA inspector come directly to your shop to witness your technician’s braze and approve the certification (provided by ORAC).
To register for an Off-Site Brazing certificate, please click HERE.
| | GAS TECHNICIAN (G1) & (G2) | |
GAS TECHNICIAN 1 (G1)
WEEKENDS or MODIFIED
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MODIFIED (2 sessions p/ course)
2025
Session 1: September 6 - September 14
Session 2: September 27- October 5
Session 1: October 18 - October 26
Session 2: November 8 - November 16
2026
Session 1: January 17 - January 25
Session 2: February 21 - March 1
Session 1: March 21 - March 29
Session 2: April 18 - April 26
WEEKENDS
Dates: January 10, 2026 - May 24, 2026
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GAS TECHNICIAN 2 (G2)
EVENINGS or MODIFIED
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EVENINGS
Dates: September 2, 2025 - April 26, 2026
MODIFIED (4 sessions)
Session 1: December 6 - December 14, 2025
Session 2: January 3 - January 11, 2026
Session 3: January 31 - February 8, 2026
Session 4: March 7 - March 15, 2026
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GAS TECHNICIAN 3 (G3)
WEEKENDS
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Date: September 6, 2025 - February 1, 2026
Date: January 10, 2026 - May 24, 2026
| | ODP CERTIFICATION - Self Directed Online Course | | |
Date: September 15-17, 2025
(3 Days - Starting on Monday until Wednesday)
Date: October 20-22, 2025
(3 Days - Starting on Monday until Wednesday)
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Date: November 17-19, 2025
(3 Days - Starting on Monday until Wednesday)
Date: December 15-17, 2025
(3 Days - Starting on Monday until Wednesday)
| | Click Here for more Information on JTAC courses | | |
October 7th 2025 | October 8th 2025
8:30 am to 4:00 pm | 8:30 am to 4:00 pm
Location: MCA Toronto Office in Vaughan, Ontario
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Module 1: The Dispatcher and the Service Organization
Module 2: Communication Skills for the Dispatcher
Module 3: Partnering with the Service Technician
Module 4: Servicing the Customer
Module 5: Managing the Service Manager
Module 6: Working with the Rest of the Team
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$550 per person
Includes :
• 2-Day Dispatcher Training
• Course Booklet
• Certificate of Completion
• Lunch each day
| | September 27th 2025 | 8:00am to 2:00pm Location: 145 Sherwood Drive, Brantford, Ontario | This event is the perfect opportunity to enhance your knowledge of advanced technology and innovation while connecting with some of Canada’s most experienced industry leaders | |
What to expect:
- Hands-on learning and expert-led discussions
- Networking with industry professionals
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Exciting topics, including:
- Copeland compressor troubleshooting
- Vilter industrial compressor technology
- Building & refrigeration management systems
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M&A in uncertain times: The opportunity in Canada | As the tariffs threatened by President Trump against Canada, Mexico and China have been announced, we believe that there is an opportunity for businesses to find opportunity in geopolitical uncertainty, particularly in mergers and acquisitions. | | | | Did you know that ORAC Contractor Members get exclusive access to TSSA approved Standard P-Drawings? | | |
These P-Drawings are essential for anyone performing refrigerant piping systems for HVAC/R systems. Developed to align with TSSA (Technical Standards & Safety Authority) requirements and CSA B52 code, they ensure your systems are:
Compliant with the latest CSA B52 code
Compliant with industry standards for refrigerant piping installations
Compliant with TSSA submission requirements
Whether you're training new technicians or maintaining your team's high standards, these P-Drawings support quality workmanship and regulatory compliance with TSSA and CSA B52 standards.
Only available to ORAC members, these resources help keep your team up to date and optimize your TSSA submissions.
Note: ORAC's P-Drawings are in the process of being updated to recognize the new A2L refrigerants and we anticipate they will be approved by TSSA and ready for use by the end of 2025. TSSA approved Standard P-Drawings for VRF systems are now on our website and available for use.
If you have any suggestions or requests for additional P-Drawing configurations, please email us at contact@orac.ca and our TSSA Committee will review and consider your requests.
| | | Paul Wrigley - Managing Director | | |
Aimee White - Manager, Programs & Communications
(E) awhite@orac.ca
(P) 905.670.0010 x 103
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Taborah Campbell- Apprentice Intake Coordinator
(E) tcampbell@orac.ca
(P) 905.670.0010 x 106
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Natalia Pacholczyk - Events & Marketing Coordinator
(E) npacho@orac.ca
(P) 905.670.0010 x 101
| | Have suggestions or ideas for topics you'd like to see in future issues? We'd love to hear from you! Email Natalia at npacho@orac.ca with your feedback. | | Know someone who'd like to receive this newsletter? Send an email to contact@orac.ca to get added on the distribution list | | |
ORAC Association - Air Waves
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