The ECAO is pleased to announce the R. Hugh Carroll Safety Awards will now be a featured event at our 2024 Annual General Meeting at Woodbine Racetrack. This exciting change further raises the profile of the R. Hugh Carroll Safety Awards, demonstrating the ECAO’s commitment to promoting and fostering a positive, safety first culture amongst its membership, and the electrical industry.

There are changes to the 2024 R. Hugh Carroll application we wish to communicate, allowing applicants to submit exemplary applications worthy of the prominence of recognition at the ECAO’s Annual General Meeting at Woodbine Racetrack.  

For 2024, the R. Hugh Carroll Safety Award categories have been restructured according to company size and only size (see below), elevating the R. Hugh Carroll Safety Awards by recognizing and promoting the absolute best of the best, those who put safety first! Also, for 2024 we are including guidelines for completing the application and a grading rubric that will be used to evaluate submissions by the panel. 

Join Certi-Fire's Exclusive Webinar: "An Introduction to Fire Alarm with Certi-Fire" for 309A Electricians.

Who Should Attend?

309A Electricians seeking to broaden their expertise.

Event Details:

Date: November 29th

Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (EST)

Why Should You Attend?

Are you a 309A Electrician looking to expand your knowledge and skillset? Fire alarm systems play a critical role in the safety of buildings and understanding them is paramount for electricians. Our webinar offers a comprehensive overview of the fire alarm course and the benefits it provides you.

What You'll Learn:

• Fundamentals of Fire Alarm Systems
• Key Components and their Functions
• Installation and Wiring Techniques
• Testing, Troubleshooting, and Maintenance
• Compliance with Fire Safety Standards

Why Choose Certi-Fire?

• Endorsement by the Office of the Fire Marshal: Our courses meet the highest industry standards.
• Experienced Instructors: Learn from experts with years of real-world experience.
• Practical Insights: Gain valuable insights that can enhance your career.
• Certification: Receive a Certi-Fire certificate of completion.

Register Now

Feel free to reach out to Vaishnavi at contactus@certifire.org if you have any questions or need further information. We look forward to your participation in this insightful webinar.

ECAO is grateful for all the support our Affiliates and Industry Partners have extended in sponsoring ECAO's 75th Anniversary and Past-President's Gala. A huge shout out to:

• Southwire Canada
• Electrical Contractors Association of Central Ontario (ECACO)
• Rubicon Strategy
• Electrical Contractors Association of Ottawa (ECA Ottawa)
• The Home Depot
• Certi-Fire
• Windsor Electrical Contractors Association (WECA)
• National Electrical Trade Council (NETCO)
• K-Line Group of Companies
• Teksmed
• Electrical Construction Association of Hamilton (ECAH)
• Electrical Contractors Association of Thunder Bay (ECATB)
• Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA)
• Graybar Canada

Access the Photo Gallery from the Gala here: https://bit.ly/ECAO-75-Years-Photo-Gallery

The Government has announced a new competitive grant that provides funding for the installation of public electric vehicle (EV) chargers in Ontario communities outside of major cities. The government’s goal is to increase the number of public EV charging stations, make charging stations more accessible, and encourage more people to switch to electric vehicles.

Contractors who operate in this market are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the funding available to their clients and potential clients by sharing this information with them.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Grant applicants must either be:

• Current site owners, or
• Have written approval from the owner or Band council to install and operate a charging station for a minimum of 5 years.

To receive funding, the EV charging stations must:

• Be publicly accessible 24/7
• Meet the minimally required port count, type, and connector requirements, and
• Be installed in a community with a population of 170,000 or less, OR in any Indigenous community in Ontario.

AVAILABLE FUNDING

The maximum amount of funding available per project is $1 million. Each site is considered 1 project.

There are two parameters that determine how much funding is available:

• Per-project percentage cap – Businesses can claim up to 50% of the total project cost.

OR

• Per-technology level cap: Between $5,000 to $100,000 is available per port, with funding amounts proportional to the charger’s power output.

NOTE: The funding available for each project will be the lesser of the percentage, technology, or maximum cap.

Want to learn more about program requirements, location eligibility, funding breakdown, or the application process? CLICK HERE.

Attend the upcoming Webinar:

November 30, 2023 REGISTER HERE

PROGRAM DEADLINE

The program is taking applications until January 31, 2024, 5PM EST.

For those of you who were not able to attend the EV ChargeON information session on November 1^st, 2023, a recording of the webinar can be found here.

Dear IHSA Stakeholder,

As we transition into the colder months, it is crucial to revisit our commitment to safety, particularly in relation to the changing weather conditions and its potential impact on personal protective equipment (PPE). In light of this, I want to draw your attention to the alert issued earlier this year by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) regarding working at heights in construction, specifically focusing on the use of self-retracting lifelines.

As the temperatures drop, it's essential for us to be aware of the potential effects on fall protection equipment. Cold weather can impact the flexibility and performance of materials used in PPE, including self-retracting lifelines. Below are a few key points to consider.

Key Points to Consider:

1. Equipment Inspection: Conduct thorough inspections of all fall protection equipment before use and as per the manufacturer's instructions. Look for any signs of wear, damage, or deterioration that may have occurred over time. Pay close attention to the condition of the lifelines and their components.

2. Temperature Ratings: Check the manufacturer's guidelines for temperature ratings of the fall protection equipment. Some materials may become less effective in colder temperatures, and it's crucial to know the limitations of the equipment.

3. Training and Awareness: Remind workers about the importance of proper usage and maintenance of fall protection equipment, especially in colder weather conditions. Ensure that they are aware of the MLITSD alert and are following recommended safety practices.

Please pause all work for a safety moment and re-establish a commitment to the prevention of injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.

For more information on Fall Prevention please visit our website and watch our new videos on YouTube.

ESA has begun a consultation and requests input from stakeholders on two fee change proposals. The first proposal would introduce cost recovery fees for deviation applications. Deviation requests have increased more than 20-fold since 2009. ESA has been providing this service without additional cost; however, given the increase in, and complexity of, deviation requests, ESA is seeking recover the costs of these reviews from the applicant.

The second proposal would increase entertainment fees also in order to achieve cost recovery. ESA inspectors dedicate a significant amount of time and effort on film shoots, theatre productions and commercial shoots and inspect these sites over the course of multiple visits; however, the current fee only reflects the cost of one visit.

For those who are interested in reviewing the proposals in detail and submitting feedback, please visit ESA’s public consultation’s website. Feedback is requested before December 21, 2023. Please circulate with your ECAO members for their knowledge and to encourage their feedback.

Technology and the pace of change has accelerated rapidly in the last few years. If you are having difficulty keeping up, or want to optimize the digital capacity of your business, consider applying for a Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) Boost Your Business Technology.

Boost Your Business Technology can help get your business online, give your e-commerce presence a boost, or digitalize your business' operations. These grants are designed to help Canadian businesses become more competitive.

In addition to helping your business scale up its technology, and become more resilient and competitive, the program also offers wage subsidies to hire youth to support the implementation of new technology and strategies.

More about Boost Your Business Technology:

• Use a free digital assessment tool to evaluate your business’ digital readiness.
• Get a grant of up to $15,000 to consult a digital expert and develop a digital adoption plan for your business.
• Get up to $100,000 in interest-free loans from BDC to implement your digital adoption plan.
• Leverage a subsidized work placement of up to $7,300 to bring on a youth to help with your digital transformation.

If you have any questions about the grant, please reach out to digitaladoption-adoptionnumerique@ised-isde.gc.ca.

If you have any questions about the wage subsidy, please reach out to boostyourbusiness@magnet.today.

Click here to learn more and apply online