TORONTO, March 22, 2013- The Stop The Trades Tax Campaign warns Ontario’s new trades tax will undermine new federal budget initiatives to support and promote skilled trades. These budget 2013 initiatives, including the Canada Job Grant program, are aimed at easing the growing shortage of skilled labour in Canada.

Sean Reid, Chair of the Stop the Trades Tax Campaign, worries the federal government’s good intentions will have zero impact in Ontario.

“We have a federal government supporting skilled trades through a new job grant program, at the same time the Ontario government is hammering tradespeople and employers with a new trades tax. The two run completely counter. Unless Ontario stops the trades tax it will wind up contributing to Canada’s skilled trades shortage.”

The Ontario government plans to force new fees (a trades tax) on Ontario tradespeople and employers starting next month through the creation of a new bureaucracy. The fees and red tape mean that an electrician, for example, will be paying a fee increase of close to 600 per cent.

“The Ontario government’s new trades tax will drive good people out of skilled trades,” Reid added. “We’re already hearing from tradespeople who’d rather find other work than pay a hefty new trades tax. This new federal initiative will not be able to undo the damage caused by Ontario’s regressive and shortsighted tax on tradespeople.”

To learn more about the Stop the Trades Tax campaign go to Stop the Trades Tax |.[