OTTAWA – New survey findings released by the Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada (MCAC) reveal contractors operating across provincial boundaries are facing significant costs due to non-harmonized safety certifications, training and verification requirements, not to mention unnecessary administration duties.
The national survey, conducted in February, highlights widespread duplication in safety programming, despite identical workplace hazards, explains a release. Contractors report inconsistent requirements are increasing costs, delaying project starts and restricting labour mobility, all without delivering better safety results.
“Contractors are not asking for less safety,” said Tania Johnston, CEO of MCAC, in a statement. “They are asking for smarter systems that recognize equivalent safety outcomes, reduce duplication and allow companies and workers to focus their time and resources on managing real risks in the field.”
Here are some of the survey highlights:
- A majority of surveyed contractors experience moderate to high administrative burden due to non‑harmonized safety requirements.
- Many firms spend 10 to 24 hours per month managing duplicated safety paperwork and retraining. It should be noted, large, multi‑jurisdictional firms report 50 to 100-plus hours.
- Direct costs frequently reach $25,000 to $100,000-plus annually, excluding lost productivity and declined work.
- 74 per cent of respondents strongly support a national mutual recognition or common assessment framework.
“Identical hazards are being treated as if they are different simply because a worker crosses a provincial border,” Johnston added. “That inconsistency undermines labour mobility and internal trade at a time when Canada needs both.”
The MCAC is calling for action from the federal government in three key areas:
- A national safety certification verification database: A secure, nationally accessible system to verify safety‑certified workers and companies, adopted by provinces, territories and industry.
- Framework for harmonization and mutual recognition: Convene industry, provinces and regulators to develop a national framework that:
Defines core safety training areas and competency outcomes;
supports equivalency recognition based on outcomes — not identical training pathways;
enables mutual recognition of COR/SECOR, ISO‑aligned, and other accredited systems; and
Builds on existing jurisdictional efforts rather than replacing them.
- Guidance to owners and procurement bodies: Issue national guidance encouraging the acceptance of equivalent certifications and verified safety data.
“Targeted federal leadership can strengthen internal trade, improve productivity and maintain strong safety outcomes,” said Johnston. “Getting harmonization right benefits workers, contractors and the Canadian economy.”
