NEWS

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY LAUNCHES PROMPT PAYMENT ONTARIO

On October 14, 2014 twenty-five construction industry leaders representing ICI and Residential trade contractors, labour unions and benefit plan administrators gathered at the inaugural members’ meeting of Prompt Payment Ontario (PPO).

The PPO is a single issue organization dedicated to promoting and achieving Prompt Payment Legislation for Ontario’s construction industry.  Membership is open to all construction industry stakeholders who support and wish to participate in fulfilling this goal.

Eryl Roberts, Executive Vice President of ECAO and one of the founding directors of Prompt Payment Ontario, highlighted the three main reasons for creating the new entity:

• PPO will keep the Ontario government focussed on fixing the issues of prompt payment and fair distribution of risk as promised prior to the election. Since the election, Prompt Payment appears to have moved to the back burner and does not appear in the ministerial mandate letters, though it was in the Liberal pre-election platform.

• The proponents want to expand the scope of stakeholders beyond the group of Trade Contractor Organizations who championed Bill 69-The Prompt Payment Act. In addition to Trade Contractors, PPO includes Pension Plans, Labour Organizations, Supplier Associations, Benefit Administrators and other supporters.

• The push for Bill 69 was seen by some as focussed on the ICI sector. PPO has been created to attract supporters from all sectors, including Residential and Roads.

“The number of committed members from so many different constituencies who attended the first meeting is a clear signal that Prompt Payment Ontario will be a force to be reckoned with in the fight for prompt payment legislation” says Roberts.

The founding directors of Prompt Payment Ontario are Hugh Laird, Interior Systems Contractors Association, John Blair, Ontario Masonry Contractors Association and Eryl Roberts.