OFA provides comments to the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development regarding a proposed new legislation to build new opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act. As a general principal, the OFA supports government efforts to streamline and simplify legislative and regulatory requirements. Since the current system governing trades in Ontario is split between MLTSD and the Ontario College of Trades, we applaud the intention of this proposed legislation to create a simpler, integrated system through a new Crown agency. Our concerns over the regulation of trades in Ontario centres around the scope of practice definitions for various compulsory trades, namely plumbers and steamfitters. While OFA appreciates the need for oversight in the trades and construction sector, simply put, installing irrigation equipment and CO2 distribution systems requires a skillset that is not necessarily held by certified plumbers and steamfitters. OFA recommends that the scope of practice for trades recognize the potential unintended consequences of overly broad definitions and provide flexibility to allow for related activities. OFA appreciates that government expects there to be no anticipated additional costs associated with this proposal to businesses, apprentices, or skilled tradespeople. Farmers are price takers and therefore increased costs would result in an additional financial burden to the agricultural sector.