When a request to explore options for municipal contractor licensing was raised at Township Council, the business community spoke up.

 

The Muskoka Lakes Chamber, Muskoka Builders’ Association and Our Muskoka Stakeholders Association came together to share concerns about added red tape, higher potential costs for homeowners, and duplication of rules for contractors, trades and residents that already exist. 428 businesses and individuals endorsed our letter of concern to Muskoka Lakes Council.

At last week’s meeting, Council had a full, transparent discussion about it. The result? A revised resolution that directs staff to first clearly define the actual problem — including its scope and magnitude — before exploring regulatory options.

This is a much better starting point.

It means decisions will be based on clearly identified issues and real information, not assumptions.

It also shows that respectful, informed advocacy makes a difference. We’ve sent a Thank You letter to Council for their thoughtful rethinking of this matter.

Thanks to our Chamber Members and everyone who spoke up. We’ll continue to keep you informed as this work moves forward.

If interested, MuskokaRegion.com wrote about last week’s outcome in an article here >

WHAT CHANGED EXACTLY?

The original resolution directed staff to bring back a report looking at the potential feasibility, scope and options for a municipal contractor licensing system.

If you want to dig into this: See the original resolution below and compare it to the next one to see how the final decision changed.
The Revised Resolution is below. The important line to note is that staff will now report back with data related to construction-related bylaw violations and work done without permits, only. This is a better, reasonable result in the Chamber’s opinion. Getting the facts first makes sense and shows respect for local contractors.