LETTER: BUILDERS, CONTRACTORS CONCERNED ABOUT BEING LICENSED IN MUSKOKA LAKES TOWNSHIP
LETTER TO EDITOR:
Ed. Note: At a Township of Muskoka Lakes planning meeting Jan. 15, council directed staff to look into the possibility of a Municipal Contractor Licensing System after a resident blamed “illegal work” on a contractor he claimed told him he “didn’t need permits.” While that resident now has to take remedial action on his waterfront property, the discussion moved into a potential need to license contractors, said councillors.
The Muskoka Lakes Chamber of Commerce and the organizations in the attached letter are opposed to township taking any action toward what we believe is an unnecessary layer of red tape at a time when we are facing staff shortages, a housing crisis and increasing costs for all businesses, writes chamber executive director Norah Fountain.
Dear Mayor Peter Kelley and Members of Council:
On behalf of the undersigned organizations, we are writing to respectfully express our opposition to the Township of Muskoka Lakes proceeding with any consideration of a municipal contractor licensing system.
We believe responsible construction activity, an objective supported by the Township and the business community alike, is best achieved through clear rules and consistent enforcement. Municipal contractor licensing does not advance this goal and risks diverting attention from the Township’s core responsibilities of permits, inspections, and code compliance already in place.
Contractors operating legally are subject to extensive regulation and oversight. Depending on the trade, this includes provincial licensing, insurance, WSIB coverage, and existing regulatory frameworks governing plumbing, electrical work, and new home construction, including through Tarion (Ontario’s new home warranty administrator) and the Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA).
Municipal contractor licensing would not address a regulatory gap. Rather, it would duplicate existing oversight, introduce inconsistent standards from one municipality to the next, and create additional administrative and enforcement burdens without clear evidence of improved compliance outcomes.
It would also boost costs for contractors that would ultimately be passed on to consumers. Local and smaller trades are likely to be affected disproportionately, discouraging skilled local businesses, reducing consumer choice, and further slowing needed builds in a time of housing crisis while penalizing responsible operators for the actions of a few.
We would also like to state concern about recent public comments that seemed to characterize bad actor contractors as a widespread problem rather than the exception: the majority of contractors in our community are responsible, compliant, professional and they care deeply about environmental protection. Broad regulatory responses based on isolated or anecdotal examples can unfairly undermine local businesses and erode trust between Council and the business community.
In closing, where a clear enforcement framework already exists, the addition of a municipal contractor licensing system risks unnecessary duplication, increased costs and red tape and unnecessary harm to the local trades economy. We respectfully encourage Council to reconsider moving forward with this approach.
Thank you for your consideration.
Blake Johnston, chair Muskoka Lakes Chamber of Commerce
Kurt Browne, president Muskoka Home Builders Association
Alyxandra Brown, executive director, Our Muskoka Stakeholders Association
