Category: Uncategorized

Dedicated Locator Process
Have Your Say!

Dear Stakeholder,

Thank you to those who participated in last week’s webinar on the Dedicated Locator Process. We hope it shed some light on this important new change in the legislation.

If you missed the webinar, a recording, plus other valuable resources, and a feedback survey on the Dedicated Locator Process can be found here: OntarioOneCall.ca/DL

Key takeaways:

– This is just the beginning of the conversation around Dedicated Locator policies and procedures. We need your feedback! Please complete the feedback survey by May 20th, 2022.
– Resources are available on our website, including a Draft Agreement Between the Member and Dedicated Locator, format for a 90-day notice period, and other background material.

Please share these resources within your organization and with your legal counsel as there are new and substantial legal obligations.

In the coming weeks, we will host more webinars and release some new resources to help you understand your responsibilities under the law change. Please make sure to check out our website often.

For any questions, please contact us at Training@OntarioOneCall.ca

The Ontario One Call Team

Voting Results
2021 Annual General Meeting

 Dear Stakeholders,

The voting results for the 2021 Annual General Meeting are complete. Please see the results below.

For more information on the 2021 Annual General Meeting:

• Video Recording of 2021 AGM – Click Here
• 2020 Annual Report – Click Here

 Essential Construction Project List

The Government of Ontario has released its essential construction project types that will be able to continue during this enhanced state of emergency. 

The new rules came into effect on Saturday, April 17th at 12:01 a.m., for all of Ontario.

Under the Enhancing Public Health and Workplace Safety Measures, all non-essential workplaces in the construction sector will be closed, with only essential construction permitted to operate.


Ontario One Call remains fully operational to accept locate requests.

• We encourage Excavators to only request locates for essential projects
• We encourage Members to respond in good faith to all locate requests within the obligated timelines

If you suspect an excavation is non-essential and does not fall within the essential construction list, fulfill your obligation to provide a locate and contact your local Public Health Unit, by-law, or non-emergency law enforcement to file a complaint.

The list of essential construction projects (as of April 17th, 2021):

Construction activities or projects and related services (including land surveying and demolition services) are essential if they:

• are associated with the health care sector or long-term care, including new facilities, expansions, renovations and conversion of spaces that could be repurposed for health care space
• ensure safe and reliable operations of, or provide new capacity in: municipal infrastructure;  provincial infrastructure, including but not limited to, the transit, transportation, resource, energy and justice sectors
• support the operations of, or provide new capacity in, electricity generation, transmission, distribution and storage, natural gas distribution, transmission and storage or in the supply of resources
• support the operations of, or provide new capacity in, schools, colleges, universities or child care centres within the meaning of the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014
• are required for: the maintenance and operations of petrochemical plants and refineries; significant industrial petrochemical projects where preliminary work commenced before April 17, 2021; industrial construction and modifications to existing industrial structures limited solely to work necessary for the production, maintenance or enhancement of personal protective equipment, medical devices such as ventilators and other identified products directly related to combatting the COVID-19 pandemic
• would provide additional capacity in the production, processing, manufacturing or distribution of food, beverages or agricultural products
• were started before April 17, 2021 and would provide additional capacity: for businesses that provide logistical support, distribution services, warehousing, storage or shipping and delivery services; in the operation and delivery of Information Technology (IT) services or telecommunications services; to, or enhance the efficiency or operations of, businesses that extract, manufacture, process and distribute goods, products, equipment and materials 
• support the operations of broadband internet and cellular technologies and services
• are residential construction activities or projects and related services
• prepare a site for an institutional, commercial, industrial or residential development, including any necessary excavation, grading, roads or utilities infrastructure
• are necessary to temporarily close construction sites that have paused, or that are not active, to ensure ongoing public safety
• are funded in whole or in part by: the Crown in right of Canada or in right of Ontario; an agency of the Crown in right of Canada or in right of Ontario; a municipality
• are intended to provide shelter or supports for vulnerable persons or affordable housing
• being funded in whole or in part by, or are being undertaken by: the Crown in right of Canada or in right of Ontario; an agency of the Crown in right of Canada or in right of Ontario; a municipality a service manager as defined the Housing Services Act, 2011; a registered charity within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada); a not-for-profit corporation

(source: COVID-19: enhanced public health and workplace safety measures)

Ontario One Call Wins Marketing Award

Ontario One Call, with ad agency adHOME Creative, win Gold at the International Davey Awards.

October 29th, 2020

We are proud to announce that Ontario One Call’s “Get the Dirt” marketing campaign is a Gold Winner in the design / print category at the 16th annual Davey Awards. This is the first time Ontario One Call has won a marketing award.

The ‘Get the Dirt’ campaign was designed for homeowners, with impactful creative, to educate on the need to contact Ontario One Call for any size dig.

The Davey Awards honours the finest creative work from the best small shops, firms, and companies worldwide.

Winning a Davey is an amazing accomplishment for  Ontario One Call, and adHome Creative, and one that we should celebrate.

Ontario One Call is encouraging Members, Excavators, and Locate Service Providers to use Ontario One Call’s award-winning creative. Materials are available for download and use in the Marketing and Educational Toolkit located on our website.

Get materials here: OntarioOneCall.ca/resources

About the Davey Awards

The Davey Awards exclusively honour the “Davids” of creativity, the finest small shops, firms, agencies, and companies worldwide. David defeated the giant Goliath with a big idea and a little rock – the sort of thing small companies do each year. The annual International Davey Awards honours the achievements of the “Creative Davids”, who derive their strength from big ideas rather than big budgets. The Davey Awards is the leading awards competition specifically for smaller organizations.

Please visit www.daveyawards.com for more information.

Last Call for Feedback on the Proposed By-Law and Fee-Schedule Changes

Provide feedback before 12:00 pm (noon) on Friday, October 16th, 2020.

Dear Stakeholders,

This is a reminder, that Ontario One Call is soliciting feedback on the proposed By-law and Fee Schedule changes.

Please provide written feedback before 12:00 pm (noon) on Friday, October 16th, 2020.

Send written feedback to: cofficer@OntarioOneCall.ca

For more background information click here

Key Dates:

• August 21st – Ontario One Call sent out notification of September 30th consultation meeting
• September 18th – Ontario One Call sent out official notice of November Special Members Meeting
• September 30th – Member Consultation Meeting via webinar
• September 30th to October 16th – Stakeholders asked to provide written feedback on the proposed changes
• October 16th at 12:00 pm (noon) – all written feedback due
• October 19th – Board of Directors meet to review feedback for consideration and approve final proposals
• November 5th – Special Members Meeting to vote on the proposed changes

Special Members Meeting 2020
Please join us on Nov 5th, at 12:00 P.M. (EST).

INVITATION ONTARIO ONE CALL’S SPECIAL MEMBERS MEETING

November 5th, 2020
12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Dear Members,

Ontario One Call would like to invite you to participate in a webinar for the Special Members Meeting on November 5th, 2020.

The purpose of the Special Members Meeting is to vote on the changes Ontario One Call is proposing to its by-laws and fee schedule.

For more background information click here.

Please contact Member Services at MemberServices@OntarioOneCall.ca if you would like to submit a proxy vote for the Special Members Meeting prior to November 4th, 2020.

Key Dates:

• August 21st – Ontario One Call sent out notification of September 30
  Member Consultation Meeting
• September 18th – Ontario One Call sent out official notice of November
  Special Members Meeting, including full proposal package
• September 30th – Member Consultation Meeting via webinar
• September 30th to October 16th – Stakeholders are asked to provide written feedback on the proposed changes
• October 19th, 2020 -Board of Directors meet to review feedback for consideration and approve final proposals
• November 5th, 2020 –  Special Members Meeting to vote on the proposed by-law and fee schedule changes

Registration for the webinar is available until Thursday, November 5th, 2020 at 11:00 am.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

If you require further information or would like to provide feedback, please contact Cory Officer via email at cofficer@OntarioOneCall.ca

ONTARIO ONE CALL LAUNCHES THE PROFESSIONAL LOCATE ADMINISTRATOR COURSE

Join the hundreds of people registering for Ontario One Call’s new course. Achieve a new designation, improve skills, and offer increased value to your company.

September 14, 2020 (Press Release) – Launching this October, the Professional Locate Administrator Course (PLAC) is an interactive online program, designed to create expert Locate Administrators. The course provides an in-depth understanding of how to effectively request and manage locates within the Province of Ontario. Learners will be taken through interactive online modules covering various topics related to planning projects, making accurate locate requests, staying within the regulations, utilizing tools, avoiding issues, troubleshooting and so much more.

“If you work for a company that digs, and your job involves requesting and organizing locates, this course is for you,” says Ian Simpson, Director of Education, Marketing, and Compliance. “Whether you are brand new to the industry or are a seasoned professional, when finished, you will be the go-to-person within an organization to answer questions related to locates.”

Once a learner has successfully completed the program, they will receive a certificate of completion, which is valid for 2 years. Most students on average take about 6 hours to complete the course, which includes nine modules, quizzes, and a final exam.

Ontario One Call offers a free service for anyone who needs to make a locate request so they can dig in the province. Until now, there was no industry-wide training available on how to make good quality locate requests. PLAC is looking to change that. “Making accurate and good quality locate requests would relieve a lot of pressure on the system,” says Simpson. “Good quality locate requests should help Utilities and Municipalities with the timely delivery of their locates.”

The cost of PLAC is $84.95 + HST. Although the course doesn’t officially launch until October, hundreds of people are pre-registering.

Ontario One Call is offering a 25% off pre-registration sale running from September 8th to 30th.

To register or find out more details visit: OntarioOneCall.ca/PLAC

Ontario One Call is a not-for-profit organization that acts as a communications link between utility companies, underground infrastructure owners, and individuals who are planning to dig in the province of Ontario. In 2012, the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act was passed, which stipulates by law that anyone in the province of Ontario must contact Ontario One Call before they dig.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Ontario One Call Education and Training Department
Training@OntarioOneCall.ca