News Business
Ontario to eliminate fees under $50 for drainage contractors

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) has approved an amendment to Reg. 18, a move that was first proposed early in the year.

The new amendment, which comes into effect July 1, eliminates fees of $50 or less for drainage businesses. The amendment was created in the interest of saving businesses costs in administrative fees.

There are an estimated 519 entities in Ontario that specialize in the business of drainage systems installation, maintenance and repair, all of which will be affected by the change. According to OMAFRA, the average cost savings as a result of the change will be $126,000 over 10 years or $12,600 per year.

The fees removed include the operation license fee ($50); a fee for the operator to change or upgrade their license class ($5); operator examination fee ($5); machine license fee ($50); machine license transfer fee ($5); and a machine license fee for machines used for demonstration purposes only ($10).