Hairstyling Practical Exam SUSPENDED-Loosing out on Red Seal Certification

As you are aware, the Ford Government has announced their intent to "shut
 down" the Ontario College of Trades.
 Currently this is our licensing body for all Hairstylists and registered
 Apprentices in Ontario.  We are 35,000 strong!
 Over the last several years OCOT has increased our fees to help elevate the
 level of professionalism and legal activity in our trade.  They have created
 a public data base where all licensed Hairstylists and registered
 Apprentices are listed so that the public can check to see if their stylist
 is adhering to the Ontario laws by carrying a membership number assigned at
 the time of licensing or registration.
 They have also hired and trained enforcement officers to visit salons
 throughout the province checking on membership with the ability to
 administer fines to workers and employers who are not compliant.

 For many years industry has been saying it is imperative to bring back the
 practical exam.  A true indication of our practical skill sets.  Well OCOT has
 been working towards this for the last 3 years so that we can be a true
 "Red Seal" trade, with both the theory and practical exams in place.
 The final version of this practical exam is ready; the examiners have been selected
 and trained throughout the Province.  Each area in Ontario has submitted
 dates for examinations to take place starting in January of 2019.

 With the Ford announcement, the implementation of the practical exam has now
 been "suspended"!

 What this means is that years of work and the voice of industry is not
 acknowledged.  We will no longer fall under a "Red Seal" trade. A new provincial Ontario Exam would need to be created which will take time and money and for
 those Apprentices who are ready to challenge the written exam, they would have to
 wait until this new exam has been created.  This could be up to a year and
 a half at best.

 The Ministry and Ontario College of Trades promote Apprentices and
 certification so why are they not willing to support the finalization of the
 Practical Exam?

 Red Seal Certification is the level of certification hairstylists wish to achieve, so why are we having to take a step back when we are so close?

 We, as Licensed Hairstylists and Registered Apprentices in Ontario need to
 make our Government and College aware that we do not support the "suspension" of the Practical Exam and insist that they review their decision of the implementation of the Practical so that we do not lose out on Red Seal certification.

Please sign this petition if you want to see the Hairstyling Trade become Red Seal and follow through with implementing a practical exam. We need to complete this decade of work and push our trade to the highest level of certification!