The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) is pleased to announce that inspectors, represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), have ratified a first collective agreement bringing the inspector strike to an end.
TSSA would like to thank all regulated entities and stakeholders for their patience during the strike. TSSA is looking forward to welcoming inspectors back to work and returning to its normal mode of operations.
The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), the union representing TSSA inspectors, have reached a tentative agreement.
A ratification vote will take place and if the ratification vote passes the current inspector strike will come to an end.
“I would like to thank our negotiating team who worked tirelessly for months to achieve an agreement, our regulated clients for their patience during this disruption and all our employees who remain focused on delivering our safety mandate. I am looking forward to welcoming our inspectors back so we can deliver safety in Ontario as one team,” said Bonnie Rose, TSSA President and CEO.
The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) and the Society, the union that represents TSSA’s engineers, have reached an agreement on a first contract that was ratified by members in a vote held earlier today. This agreement, which benefits both parties, comes after eight months of robust and respectful negotiations.
TSSA respects employees’ right to unionize and bargain. “We look forward to continuing to work with TSSA engineers and all employees as we deliver on our safety mandate and improve public safety in Ontario,” said Bonnie Rose, TSSA’s President and CEO.
Update: OPSEU Inspector Strike
For the latest update on the OPSEU inspector strike, please see TSSA’s September 2 update here: Newsroom - TSSA
This is a friendly reminder that Technical Standards and Safety Authority's (TSSA’s) 2022 Annual Public Meeting (APM) is coming up on September 28, 2022. This event is now being held as a virtual meeting.
If you plan to join, we kindly ask that you RSVP by email to apm@tssa.org by September 19, 2022. To those who have already responded, we thank you in advance and look forward to connecting with you then.
Streaming details will be provided to all registered attendees one week prior to the event.
Yours in Safety,
TSSA
Partial licence waiver supports the recovery of the province’s ski sector
Dear Valued Ski Licensees,
As Ontario’s ski sector gears up for reopening this season, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) is pleased to announce that it is facilitating the reduction of fees by 75% for all ski device licences.
Those eligible for this financial relief include operators that did not renew or hold a license for their device in 2021/2022. Device owners are required to pay only 25% of ski lift licence fees.
Ski device owners who receive a renewal invoice without the application of the 75% waiver should wait until they receive an adjusted invoice with the waiver applied before making payment. Owners who are eligible for the fee relief and have paid the invoice prior to the adjustment will be issued a refund for the fee relief portion.
The partial device fee waiver is funded by the Ontario government and supports the continued recovery of Ontario’s ski sector from economic hardships stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, while ensuring that strong public safety standards are maintained.
This relief only applies to ski lift licences.
Rebates For Device Licences
- Rebates provided by the Government of Ontario are available to ski devices.
- Rebate amounts for ski devices that renew for the 2022 season will be as follows:
Ski Devices
About TSSA
Throughout Ontario, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) enforces provincial safety regulations and enhances public safety. TSSA regulates the safety of amusement devices, boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, fuels, operating engineers, and ski lifts. Its range of safety services includes public education, certification, licensing and registration, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, safety management consultation, compliance support, enforcement and prosecution activities.
As TSSA continues to modernize, digitize its services, and improve the customer experience, TSSA customers now have the option to prepay for TSSA services securely online with VISA or Mastercard, 24 hours a day.
TSSA’s Online Payment Solution
- Processes prepayments for service applications* and accepts invoice payments
- Facilitates speedy, automatic transactions
- Generates receipts immediately after transactions are complete
- Maintains customer confidentiality
- Minimizes security risks
*The prepayment portal is available for online credit card prepayment, as of May 2, 2022. TSSA will no longer process applications without a prepayment after June 30, 2022.
Read the FAQs on TSSA’s website for answers to common questions about TSSA’s Online Payment Solution. For additional support, send us an email or call 1-877-682-8772.
Toronto, ON, March 1, 2022 – As part of its commitment to protecting Ontarians from the dangers posed by fraudulent fuels workers, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) is launching its third annual 'Trunk Slammers' Awareness and Enforcement Program. In alignment with the 2022 Fraud Prevention Month national campaign theme, Impersonation Scams, this year’s 'Trunk Slammers' Awareness and Enforcement Program campaign aims to ensure Ontario homeowners understand the importance and methods of verifying the credentials of fuels service professionals and reporting illegal workers and scammers to TSSA.
Trunk Slammers & Unsafe Technical Work
Uncertified gas technicians and unregistered contractors, aka ‘trunk slammers’, are known for performing less expensive labour with cheaper, unsafe materials and operating out of the trunks of their vehicles, which makes them difficult for consumers to locate and hold accountable.
“Fuels-related risks in retirement and long-term care homes, private dwellings, and business units are among the top areas of risk that we see,” said Sam Sadeghi, Statutory Director, TSSA Fuels Safety Program, and as noted in TSSA’s 2021 Public Safety Report. “Inadequate installation of fuel-burning appliances and poor maintenance work have been identified as major contributing factors to the risks in these areas, so it’s vital that Ontarians only hire those authorized by TSSA to perform fuel-related work.”
TSSA Impersonators & Unscrupulous Salespeople
In light of recent incidents involving scammers impersonating TSSA representatives, TSSA also urges Ontarians to be on alert for door-to-door and telemarketing salespeople selling furnaces, water heaters and energy services. In several cases, individuals who look and sound legitimate are not.
During the occurrence most recently reported to TSSA, a resident received an automated robo call identifying the company as TSSA saying the company wanted to arrange a furnace inspection. Upon further inquiry, the company altered its offer to say the company would come and see if the resident qualified for an energy rebate. A few weeks prior, a man went door to door posing as a TSSA Fuels Safety inspector and attempted to sell furnaces to owners of newly purchased homes.
“TSSA representatives do not work on appliances and will not attempt to sell products or inspection services to Ontario residents,” said Sadeghi. “Furthermore, if someone calls or arrives at a resident’s home and says the resident requires a furnace inspection, it is just a sales call, and residents are not obligated to comply.”
There are limited circumstances in which TSSA would visit a resident’s home. In any of these situations, TSSA representatives will present a business card and have a badge to identify themselves. If ever in doubt, residents should confirm an individual’s identity by calling TSSA.
Know Who’s Who Before Engaging
“We do recommend that homeowners have their furnaces and fuel-burning devices checked and serviced annually by a TSSA-registered contractor to protect against CO and fire hazards, but homeowners should seek out and verify their own contractors and not let anyone in that comes to their doors unless an appointment has been arranged in advance,” said Sadeghi.
Under Ontario law, furnaces and fuel-fired appliances must be maintained by TSSA-registered contractors, all of whom are listed on the TSSA website. Registered contractors are required to hire certified gas technicians who have extensive training aimed at keeping people safe in their homes.
Ontarians who believe they have been targeted by a TSSA impersonator should report the incident to 1-877-682-TSSA immediately. TSSA also urges the public to report unregistered fuels contractors and uncertified technicians, who put Ontario residents at risk through shoddy technical workmanship on fuel-burning appliances.
“We only become aware of these situations when people report them to us or the police,” said Sadeghi. “We want residents to know there are no negative consequences of reporting these incidents, and we encourage people to do so.”
Guidance & Resources
For additional information and access to safety resources, visit the following webpages:
- TSSA Fraudulent Fuels Workers Campaign Page
- TSSA Certified Technician Explainer
- TSSA Verifying Fuels Contractors & Inspectors Information Page
- TSSA/HRAI Qualified Contractor Checklist
- TSSA/HRAI Fuels Professional Verification Checklist
- TSSA Registered Ontario Contractors Listing
- HRAI Canadian Qualified Contractors Member Listing
- TSSA Advisory: Confirming a TSSA Representative’s Identity Before Allowing Home Entry
- Consumer Protection Ontario Information on Consumer Rights & Avoiding & Reporting Scams
- HRAI Consumer Awareness Information on Door-to-Door HVAC Equipment Sales
- Natural Resources Canada Tips on How to Recognize Energy Scams
About TSSA
Throughout Ontario, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) enforces provincial safety regulations and enhances public safety. TSSA regulates the safety of amusement devices, boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, fuels, operating engineers, and ski lifts. Its range of safety services include public education, certification, licensing and registration, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, safety management consultation, compliance support, enforcement, and prosecution activities.
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For more information, please contact:
Alexandra Campbell
Vice President, Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Technical Standards and Safety Authority
Telephone: 416-734-6227
Email: media@tssa.org
For more information on the Technical Standards and Safety Authority, please visit www.tssa.org.
Following our January 17, 2022 communication on TSSA’s implementation of an upgraded IT solution to modernize our services, this customer alert outlines the affected services from February 18 to March 1, 2022.
To facilitate the processing of requests or applications, we encourage customers of all programs (Fuels, Elevating and Amusement Devices, Ski Lifts, Boilers and Pressure Vessels (BPV), and Operating Engineers) to submit requests or applications before February 9, 2022 or after March 1, 2022. This will spread out the volume of submissions that TSSA receives during the blackout period and make the transition to the new IT solution smoother.
We seek your understanding and patience during this transition as we make necessary improvements to TSSA’s systems that will ultimately make it easier to access our services.
The table below lists the affected services from February 18 to March 1, 2022:
Service
Impact
Customer Service Centre
Customers are encouraged to limit their requests for non-urgent services and support until regular operations resume on March 1, 2022. TSSA will not be able to receive and respond to emails sent to Customer Services at customerservices@tssa.org during this time.
The following applications can still be submitted:
- BPV Engineering applications: bpv_registrations@tssa.org
- Fuels Safety (FS) Engineering: FSSubmissions@tssa.org
- EDAD Engineering: EDdesignsubmittal@tssa.org
- BPV Portal and ROI Inquiries: bpv_inquiries@tssa.org
If you require immediate assistance, please call Customer Services at 1-877-682-8772.
Payments
- Credit card payments for invoiced services can be made through the online payment portal or through Customer Services by phone during the blackout period. Credit card receipts can be issued at the time when the payment is processed. Customers who require an official TSSA receipt will be issued one after March 1.
- Payments accepted between February 18 and 28 will be applied to customer accounts after March 1.
- Payments for authorizations will be accepted during the blackout period; authorizations will be issued after March 1.
Invoices
- Invoices for services between February 18 and March 1 will be issued after March 1. Invoicing across programs after March 1 might be delayed.
- Fuels customers will receive invoices in a new format starting March 1.
- For customers who have signed up for consolidated invoicing, this service will be available for Fuels, Boilers and Pressure Vessels, and Operating Engineers after March 1.
- Invoices for Elevating and Amusement Devices and Ski Lift will be issued separately from Fuels and BPV devices.
Request for Public Information
- Requests opened before the blackout period will be processed during the blackout period.
- Requests for public information received after February 18 will be processed after March 1.
- Turnaround time will be delayed beyond the targeted 30 days.
New Account or Updates to Account Information
From February 18 to March 1:
- New accounts cannot be created.
- Account information (for example, address change, change of device ownership, etc.) cannot be updated.
Engineering Services
- Engineering customers can anticipate longer response times during the blackout period due to manual data-entry processes.
- TSSA will continue to respond to calls and incoming enquiries.
Inspection Services
- Scheduled inspections will continue as planned across programs.
- For Fuels, Elevating Device, Amusement Devices and Ski customers who need to change scheduled inspections during this transition, you should contact your inspector.
- For BPV inspection requests, please contact Workforce Planning at 1-833-WFP-TSSA or inspectionscheduling@tssa.org.
- For emergency inspections, please call your local inspector.
Inspection Reports
Customers across programs may receive a temporary inspection report during the blackout period. Regular inspection reports will follow after March 1.
Boilers and Pressure Vessels Certificate of Inspection (BPV COI)
From February 18 and March 1:
- Certificates of Inspection will not be issued.
- Changes to address or technical object data cannot be processed between February 18 and March 1.
Boilers and Pressure Vessels Certificate of Inspection (BPV COI) Portal
As the BPV COI portal will not be available to insurers, inspection agencies or owners during the blackout period, the following services will not be available:
- Changes to address or technical object data cannot be processed between February 18 to March 1.
- Records of Inspection for boilers and pressure vessels cannot be accepted between February 18 to March 1.
- Insurer cancellation requests cannot be processed during the blackout period.
Licenses, Certificates and Other Items Mailed Out by TSSA
Mailings of licenses, certificates and other items will resume on March 1.
Exam Results/ Individual Authorizations
Exam results and individual certificates (authorizations) will not be officially issued between February 18 and March 1.
Note: Exam scheduling activities and marking will continue, and candidates will be notified via email of results
TSSA is continuing to implement OASIS as part of our transformation to an Outcome-Based Regulator. The new IT solution will improve core functions, enable better data quality and make it easier for customers to access TSSA’s services.
About TSSA
Throughout Ontario, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) enforces provincial safety regulations and enhances public safety. TSSA regulates the safety of amusement devices, boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, fuels, operating engineers, and ski lifts. Its range of safety services includes public education, certification, licensing and registration, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, safety management consultation, compliance support, enforcement and prosecution activities.
As a TSSA authorization holder, you are the first layer of public safety risk protection in the province, and your adherence to safety laws and collaboration with TSSA play an important part in keeping Ontarians safe. To legally operate your business, facility or device in Ontario, you must maintain a current TSSA licence or registration.
Valid licences and registrations:
- Enable TSSA to monitor the safety status of businesses, facilities and devices operating in Ontario
- Allow TSSA to validate technical safety through periodic inspections and audits
- Inform the public you are legally authorized to operate your business, device or facility
Illegally operating entities may be subject to a TSSA inspection at a cost to them and a shutdown of their business, device, or facility, until they are back in compliance with safety regulations.
Keeping TSSA Informed
It is your responsibility as a TSSA authorization holder to keep TSSA informed of any changes to your operational status. TSSA must always be able to contact you and communicate essential safety information and regulatory developments.
Please notify TSSA immediately with any of the following updates.
Update Notification
Contact
Subject Line
Change of Address
Change of Address Request
Change of Ownership
Change of Ownership Request
No Longer Operating
licencingandregistration@tssa.org
Authorization Cancellation Request
Renewal Reminder
To help you keep your authorization in good standing and remain compliant with safety laws, TSSA provides renewal notices for businesses, contractors, facilities and devices 60 days before your authorization expires. Learn about TSSA’s Lapsed Authorizations Policy.
Quick, Secure Online Payment Option
TSSA’s new Online Payment Portal makes it easier for you to keep your authorizations up to date. Now you can pay your authorization renewal invoice online with a VISA or MASTERCARD, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Thank you for your ongoing collaboration and commitment to keeping Ontario safe.
Please contact us if you have any questions about ensuring your TSSA authorizations are current.
The Technical Standards & Safety Authority (TSSA) is partnering with Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (MLTSD) to help the amusement sector reopen its doors safely, by providing COVID-19 education while doing technical inspections in preparation for the reopening of the amusement device sector.
This joint effort by MLTSD and TSSA is driven by the shared goal of ensuring members of the public can enjoy amusement facilities safely and providing operators of amusement devices and water parks with the information they need to be ready to reopen safely and build their businesses after the pandemic disruption.
The following outlines how the inspections will work:
- In addition to TSSA’s normal periodic inspection, inspectors will have a conversation with amusement device operators to provide them with information to help them reopen safely.
- Inspectors will complete a Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development web form to capture key data that includes the operators they met with, where they met and what was discussed.
- Inspectors will only attend sites where we have pending work. We will not return to operators that have already been inspected this season.
- TSSA’s role is to educate, not to confirm compliance, as our inspections are not likely to occur when the devices are in operation.
- MLTSD will also be doing COVID-19 inspections, particularly for large sites with large numbers of workers.
TSSA worked with the MLTSD last year as safety partners, visiting 11,000 restaurants, construction sites, retail stores and golf courses in Ontario to help educate owners, managers and staff on COVID-19 safety protocols.
Ontarians’ health and safety remain a top priority as we work with the industry to get ready to safely reopen and prepare for a successful summer season ahead.