The Ontario Sign Association (OSA) is seeking interested nominees to stand for election to the Board of Directors. There are five (5) Director positions open this year to be filled.

This is a great opportunity to become involved, learn, and expand your contacts. The purpose of the elections is to ensure that the OSA Board is comprised of individuals who possess the skills, qualities, and experience to collectively contribute to effective board governance.

We need dedicated individuals to keep the OSA vibrant, relevant, and forward-looking. Here is your opportunity to help and get involved!

All nominations must be received by the office of the Ontario Sign Association no later than 4pm October 11, 2023.

LINK to NOMINATION FORM

OSA Congratulates our 2023 SAC Award winning members!

SAC Volunteer of the Year - Jeff Wallis, Signature Sign & Image

SAC Sign professional of the Year - Brad Hillis, Pride Signs

Thank you for all you both have done for the sign industry!

                                       

Congratulations to Twilight Signs for submitting the winning entry to the 2022 OSA Membership Digital Badge contest!  All renewed 2022 members will receive an email from our office within the next week with the digital badge, which you can use in your email signature or on your website.  Thank you to all who participated in the contest! 

               Modern Signs is a family owned and operated business that has provided Sudbury and area businesses with exceptional quality signs and service since 1969.  The current owners plan to retire and are looking for new ownership to continue their work.

With a variety of trucks, shop equipment, and staff, Modern Signs has the capability to build everything from simple signs to LED illuminated channel letters and multidimensional building signs, to complex ground signs.  Please see www.modernneonsigns.ca for examples of our work.

The shop is located at 968 Elisabella Street in Sudbury, ON, and has M3 Heavy Industrial zoning.  It is a 4100 square foot industrial building with a 3075 square foot shop that includes a manufacturing area, paint spray room, laminating room, stock storage, and washroom.  There is a 1025 square foot office space with 3 offices areas, filing room and washroom.  There is also a 420 square foot loft which houses equipment for graphic designing, vinyl cutting & printing, as well as general storage.  As for equipment, there is a vinyl application table, large format printer, laminator, metal shear & brake, drill press, various cutting tools, as well as a MiG welder.  The service vehicles include a 2015 Freightliner with Elliot L60 crane, and a 2017 Dodge Ram 5500 bucket truck with Versalift bucket 40’ reach.  The property is approximately 2 acres with 3 exterior C-Can containers and shed, along with ample outdoor storage for signs and trucks. 

There is a fully functioning neon plant with stock, housed in its own room, should the new owner have to ability to offer this service.

For the past 52 years Modern Signs has worked hard to build and maintain a dedicated base of repeat clients, both local and agent accounts from across Canada and the United States.  We also see the potential for increasing the number of clients served in both client bases.  In the 2018-19 fiscal year sales were over $900,000.00, and through Covid shutdowns in 2019-2020 sales were over $700,000.00, and we maintained that level for 2020-2021.

We have a current staff of seven that includes the ownership.  The president looking after the overall operations, 2 installation and service crew, 2 manufacturing, 1 graphics, and 1 bookkeeper/office administration.  Current ownership is willing to work with new owners to help with transition.

Interested parties are asked to email Terry Zuk at 562sold@gmail.com or call/text to 705.562.7653 .

New for 2022, OSA will send members a digital badge which can be added to member websites and email signatures.

Eligibility and requirements:

• Open to OSA members only
• Digital images must be  formatted as .jpg or .png files
  
• Must contain the year 2022 and the OSA logo

           

Entries will be judged by OSA’s Social Media and Communications Task Force and the OSA Board of Directors. The winner will receive one free golf hole sponsorship at the 2022 Fred Elkins golf tournament.

All entries are to be submitted electronically by email to the OSA at: info@ontariosignassociation.com

Deadline to submit: Friday, October 1, 2021

OSA wants to highlight your great work!

We’d love to display your brightest and best sign projects on our OSA home page for the duration of 2021.

All we need from you is to send us 5-6 images of your brightest and best finished projects.

Eligibility and requirements:

• Open to OSA members only
• Digital images must be a minimum of 300 dpi in resolution, large enough for layout (minimum 4 x 6 inches or 1200 x 1800 pixels) and formatted as .jpg or .png files
• Signage categories we are looking for: Building signage, commercial tenant signage, digital signage, display graphics, fascia signs/channel letters, freestanding signage, historic signage, illuminated signage, wayfinding signage, unique signage and vehicle graphics.

Judging criteria:

• creativity
• appearance
• sign type (ideally, we would like to have a wide array of sign types represented on home page)

Entries will be judged by OSA’s Social Media and Communications Task Force and the OSA Board of Directors.

All entries are to be submitted electronically by January 29, 2021 to Hilary Prue hilary@ontariosignassociation.com

Deadline to submit: Friday, January 29, 2021

Every construction project comes with its own set of risks – from fire and water damage to equipment theft, slips and falls, cyber-attacks and even infection control.

These risks not only vary in size and complexity but can also evolve over the course of a project. That’s why having proper worksite policies and procedures is so critical to avoiding hazards and potential accidents.

To help your members keep workers safe and their projects running smoothly, we’ve developed the following risk management resources addressing common exposures:

• Risks in the construction industry
• Key infection control guidelines for your job site

On May 14, 2020, the government announced that it was lifting limits on construction activities that can take place under the List of Essential Businesses established under the Emergency Order (O. Reg 82/20). This means that all construction activities or projects and related services that support construction activities or projects, including demolition services, can commence or restart as of May 19, 2020.

The amended regulation (O.Reg. 223/20) can be found here: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/r20223

Permitting Update:

City of Toronto (Updated May 7, 2020):

• All building, sign and zoning permit applications received prior to March 17 are being reviewed and issued where possible.
• New building permit applications are being accepted electronically and staff are evaluating the timeframe for review and processing.
• For more information on electronic submission of sign permit applications please email: signbylawunit@toronto.ca

Also, re: Building (and sign) permits and Provincial regulations:

• The issuance of a permit by Toronto Building does not relieve the permit holder of the need to determine whether the construction is permitted to proceed in accordance with O.Reg 82/20 as amended.

London - NEW E-Portal (Updated April 1, 2020)

The City of London’s Building E-Portal has now re-opened and are accepting and reviewing new sign permit applications.

Please note, submission through the E-Portal is currently the only available way to apply for a sign permit.

The City’s Sign Permit Resource is:

https://www.london.ca/business/Permit-Licences/Sign-Permits/Pages/Sign-Permit-Process-Application.aspx

Ottawa

City of Ottawa is working ½ from home and ½ from the office.  At this point the counters are shut down and they are not processing payment. 

Waterloo:
Please note that Waterloo has listed Building permits and inspections under essential services and continue to review/issue them at this time.

Hamilton:
Hamilton is processing permits online.

St. Catharines

St. Catharines, as of last night, are still accepting mail in permit applications.

 

 

 

 

Work Sharing Program:

Work-Sharing (WS) is an adjustment program designed to help employers and employees avoid layoffs when there is a temporary reduction in the normal level of business activity that is beyond the control of the employer. The measure provides income support to employees eligible for Employment Insurance benefits who work a temporarily reduced work week while their employer recovers.

The Government of Canada introduced temporary special measures that extend the maximum duration of Work-Sharing agreements from 38 weeks to 76 weeks across Canada for those businesses affected by the downturn in business due to COVID-19.

For more information and to see if you are eligible visit Government of Canada site: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/work-sharing/temporary-measures-forestry-sector.html

 

Coles Notes on what you need to know now:

What is It?

·         Effective March 15, 2020 to March 14, 2021

·         Designed to help employers & employees avoid layoffs where there is a temporary reduction in the normal level of business activity that is beyond the control of the employer

·         Income support to employees who are eligible for Employment Insurance Benefits

·         Employees work a temporary reduced work week, while employer recovers

               

How Does it Work

·         Employer & employees must agree to participate in a Work sharing agreement and must apply together

·         Employees are to receive a copy of the Employee Annex before submitting the application

·         Demonstrate a recent decrease in business activity of approximately 10% 

·         Sales & Production figures over the last 24 months up to and including last month prior to submitting

·         Demonstrate that the work shortage is temporary & beyond their control - not cyclical/recurring shutdown

·         Submit and implement a recovery plan designed to return the Working Sharing Unit (WSU) to normal hours by end of agreement

·         Work reduction must be between 10% (min) -1/2 day to 60% (max) - 3 days

·         Work reduction can vary depending on available work, as long as the work reduction on average over the life of the agreement is between 10% - 60%

·         The proposed reduction in work hours should correspond with the number of anticipated temporary lay-offs

·         Minimum of 6 weeks to a max of 26 weeks - extended to 38 weeks and extended again to 76 weeks

·         If the business does not recover as expected and an employee is laid off during or at the end of WSA, the employee can apply to transfer the claim to regular benefits

·         Benefits are not reduced by Work Sharing

 

Work Share Benefits:

·         No waiting period, however, may take a few weeks after employer has submitted the First Utilization Report

·         Employer may request employee to work on a work Sharing Day

·         Statutory holidays are the responsibility of the employer

               

Work Sharing Unit:(WSU)

·         A group of core employees who have greed to participate in the Work Sharing program & reduce their normal working hours

·         WSA may include>1 WSU

·         Includes those in a single job description or who perform similar work

·         Hours must be reduced equally in a WSU (same % reduction)

·         Should not include employees who need to help generate work or those who are essential to the recovery of the business

·         Minimum of 2 employees in a WSU

·         Employees in the same job description cannot volunteer to participate while other decline & continue to work normal hours

·         Members of WSU who do not qualify or choose not to accept EI are still required to reduce their hours of work on a equivalent basis

·         Employer may request employee to work on a work Sharing Day