Province Targets Tonsorial Talent

My husband “Al the Barber” owner of “Al’s Place” will have been cutting hair for 50 years as of September 2014. That includes a three year apprenticeship, and 20 weeks of training at what’s now known as Toronto’s George Brown College. He began the  trade when he was 16 years old. For most of his life he’s called himself a barber. However, there is some confusion about the title these days due to the recently created Ontario College of Trades (OCT). Since 1998 there has been no formal classification for barbers. That’s when they legally became known hairstylists. “Al the Hairstylist” doesn’t have quite the same ring.

For many years trades people of all sorts including; barbers, mechanics and plumbers, have been charged a licensing fee of 60 dollars every three years.  Now, under the OCT, they will be charged $120 every year.  Enforcement officers have been hired by the OCT to travel around and check that licenses are up to date. Barbers however, are off the hook for now at least. They are exempt from paying the increased fees until “barber” is once again named as a trade under the Ontario College of Trades Apprenticeship Act. Many, including Toronto Sun columnist Christina Blizzard see the new system as provincial money grab.

http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/straighttalk/archives/2013/10/20131022-193313.html

There is also word barbers may have to go back to school to learn hairdressing techniques including, colouring and perming.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ontario-barbers-forced-to-learn-women-s-styling-techniques-1.2326264

There are just four barbers left in the city of Brantford, none of which offer perming or full scale colour jobs.  They do however, offer beard and moustache trims and the trimming of nose and ear hairs. There are special tools for the latter. Really.

Some trades folk on the other hand feel the new tactics by the OCT aren’t entirely a bad thing.  During a visit by an OCT inspector to a local mechanic’s shop,  it was explained the stepped up scrutiny will help police unscrupulous trades people who don’t follow the rules, such as mechanics who issue phoney safety checks, or charge for unnecessary work. It would also target those who work in the underground economy. The new licensing fees will only apply to those tradespeople who work directly with the public. A millwright for example would not see a fee increase.

If barbers were still performing blood- letting and surgery as they did in ancient times, there might be more acceptance of a 300 percent fee increase. As it stands, many see it as unfairly targeting tonsorial talent.

Below: class of 64 with a 16 year old “Al the Barber" second row fourth from the right.