Trade Review

The Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act and General Regulations were proclaimed on July 1, 2003. Subsequently, existing trade regulations have been placed under review to ensure they meet the needs of industry under the Act. Starting in 2003, the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Board established Ad Hoc Advisory Committees to review trade regulations. Click here for an update on trade reviews.

Review process:

• Trade regulations are developed or amended by an Ad Hoc Advisory Committee (AHAC).
• After the regulation has been reviewed or a draft has been created, it is then sent out to industry for a broader consultation.
• Industry has an opportunity to respond with comments/suggestions while the regulation is still in draft format.
• Following the consultation, the AHAC is called together again to discuss the feedback and make any further changes to the draft regulation.
• When the AHAC agrees the draft regulation is ready, the Chair of the committee presents the regulation before the Apprenticeship Board.
• If the Board is in agreement and the regulation requires no further changes, a recommendation is made to the Minister of Labour and Advanced Education.

*This process is used when making amendments to current trade regulations, creating new regulations, and when specifying trades as compulsory certified.

Ad Hoc Advisory Committees

The Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Board establishes Ad Hoc Advisory Committees (AHAC) in order to:

• Review and make amendments to existing trade regulations
• Create regulations for newly designated trades
• Review applications from industry regarding compulsory certification
• Obtain information regarding Trades or the Apprenticeship system