Important message to Snow and Ice Contractors - Please take action

November 4, 2019

Hi Everyone,

There is a serious crisis for the Snow and Ice Sector. Many of you cannot get insurance and those of you who are still able to obtain coverage are facing extremely high increases in premiums and deductibles. Landscape Ontario's Snow and Ice sector group is taking a number of actions, however one of the best possible solutions will require help from you.

We need you to write letters to your local MPP and to copy the Attorney General. Here is a sample letter. Please cut and paste and personlize the content and send it to your local MPP. Go visit if you can.

You can find the name and contact information for your local MPP here: https://www.ola.org/en/members/current

SAMPLE LETTER

"Dear MPP...........................................................

My name is ....................and I run a local Snow and Ice Management business in your area. We are in the midst of an insurance crisis that will eventually affect the health and safety of your constituents. If I cannot get insurance or if insurance rates are so high that I can't stay in business, who will keep properties safe and accessible?

Insurance companies are getting out of the Snow and Ice sector because of very high slip and fall claims. It does not help when the public is daily encouraged by Personal Injury Legal Firms to bring forward lawsuits. The constant messages of "you don't pay unless we are successful" are having a huge impact.

MPP Norm Miller has put forward a Private Member's Bill - Bill 118 (copy attached). It's aim is to reduce the Statute of Limitations from two years to 10 days. This matches that limitations currently in force on public property.

Here is a link to an article in Canadian Underwriter magazine that describes the issue:

https://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/insurance/how-slip-and-fall-lawsuit-rules-could-change-in-ontario-1004165572/

Here us a link to Bill 118

https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-42/session-1/bill-118

Please support Bill 118. Our livelihood and public Safety depends on it.

Sincerely,

CC MPP Norm Miller- norm.miller@pc.ola.org
Hon Doug Downey- Attorney General- doug.downey@pc.ola.org
Tony DiGiovanni- Executive Director - Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association - tonydigiovanni@landscapeontario.com

Tony DiGiovanni

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