Fee Changes

Greater Efficiency with Fairer, More Predictable Fees

On May 1, 2021, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) implemented a new, improved method of fee collection that is fair, more predictable and reduces the number of invoices received by customers.

TSSA has moved away from a fee-for-service fee structure to a fixed annual fee that covers safety services and eliminates separate bills for licences, permits and business registrations, plus regular inspections. There will no longer be any billing for inspections, except in cases where there are multiple follow-up inspections due to ongoing non-compliance.

Flat fees are based on average historical costs which were determined by analyzing five years of data for each category of customer.

TSSA’s new fee structure is revenue neutral for TSSA, and the majority of TSSA’s customers will see no change in the total amount they pay TSSA.

The new streamlined fee structure addresses customer concerns about the complexity of the previous fee schedule, the unpredictable nature of inspection invoices, and the number of invoices received on an annual basis. 

With TSSA’s new flat fee structure, businesses can:

• Eliminate concerns about billing surprises
• Budget with certainty
• Price requested services more accurately

View TSSA’s new fee schedules below for details.

View our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document for more details about TSSA’s new fee schedules.

Benefits of the Flat Fee Structure

• SIMPLE – The pre-paid flat fee is standard and predictable.
• EQUITABLE – The fee is fair and reasonable. In most cases, smaller businesses will see a reduction in fees.
• EFFICIENT – The simplified fee structure lowers administrative costs by reducing the number of customer invoices.
• COST RECOVERY – The flat fee structure is revenue neutral for TSSA, a not-for-profit organization, and will achieve cost recovery by program.
• ACCESSIBLE – Customers have convenient, online access to pay their fees.

Highlights of the New Fee Structure

• Customers will be charged a fixed annual fee that covers the total annual costs for licences, permits and registrations, plus all periodic inspections* and one follow-up inspection (where applicable).
• There will no longer be invoices for routine periodic inspections* nor for the first follow-up inspection, if one is required.
• All fees are subject to HST with the exception of authorization fees (Licences, Permits, Registrations, Certificates and Examinations). Application forms indicate taxes on the fees, where applicable.
• The new flat fees are based on a five-year historical average of inspection hours for each category of device, business, or facility type.
• Engineering applications will be pre paid. The new fixed fee will include engineering reviews and associated inspection fees (where applicable*). 
• Additional fees will apply when customers require repeated follow-up inspections due to non-compliance.
• Fees for exams and certificate holders, such as mechanics and technicians, will continue to be billed in the same way.
• These changes have been informed by industry feedback.

*Please check the fee schedules posted below to confirm details.

TSSA charges fees on a cost-recovery basis to support its operations as a not-for-profit public safety regulator. The new fee structure supports TSSA’s transformation to an outcome-based regulator by enabling TSSA to allocate its resources where they are needed most to reduce the highest areas of risk.

Authorizations effective from May 1, 2021, will be invoiced according to the new fee structure. Renewal invoices were sent out using the new fee schedule for those renewing on May 1, 2021. Other clients whose authorizations renew after June 30, 2021, will receive a pro-rated invoice to transition them over to the new fee structure which is inclusive of inspections. View our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document for more details about the pro-rated invoice.

Questions?

Please contact us if you have any questions.
Email: customerservices@tssa.org
Telephone: 1-877-682-8772