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Membership Status and Retirement

While there is no mandatory retirement age for teachers, in 2002 the average age of retirement for Ontario teachers was 55, and very few teachers continue to teach past the age of 65. In Ontario, retired teachers can teach up to 95 days a year without affecting their pension, but those who do not maintain their College membership in good standing may not teach in publicly funded schools.

Retired teachers may continue as members in good standing by paying membership fees, but they must now officially register their retirement. (Retired status exempts members in good standing from Professional Learning Program requirements.) To register retirement status, members must forward a Notice of Retirement Form (available on the College website) along with proof of a retirement plan benefits payment. Usually within a month of submitting a complete notification, the member’s official status on the register will change.

Retired teachers who do not complete their official Notice of Retirement but simply stop paying membership fees, will appear on the register as suspended for non-payment of fees unless they are 69 or older.

The Ontario College of Teachers Act requires the College to maintain a register that contains each member’s name and notations of revocation, cancellation or suspension of a certificate of qualification or registration. It also allows the College Registrar to suspend certificates of qualification and registration for failure to pay fees or to provide information required by the College bylaws. The public register provides information concerning each member including name, status of membership, registration number and qualifications.

At its February 2003 meeting, Council approved one exception to the requirement for registration of retirement as concerns retired teachers aged 69 and over. Subsequently, the 28,185 members in this age category saw their status shifted to "retired." This acknowledges that, while paid membership has lapsed, most of these past members will be unaware of current requirements and it is unlikely that they intend to continue teaching.

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Ontario College of Teachers
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