Membership
Services Answers Some
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is
eligible to join the Ontario College of Teachers?
Anyone who is
qualified to teach in Ontario is eligible for
membership in the College.
This includes
anyone who currently holds an Ontario Teaching
certificate or Letter of Standing, who may be:
- employed
in a public or private school
- a staff
member at a faculty of education, community
college or university
- an
occasional or unemployed teacher employed by
the Ministry of Education and Training or in
the private sector.
Membership is a
requirement for anyone who wishes to maintain their
Ontario teaching certificate or wants to contribute
to the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan.
What is
the membership fee? What period does it cover?
The membership
fee is $90 - the lowest fee charged by
self-regulating professional colleges in Ontario. The
fee covers the calendar year (January 1 to December
31).
I’m
a retired teacher. Should I join the College?
As a retired
teacher, you are required to join the Ontario College
of Teachers only if you plan to teach in a
publicly-funded school - even on an occasional basis.
If you do not plan to do any teaching in the future
but would like to maintain your teaching credentials
or keep up with developments in education, you may
choose to join the College.
I hold
an Ontario Teaching Certificate but I’m not
currently teaching. Should I join the College?
By joining the
College, you will be kept informed and up to date on
services offered to teachers and policies and
programs implemented by the College, like new
professional development programs. And membership in
the College is an investment in your future - you
will keep your teaching credentials current.
What
will happen to teachers who do not pay their annual
membership fee?
The College
will invoice any member whose fees haven’t been
paid by mid-July. Members who do not pay their
invoices within 60 days will be charged a $25 late
payment fee.
Members who do
not pay during this 60-day invoice period will be
sent a registered letter warning them that their
membership in the College will be suspended. If they
still do not pay, their membership will be suspended
and they will be required to pay a reinstatement fee
in addition to the $90 membership fee. Suspended
members are not eligible to teach in publicly-funded
schools in Ontario.
Should
teachers working in independent schools, or in
faculties at community colleges and universities
where an Ontario Teaching Certificate is not required
as a condition of employment, join the College?
Any teacher
with an Ontario Teaching Certificate or equivalent
who wishes to keep that certificate valid should
register with the College. Only teachers holding
valid Ontario Teaching Certificates may pay into the
Teachers’ Pension Plan. So teachers holding an
Ontario Teaching Certificate and paying into the
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan are required to
register with the College.
