As many of you are aware, the Ontario College of Teachers, whose office is on Bloor Street in Toronto, one of the most expensive stretches of real estate in the country, has opted to increase your yearly fee from $170 to $200. An increase of over 17% effective in January.
The reasons behind this increase is it, “reflects inflation and is necessary to fulfill the College’s mandate, meet increased operational needs, and retain minimum funding in our reserves.” We know this to be ridiculous. Of the 12 members of the College Board, 4 could be considered teachers, with only 1 being a classroom teacher.
The College has become little more than an investigative body which takes too long to licence qualified teachers or respond to simple emails. As of January 2022, in a cost cutting measure, they have since discontinued their quarterly publication Professionally Speaking in favour of their monthly digital newsletter, Your College and You. Thank goodness this digital newsletter still includes the Discipline Summaries (known unaffectionately as The Blue Pages - which are still blue!). Yet our fees go up.
With an operating budget of over $40 million for 2022 for the College, the need for a further increase of $7 million is inconsistent with the need for financial restraint being preached across all sectors, including education!
This decision is disgraceful given the current economic and political climate and further highlights how out of touch our College is from the teachers that fund it.
If you would like to express your views, please fill out the form below.
The following email will be sent to the College of Teachers with your contact information attached.
SAMPLE EMAIL
Dear OCT,
The Ontario College of Teachers' decision to increase its yearly fee from $170 to $200 is as disappointing as are its strategic priorities, the first of which is, “strengthen transparency and accountability.” The reasons behind this increase states that it, “reflects inflation and is necessary to fulfill the College’s mandate, meet increased operational needs, and retain minimum funding in our reserves.” This is ridiculous and lacks all credibility and transparency - all this while maintaining an office on Bloor Street, one of the most expensive stretches of real estate in the country!
It is disappointing, during a time of fiscal responsibility, across all sectors, that the College chooses to place a 17% increase on the backs of teachers.
The teachers of Hamilton-Wentworth are asking you to repeal this decision and are imploring the board to consider returning a budget that manages to meet your operational needs for the paltry sum of only $40 million! In the name of transparency and accountability.
Sincerely,
(Your Name)
(Your Address)
