2023 Year in Review
December 20 2023
As the year concludes, I want to offer a sincere thank you to Ontario Certified Teachers and College applicants who want to join the profession. Your commitment and dedication to Ontario’s students and their learning spaces makes a meaningful impact on their lives, day in and day out.
At the College, we began the year with a renewed commitment to teachers and applicants to improve our certification timelines and the overall client experience. Significant investments in staff and technology, along with strategic reallocation of existing resources, have produced results. Our certification timelines are down across the board, as are response times to telephone calls and emails from teachers and applicants who require specialized support from College staff.
While the College is well-positioned to offer support to teachers and applicants, we are also the beneficiaries of similar support from deepened engagement with key stakeholders across the education and regulatory sectors.
That support took the shape of 2023’s most critical milestone, the development and approval of a new five-year strategic plan that will refine how the College fulfills its public interest mandate. This plan is a testament to collaborative efforts with a diverse group of stakeholders, including federations, faculties, school boards, parents’ groups, Indigenous leaders, and notably, the dedicated members of our Council.
Our Council members have exemplified their commitment to the College's mandate, dedicating their time, interest, and providing strategic guidance to help govern the teaching profession. Their preparedness and insightful questions asked during Council meetings underscore that student interests remain at the core of their work.
Responding swiftly to provincial regulation amendments has played an important role in shaping our 2023 operations.
First, amendments to the Fair Access to Regulatory Professions and Compulsory Trades Act (FARPACTA) required the College to expedite certification for internationally educated teachers and applicants from other Canadian provinces and territories. While the College was already working diligently to enhance the efficiency of these certifications, accommodating this regulatory change required significant changes to our internal application processes.
Second, the introduction of the Transitional Certificate of Qualification and Registration (TCQR) under Bill 98: Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act has been instrumental in addressing teacher shortages. The College successfully launched the TCQR at the end of August and we have already received more than 1,000 applications from eligible teacher candidates.
This year is also marked by new technological advancements aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and service delivery. Embracing the digital era, the College launched additional online self-serve options for members, applicants, and third parties. This initiative streamlines transactions related to member files while reducing reliance on traditional channels.
As the holiday season approaches, I extend my best wishes to all of you. I look forward to continuing our journey of ongoing learning as an independent regulator. A journey that will be guided by the new strategic plan and that enables the College to fulfill its fundamental purpose: safeguarding the interests of students and the public.
Linda Lacroix, OCT/EAO
Registrar and CEO
