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May 2025 Newsletter

May 15, 2025
students in hallway beside title College Employer Council News and Updates

Welcome

This edition of the CEC newsletter highlights Ontario colleges honoured among Canada's Greenest Employers; reminds colleges of new requirements in the Ontario ESA; and provides updates on upcoming training opportunities. As well, the CEC has announced a new EFAP provider for colleges and provides updates on labour relations with the four union bargaining groups. 

Follow the CEC on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay informed in between newsletters.

What's Going On?

Durham, Humber, Mohawk among Canada’s Greenest Employers

The College Centre – Virtual delivery for 
2025-26 program year
Three Ontario colleges were recently recognized among Canada’s Greenest Employers for 2025.
Durham College, Humber Polytechnic and Mohawk College were among the national list of leading employers creating a culture of environmental awareness in their organizations. Durham’s in-house Green Office certification program was highlighted as well as its recently opened Centre for Organic Regeneration. Humber was recognized for hosting environmental and outdoor education programs for surrounding communities and its annual Eco Closet clothing sale event. And Mohawk’s community garden, campus farm, and awareness and outreach programs were referenced in its selection. 		 For the 2025-26 program year, The College Centre will offer full programs through virtual delivery. In their ongoing commitment to excellence and relevance, both the Board Excellence and Leadership Excellence programs are currently undergoing a review, with session updates anticipated. These revisions will ensure the programs continue to align with sector needs, uphold the highest standards, and meet the evolving demands of college leadership.
Enrolment will open in August, providing immediate access to on-demand content. Further details and updated program information will be shared in the coming weeks.

Changes coming in force under the Ontario Employment Standards Act

Complimentary Series of OCASA virtual lunch-and-learns

There is a change coming into effect in the Ontario Employment Standards Act (O Reg 285/01) around rules about employment information. As of July 1, 2025, all employees will be entitled to receive in writing, before the employee’s first day of work:

  1. The legal name of the employer, as well as any operating or business name of the employer, if different from the legal name.
  2. Contact information for the employer, including address, telephone number and one or more contact names.
  3. A general description of where it is anticipated that the employee will initially perform work.
  4. The employee’s starting hourly or other wage rate or commission, as applicable.
  5. The pay period and pay day established by the employer in accordance with subsection 11 (1) of the Act.
  6. A general description of the employee’s initial anticipated hours of work.
The Ontario College Administrators Network has moved its 2025 conference to a virtual lunch-and-learn format. Conference sessions are complimentary to all OCASA members.

The following sessions will be open to non-members:

  • (Jun 25, 2025 12:00 PM) Strategic Management in Unionized Settings with Jordan Rodney (complimentary)
  • (Oct 9, 2025 12:00PM) A Look Ahead for the College Sector with Alex Usher ($25 for non-members)

Details about the virtual conference are available on OCASA’s website.

Recordings of most sessions will be shared with registrants. Even if you can’t attend live, register for the event and OCASA will send you the recording.

Benefits Update

Employee and Family Assistance (EFAP) update

Homewood Health, headquartered in Guelph, has been selected as the new provider for Employee and Family Assistance services for the consortium of Ontario colleges.

Homewood Health has access to an industry leading network of both in-person and virtual counsellors and therapists across the province and an extensive support system built to address the needs of our diverse workforce, including indigenous communities.

Colleges seeking more information about this new opportunity can contact the College Employer Council.

Bargaining Update 

Part-time Academic Staff

The Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB), on April 16, 2025, officially certified a union for part-time and sessional professors, instructors, counsellors and librarians, to be represented by OPSEU. The CEC expects to receive notice to begin bargaining in the coming weeks.
Further updates will be provided once dates for that process have been established.

Part-time Support Staff

Following 16 months of respectful but unsuccessful negotiations, the CEC and the CAAT-PTSS bargaining team made little headway in a one-day conciliation session on May 1, 2025. The CEC has again urged OPSEU to participate in mediation to prevent further escalation of tensions in the bargaining process.
 
The union bargaining team has maintained several demands that Ontario colleges cannot accept, including:

  • compensation and wage increases ranging from 10 to 16 per cent per year;
  • unlimited paid time off for religious, cultural and other reasons, without flexibility for colleges to accommodate by rescheduling shifts; and
  • a short-term contract that would require both parties to begin bargaining again in less than six months from now.

We remain hopeful that an agreement will be reached with the CAAT-PTSS bargaining team to provide stability for students, employees, and the greater college community.

Full-time Support Staff

The current collective agreement with Ontario colleges’ full-time support staff expires on August 31, 2025. The CEC and the CAAT-FTSS bargaining team have scheduled a number of bargaining sessions throughout the summer, with a goal to reach an agreement prior to the expiration of the current collective agreement.   

Full-time and Partial-Load Academic Employees

The binding arbitration hearing for the CEC and the full-time and partial-load academic staff is scheduled for June 14-16, 2025. Arbitrator William Kaplan will mediate and then arbitrate proposals that remain unresolved. His report is expected to be issued shortly after the conclusion of the hearing.