Are hearings open to the public?
Yes. Members of the public and media are able to attend disciplinary hearings, which are held via Zoom (or, in exceptional cases, in person at the College offices). A list of upcoming hearings can be found here.
Individuals who want to attend an electronic hearing should complete and submit an Attendance Request Form at least two business days before the scheduled hearing. The form asks for contact information (name and email address). Members of the media are also required to provide their company name.
Login details for the hearing will be provided after the attendance request is approved. This information must not be shared with anyone.
A public observer must not record, take photographs or screenshot of any portion of the hearing. Where the panel has ordered a publication ban, it would be a breach of the panel’s order to publish photographs or screenshots from the hearing, or to broadcast or stream any portion of the hearing. Doing so can lead to liability.
Other Resources
- Members might find the following resources useful when preparing for their hearing:
- Rules of Procedure of the Discipline Committee and Fitness to Practise Committee
- Ontario College of Teachers Act
- Practice Direction for Electronic Proceedings
- CanLII for similar cases [use search term ONOCT]
- National Self-Represented Litigants Project: The CanLII Primer | CanLII)
Submit a request.