As the rules governing the rights and obligations of all members, Equity’s Bylaws are continuously reviewed to ensure they reflect the current needs of the Association and its membership. More often than not, specific bylaws are considered for possible amendment. However, over the past six months, Council has undertaken a significant review process that involved looking at every aspect of the Bylaws, resulting in numerous amendments.
Unless otherwise indicated, the revised Equity Bylaws took effect as of January 1, 2025.
These amendments range from simple revisions to help clarify current intent to large-scale changes to existing practices. There’s also a considerable amount of housekeeping edits, such as renumbering and edits for consistent terminology. We encourage members to read through
this tracked changes version of the Bylaws to review all of the changes.
Below you will find a list of some of the more consequential amendments and the Council’s reasoning behind each change. Please note, as the revised Bylaws required significant renumbering, the list below references sections of the Bylaws – in order of appearance – rather than bylaw numbers.
Definitions
Equity Liaison was added to the definitions. Additionally, the language was clarified in definitions for “arrears”, “concession”, “permit”, “good standing”, “suspension”, and “withdrawal”. “Harassment” was also removed from the general definitions, as it already appears in the defined types of Inappropriate Behaviour.
Member Types
Non-resident – theatre or opera member (legacy) was added to capture pre-existing members who joined under these circumstances, prior to December 2021.
Member Definitions
The definition of a regular member has been amended to reflect their inherent rights and responsibilities. Additionally, definitions for Regular-Extended Visa and AEA were updated to reflect the current requirements.
Life Members
The definition was adjusted to clarify that life members do not pay basic dues or working dues.
Affiliate Members – Touring into the USA
Previously called “Affiliate Members – Theatre for Young Audiences,” the member type has been renamed and language has been added to reflect new practice: the Affiliate Member initiation fee expires after three years, similar to permit filing fees.
Apprentice Credits for Stage Managers
The language was clarified with respect to the ‘maximum number of apprentice credits’. While an apprentice stage manager is not required to join Equity, there is a limit to the number of apprentice opportunities they can take – ensuring that other apprentices have access to opportunities as well.
Apprentice Credits for Performers – Stratford Addendum and Opera Agreement
Language was added to clarify that a non-member working as a performer may acquire an unlimited number of apprentice credits (under the Stratford Addendum and Opera Agreement). However, the number of apprentice credits required to join under either of these Agreements remains the same. Apprentice credits for performers don’t exist anywhere else.
Expiration of Apprentice Fees
Language was added clarifying that apprentice fees are subject to the same expiry timelines as permit filing fees. It’s still possible to request an extension for extenuating circumstances.
Intimacy Directors
Intimacy directors, including those sitting on the Directors, Choreographers, Fight Directors and Intimacy Directors Committee (DCFID), collaborated on updating the joining requirements as an intimacy director. Training and experience requirements were increased.
Fight Directors
Fight directors, including those sitting on the Directors, Choreographers, Fight Directors and Intimacy Directors Committee (DCFID), collaborated on creating a set of joining requirements as a fight director.
Choreographers
Choreographers, including those sitting on the Directors, Choreographers, Fight Directors and Intimacy Directors Committee (DCFID), collaborated on creating a set of joining requirements as a choreographer.
Basic Dues
The basic dues will increase to $200 annually (from $180) on May 1, 2025, as stated in the recently passed referendum vote. The subsequent increase to $212 annually on May 1, 2028, has also been noted in the Bylaws.
Initiation Fee
The initiation fee will increase to $1,200 (from $1,000) on May 1, 2025, coinciding with the basic dues increase which recently passed by referendum vote. As with the basic dues, the initiation fee was increased as a result of general inflation costs.
Additionally, in the case of artists joining with a discounted initiation fee as per a reciprocal agreement, the bylaw has been updated so that both the reciprocal agreement discount and any permit filing fees will be applied towards the initiation fee (as opposed to just one of the two).
Permit Filing Fees
The maximum permit filing fee per engagement will increase to $400 (from $333) on May 1, 2025, coinciding with the increase to the initiation fee. The maximum permit filing fee is a calculation of 1/3 of the initiation fee.
Apprentice Fee – Opera Agreement
Language was added to reflect the current practice of applying a $125 apprentice fee for non-member performers working under the Opera Agreement. $100 of that is included in any fees applied against the artist’s eventual initiation fee.
Arrears
The penalty for going into arrears – having failed to pay your basic dues within three months of your invoice – will increase to $15 (from $10) on May 1, 2025, coinciding with the basic dues increase which recently passed by referendum vote. The $25 administrative charge for being in arrears 12 consecutive months has been deleted from the Bylaws.
Additionally, new language has been added to state that a member coming out of arrears must only pay outstanding monies and may elect to pay the current dues billing according to the deadline. For example, if you are in arrears and owe $390 (which includes the May dues billing) and decide to come back into good standing in June, you would only have to pay $300 immediately and you would have to pay the current dues of $90 by July 31st (like all other members).
Maximum Arrears Amount
As the maximum arrears amount is a calculation of 50% of the initiation fee, the maximum arrears amount will increase to $600 (from $500) when the initiation fee increases on May 1, 2025.
Termination of Membership for Being in Arrears
Although the dollar figure for arrears caps at $600, failure to pay dues for eight consecutive dues billing periods, as per the dues billing and payment schedule, will now result in a termination of your membership. This cap on the number of dues billing periods a member may be in arrears (roughly 4 years) was created for a number of reasons:
- Allowing a member to be in arrears indefinitely is unfair to both dues paying members and members who put themselves on withdrawal status.
- Most other unions and professional associations maintain a similar (or more strict) maximum cap.
- It provides a more accurate reflection of our active membership.
In advance of the May 2025 dues billing period, a notice will be sent to all members at the maximum cap (those currently in arrears for at least eight consecutive dues billing periods) to warn them that they risk losing their membership if they don’t come into good standing within three months. Going forward, a similar notice will be shared with any member who reaches two years in arrears (as a heads up) and again at the four-year mark.
Withdrawal
Language was added to clarify that a member on withdrawal must come into good standing before they provide services on an Equity contract.
Suspension
Language was updated to clarify that while a member on suspension can continue to seek work opportunities under Equity’s jurisdiction, they will be treated as permittee while they are on suspension, and are therefore not entitled to voting rights, RRSP contributions from a contract, or any other member privileges.
Association Communications
A new section was added to Duties of Membership to state that, by virtue of their membership, members agree to receive essential information from the Association. This was done in large part to comply with anti-spam legislation in Canada, ensuring Equity can always send essential information to the membership whether by email, or in print, if they have indicated they wish to receive information in print only.
Standard of Professional Conduct
A statement was added in the Duties of Membership, reflecting the obligation of a member to uphold professional standards in the practice of their craft and behave in a way that favourably reflects on themselves, the Association, and the live performance community in which they work. As an expression of these values, members must refrain from engaging in Inappropriate Behaviour, as covered in the Complaint and Disciplinary Process.
Complaint and Disciplinary Process
A number of significant amendments were made to the Complaint and Disciplinary Process. Equity will be updating the Complaint and Disciplinary Process Guide to reflect these changes shortly, but in the meantime, we encourage you to read the revised section in its entirety.
A specific Complaint and Disciplinary Process Task Force revised this section (with input from the Respectful Workplace Task Force) with a mandate to keep what was appropriate from the existing process while updating it to make it more flexible and allow for more direct contact with the parties of the complaint. Here is an overview of the amendments:
- A time limit was reinstated for filing any complaint. You now have one year from the date of the matter or date you ought to have reasonably known of the matter to file a complaint. This reflects the Association’s intent to encourage addressing these issues as soon as possible. Filing a complaint earlier provides a greater likelihood of success in the process.
- Complaints go to a Review Panel in advance of being considered by Council. This Review Panel (made up of three Councillors) has the discretion to speak with the Complainant and consult, if necessary, with any experts before making a recommendation to Council on how to proceed.
Council may then elect to dismiss the complaint, refer the complaint to a Disciplinary Panel, or (at a much earlier stage in the process now) offer mediation to the parties named in the complaint.
- Should the complaint be referred to a Disciplinary Panel, the Panel now has much more latitude in how they proceed, including speaking directly to the parties named in the complaint separately or simultaneously in the form of a hearing, investigating the complaint themselves or employing the assistance of a third-party investigator, as well as the ability to consult with legal or other experts.
- A 30-day deadline has been added for filing a counter-complaint related to the same underlying matters of the original complaint.
- The Appeal Process remains largely unchanged.
The grounds for filing a complaint have also been revised. Types of Inappropriate Behaviour have now been grouped and defined using legal precedents, such as the Canadian Human Rights Commission and the Canada Labour Code. Additionally, filing of frivolous complaints and interference in the complaint process have been added as separate grounds.
Specific bylaws related to confidentiality and conflict of interest throughout the Complaint and Disciplinary Process have also been separated and updated.
With regards to Administrative Infractions, working while in arrears has been added to the fine schedule and a bylaw has been added giving members a recourse for appealing fines for Administrative Infractions.
National Meetings
Quorum for national meetings has been increased to 50 (from 25) to reflect the greater participation that occurs now that national meetings are held online, rather than in-person.
Voting Process
The deadline for enumerating members has been extended to reflect the relative ease of adding voters now that we use an online voting platform.
Scale Agreements
Language was added to clarify that the expanded eligibility (having worked under the previous two terms) for voting in the ratification of the Canadian Theatre Agreement is applicable to the CTA’s Stratford Addendum as well.
Retirement and Insurance Benefits
The deadline for returning unallocated funds to a member who cannot be located has been clarified as 12 months (as opposed to “no less than 12 months”), at which time the funds will be remitted to The AFC.
Bylaw Amendments
The language was updated to reflect the practice of sending printed copies of Bylaw Amendment notices only to those members who request printed materials (and not those who receive electronic notices).
If you have any questions regarding the amendments to the Bylaws, please email
communciations@caea.com.