News and News Releases

The Ontario College of Teachers (the College) welcomes a recent regulatory change that takes an important step toward strengthening the Indigenous teacher workforce in Ontario while supporting Indigenous-led approaches to teacher education and Indigenous language instruction.

An amendment to Ontario Regulation 347/02 Accreditation of Teacher Education Programs, broadens the definition of “permitted institution” to include Indigenous Institutes recognized under the Indigenous Institutes Act, 2017. The change removes a long-standing eligibility barrier by recognizing the authority of Indigenous Institutes to seek College accreditation of initial teacher education programs.

The amendment was recommended by the College’s Council and reflects collaborative efforts between the College, Indigenous organizations, and the Government of Ontario to address barriers within the accreditation framework.

“On behalf of the College, I want to thank our Indigenous partners, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security for working with us to implement this change,” said Linda Lacroix, OCT/EAO, Registrar and CEO of the College.

“Removing barriers from Indigenous Institutes to seek program accreditation supports Indigenous self-determination in postsecondary education and teacher preparation, and aligns with our responsibility to advance the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action within our mandate as Ontario’s teaching regulator.”

The College looks forward to working with Indigenous Institutes as they pursue program accreditation.