Joining Equity - Theatre

     

    How to Join

    Becoming a member of Equity is a big step in your career. Membership opens up opportunities and provides certain rights and benefits, but it also means accepting certain responsibilities. Becoming a member at the first available opportunity may or may not be the right choice for you, so make the decision that best serves your interests. Remember, Equity will always be there. If you don’t join today, we’ll be happy to have you as a member tomorrow.

    The information provided is an overview of the joining process under Equity’s Bylaws. Please contact Equity's National Office at 1-800-387-1856 (416-867-9165 in Toronto) and speak with the Membership Administrator or email membership@caea.com with any questions regarding membership rights, responsibilities, and joining options.  

    Please note: Membership in Canadian Actors’ Equity requires an artist to be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident in Canada, or in receipt of a visa permitting the artist to work in Canada, unless joining through a reciprocal agreement.

    Equity members benefit from access to professional work opportunities, an insurance plan and RRSP, voting rights, participation in our community, discounts through the Member Advantage Program, and of course, by having a voice in determining the objectives of our member run Association.

    Additionally, non-members are subject to a filing fee of 8.25% of the weekly fees plus an amount equal to the applicable insurance premium, whereas members have 6% deducted to be contributed to their RRSP and pay 2.25% in working dues in addition to their appropriate insurance premium.

    Please note: If an artist completes the joining process (including submitting the necessary paperwork) before the end of the first two weeks of a CTA, ITA or Stratford Addendum contract, they will benefit from RRSP contributions and applicable insurance coverage for the duration of the contract. If the artist completes the joining process after the first two weeks of a contract, filing fees will continue to be deducted for that contract. The artist's access to insurance and RRSP benefits will not begin until their next engagement.

    Equity members benefit from access to professional work opportunities, an insurance plan and RRSP, voting rights, participation in our community, discounts through the Member Advantage Program, and of course, by having a voice in determining the objectives of our member run Association.

    Additionally, non-members are subject to a filing fee of 8.25% of the weekly fees plus an amount equal to the applicable insurance premium, whereas members have 6% deducted to be contributed to their RRSP and pay 2.25% in working dues in addition to their appropriate insurance premium.

    Please note: If an artist completes the joining process (including submitting the necessary paperwork) before the end of the first two weeks of a CTA, ITA or Stratford Addendum contract, they will benefit from RRSP contributions and applicable insurance coverage for the duration of the contract. If the artist completes the joining process after the first two weeks of a contract, filing fees will continue to be deducted for that contract. The artist's access to insurance and RRSP benefits will not begin until their next engagement.

    Joining Equity comes with responsibilities established in Equity’s Bylaws, including the ability to accept work only on Equity contracts. As a new artist, just starting out, that may not necessarily be the best decision for you.

    What’s more, joining Equity comes with a $1,200 initiation fee, which can seem daunting for many artists. In continuing to work on permits (as a non-member), a portion of the filing fees you pay (up to $400 per contract) will be applied towards your initiation fee, allowing you to pay it off gradually as you work.

    It takes between four and six engagements on average (depending upon the company category for the production and the length of your contract) to accrue sufficient deductions to offset the initiation fee. Once you have accrued that amount, contact Equity’s Membership Administrator to start the joining process. Of course, you can also decide to join any time before that.

    Please note: Filing fees to be applied towards your initiation fee expire 3 years after the start of the associated permit but the permit/credit remains in perpetuity. Keep that in mind when deciding what the right time to join Equity is for you.

     

    Performers, Directors, Fight Directors, and Choreographers

    An artist wishing to pursue a career as a performer, director, fight director, or choreographer within Equity’s jurisdiction is eligible to join as a member by virtue of working on Equity contracts, a reciprocal agreement or their professional reputation.

    See below for the cost of joining Equity.

    As a performer, director, fight director, or choreographer, you are eligible to join the Association on your first Equity contract under a negotiated scale agreement (i.e., Canadian Theatre Agreement, Independent Theatre Agreement, Stratford Festival Addendum, Equity Second City Agreement).

    Note: As a performer, the contract may not be less than 14 work days, including free days. For shorter duration contracts, 12 work days aggregated across multiple permit contracts may be combined to qualify to join.

    A contract under an Equity engagement policy, such as the DOT Policy, Indie 2.2, or Festival Policy does not make you eligible to join.

    As a member of another performing arts association or union, you may be eligible to join Equity under a reciprocal agreement, when working on an Equity contract.

    ACTRA – A full member of ACTRA in good standing may choose to join Equity by virtue of our reciprocal agreement with ACTRA, but is not required to do so. In deciding to join, they will be entitled to a $475 discount on Equity’s $1,200 initiation fee.

    AEA – A member of U.S. based Actors' Equity Association (AEA) must join Equity by virtue of the reciprocal agreement with AEA. Depending on the initiation fee paid to AEA, they may be entitled to a discount of up to half of Equity's $1,200 initiation fee and must be in good standing with AEA in order to benefit from the discount.

    UDA – A full member of Union des artistes (UDA) in good standing may be eligible to work under a "Courtesy Work Permit" to a maximum of three permits a year. A Courtesy Work Permit must be filed before they begin work. If the artist is not eligible for a Courtesy Work Permit, they may join Equity or work as a Permittee and pay the appropriate filing fees. There is no discounted initiation fee for UDA members.

    As an established professional with a career in live or recorded performance, you may apply to join Equity based on your professional reputation or “body of work”. To apply under professional reputation, you will need to submit a complete CV, listing all engagements as a professional artist and other related work experiences in live performance or recorded media. Your application should clearly demonstrate a history of working in the live performance industry, as well as your recognition as a peer within that community. Your application package may be sent to membership@caea.com.

    See below for the cost of joining Equity.

    An artist may be required to join Equity if any of the following apply:

    • The artist has a significant existing professional career in live or recorded performance.
    • The artist is a member of Actors' Equity Association.
    • The engagement is in excess of 10 weeks.
    • The engagement is on a commercial (Sector 2) contract.
     

    Stage Managers

    An artist wishing to pursue a career as a stage manager within Equity’s jurisdiction is eligible to join as a member by virtue of their training as a stage manager and the experience they gain working on Equity contracts.

    To join Equity as a stage manager, you must be 16 years of age or older, and have accumulated:

    • Six apprentice credits as an apprentice stage manager, where those credits have been acquired with at least two different engagers, including at least two credits acquired on productions governed by a scale agreement, or
    • Eight apprentice credits as an apprentice stage manager where those credits have been acquired with the same engager, including at least two credits acquired on productions governed by a scale agreement, or
    • Four permits as a stage manager on Equity contracts, or
    • A combination of permits as a stage manager and credits as an apprentice stage manager, totaling six or eight (depending on the number of engagers).

    Where an undue restriction (geographical or other) prevents an artist from completing the required number of apprentice credits, they may apply to the Executive Director to join the Association with less than the required number (but at least four apprentice credits). Please contact membership@caea.com for more information.

    Please note: Your FIRST CREDIT must always be on a production governed by an Equity scale agreement (i.e., Canadian Theatre Agreement, Independent Theatre Agreement, Stratford Festival Addendum, or Equity Second City Agreement). 

    See below for the cost of joining Equity.

    Are you eligible to join Equity as a Stage Manager?

    After earning your first apprentice credit on a production governed by an Equity scale agreement, you can earn subsequent apprentice credits for stage management work on productions under scale agreements.

    Permits may also be appropriate to facilitate the engagement of a professional artist not ordinarily working in a discipline within the jurisdiction of the Association and who does not wish to pursue a career as an Equity member.

    You may also earn subsequent apprentice credits or even apply retroactively for apprentice credits for work as a stage manager on productions under an Equity engagement policy, such as the DOT Policy, Indie 2.2, or Festival Policy, where:

    • 50% plus one of the participants are Equity members and two-thirds of the performers are Equity members; and the stage manager and director are Equity members.

    You may also apply to earn subsequent apprentice credits retroactively for:

    • Completion of stage management training as part of a theatre program or work done as a stage management apprentice on a professional production as part of that theatre program.
    • Completion of a certificate training program through SMArts | Stage Managing the Arts.
    • Your “body of work” as an SM done outside of Equity’s jurisdiction.

    Apprentice credits for SM training or “body of work” do not count as “different engagers” in terms of whether you need to accumulate a total of six (6) or eight (8) apprentice credits.

    To apply for retroactive apprentice credits for SM training or “body of work” you will need to contact membership@caea.com

    Please note: As a non-member, you may only earn a maximum of eight (8) apprentice credits, where the credits have been earned with a single engager, or a maximum of ten (10) apprentice credits, where the credits have been earned with multiple engagers.

    See below for the cost of joining Equity and apprentice credits.

    Engagement permits are available to non-members to facilitate initial engagements under an Equity contract. Permits offer access to professional experience while not immediately binding artists to the obligations of membership at a time when a future career path may be uncertain.

    Permits may also be appropriate to facilitate the engagement of a professional artist not ordinarily working in a discipline within the jurisdiction of the Association and who does not wish to pursue a career as an Equity member.

    Permittees work under the same terms, conditions and protections as Equity members but are not eligible to vote for or serve as a Deputy. In addition, they do not have access to membership rights or benefits such as RRSP and full insurance plan coverage. Instead these amounts are deducted as filing fees, which are credited to offset the artist's eventual initiation fee. It is anticipated that Artists may choose to join the Association after accumulating four engagement permit contracts but this is not a requirement.

    Non-members are free to accept future work and are not limited to engagements only under Equity contracts.

    Filing Fees, per Engagement

    8.25% of the weekly fee, plus an amount equal to the applicable insurance premium, totalling the same amount paid by Equity members.
    Up to $333 of the filing fee for each contract will be credited to offset an artist's eventual initiation fee.
    Fees paid in excess of $333 per contract are non-refundable. Engagement permit filing fees are credited to offset an artist's eventual initiation fee. Fees expire three years after the start of the associated engagement permit contract.
     

    Intimacy Directors

    An artist wishing to pursue a career as an intimacy director within Equity’s jurisdiction is eligible to join as a member by virtue of their training as an intimacy director and the experience they gain working on Equity contracts.: 

    To join Equity as an intimacy director, you must submit an application that includes:

    • A CV indicating at least three engagements as in intimacy director, one of which must be on an Equity contract governed by a scale agreement (i.e., Canadian Theatre Agreement, Independent Theatre Agreement, Stratford Festival Addendum, Equity Second City Agreement or any of our negotiated ballet or opera agreements).
      • The other two engagements may come from work done under an Equity engagement policy (such as the DOT Policy, Indie 2.2, or Festival Policy), in recorded media, on a non-Equity production or with a registered Equity apprentice credit.
      • Only one apprentice credit may be applied towards joining.
      • Intimacy direction done outside of Canada will be recognized.
    • Proof of having completed no less than thirty hours of intimacy training, in person or online, in a workshop or a classroom setting.
      • Proof of training must be in the form of a certificate or other proof issued by the trainer at the end of the training. Should no formal proof be available, a copy of the registration in the training shall be accepted.

    To apply for membership in Equity as an intimacy director, you will need to submit your materials to membership@caea.com.

    See below for the cost of joining Equity and apprentice credits.

    An intimacy director may acquire at apprentice credits in recognition of experience gained while working on productions governed by Equity's scale agreements or engagement policies. Apprentice credits will be granted for participation in productions governed by a negotiated or promulgated scale agreements or engagement policies only where the intimacy director for the production is an Equity member. Although only one apprentice credit may be credited towards the joining, the artist may voluntarily continue to work as an apprentice, in order to pay the apprentice credit fee for subsequent credits and continue to reduce their eventual initiation fee.

    Apprentice Credit Fees
    • Apprentice credit*
      $75
    • Credit towards initiation
      $62.50
    • Fee for services provided
      $12.50
     

    Initiation Fee

    The cost of joining Equity is a one-time initiation fee of $1,200, plus payment of $100 for a half-year of basic dues, for a total payable of $1,300.

    A portion of the filing fees you have paid (up to $400 per contract) will be applied towards your initiation fee, thereby reducing the amount of the one-time payment. Any remaining portion of the initiation fee owing, plus current basic dues, must be paid when you apply to join the Association, or you may provide the theatre with written authorization to deduct the balance of your initiation fee and remit it directly to Equity.

    Apprentice credit fees are $75 each, though a theatre is required to pay this fee on behalf of the artist when working under the Canadian Theatre Agreement, Independent Theatre Agreement, or Stratford Festival Addendum.

    A portion of each apprentice credit fee ($62.50) will be applied towards your initiation fee.  

    Please note: Filing fees and apprentice credit fees to be applied towards your initiation fee expire three years after the start of the associated engagement, but the permit/credit remains in perpetuity. In the case of extenuating circumstances, you may apply for an extension to the expiry date (at a cost of $25) by contacting membership@caea.com.