News

November 26, 2021 - With the federal government considering new ways to provide emergency support to all Canadian artists post-CERB/CRB, they are seeking to have a better understanding of how many artists working in live performance accessed the CERB/CRB or EI (for COVID-19 related lost work opportunity reasons) at any point during the pandemic.

To that end, the government has asked Equity - and by extension, you - for our support in this process. The results of this survey will be imperative in ensuring the government understands the extent of the need for a post-pandemic emergency relief program supporting Canadian artists like yourself.

Please note:

November 26, 2021 - Please be advised, Equity's offices will be closed from Thursday, December 16, 2021, at 5:00 p.m. local time (Toronto and Vancouver), re-opening Monday, January 10, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. local time. more...

November 9, 2021 - We need to know what your priorities are for Equity moving forward. Tell us what's on your mind!  Shape Equity's future now. 

November 23, 2021 - Having concluded a limited set of negotiations with Second City on an extension to the 2019-21 “Equity Second City Agreement,” the Association has begun the ratification process for approval of the 2022 terms. Read more... 

November 16, 2021 - Only members in good standing are eligible to vote in the Council elections and tomorrow is the last day to bring your membership into good standing. If you’re an eligible member who has not received a voting package, we encourage you to contact Equity's National Office or email elections@caea.com as soon as possible, for assistance. Read more... 

November 3, 2021 - Equity is pleased to announce the delivery of an updated Artists' Collective Policy and Festival Policy. New material terms for both policies are in effect immediately, to be reviewed as of October 6, 2024. Read more... 

October 26, 2021, 2021 - Canadian Actors’ Equity Association (Equity) welcomes the Honourable Pablo Rodríguez to his new role as Minister of Canadian Heritage, serving as the point person on many of the critical issues that have a profound effect on the working lives of Canadians engaged in live performance. Read more... 

October 26, 2021 - For those members who were not able to attend the NAGM, materials from the meeting, including video recordings with ASL interpretation and report transcriptions, are available to view or download here. 

October 21, 2021 - Earlier today the Liberal government announced that several existing pandemic support programs for individuals and businesses, including the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), will end as planned on October 23. The Government instead intends to spend $7.4B transitioning to new targeted pandemic support programs.  Read more... 

October 18, 2021 - Recently, Chubb advised Equity that they intend to terminate our members' insurance plan at the end of this year. We understand that the bespoke nature of our plan makes it too labour intensive for them, at any price.

Executive Director Arden R. Ryshpan and Director of Finance Marion (Maz) Magoris, with the assistance of our plan broker, were quick to start the process of negotiating with other companies to maintain coverage.  Read more... 

October 16, 2021 - Councillor nominations are now closed. Equity will begin voting for a new Council on November 9. Find out who is nominated in your region.

 Read more... 

August 24, 2021 - Since COVID-19 vaccines became available, Equity's position has been and remains that all members should be vaccinated to ensure that the live performance industry returns to stability, except for those who have a verifiable medication condition or religious exemption based on a prohibited ground in human rights legislation. Read more.

October 11, 2021 - Equity Council President Scott Bellis and 2nd VP Ryan G. Hinds provide an association update on the upcoming National Annual General Meeting, the Council Election and more. Read more... 

October 8, 2021 - The health and safety of Equity members continues to be a paramount priority of Equity. As such, we have updated our COVID-19 Workplace Guidelines & Protocols (version 2) to reflect changes to our work landscape in Canada. The Guidelines & Protocols are in effect as of October 8, replacing version 1.

 Read more... 

October 9, 2021 - October 10, 2013 is celebrated as International Stage Management Day in New Zealand, Australia, U.K., Canada, U.S.A., and throughout Europe.  We’ve invited Equity’s Stage Manager Councillors, Erika Morey and Melissa Novecosky to recognize the work of their SM colleagues. Read more... 

October 1, 2021 - The recent promulgated Independent Theatre Agreement (ITA) included amended language in Preamble (A) of Article 63:00 (Stage Managers) regarding stage managers required to be hired as employees. Read the full release

September 29, 2021 - Despite Equity's usual practice of refraining from commentary on issues outside the jurisdiction of the Association, on behalf of our members, we want to acknowledge September 30, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. As an Association, Equity stands alongside our fellow Canadians as we pause to recognize and reflect upon the legacy of colonialism and residential schools in Canada and the continuing impact they have on the communities that they affected. More

September 27, 2021 - Equity is pleased to announce changes to Equity's senior staff team. With the departure of Steven Sparling for a new position overseas, Equity conducted a review of the Association's needs while reconfiguring and reimagining the Associate Executive Director role as Projects Director. Read the full release

September 16, 2021 -  Proposed changes for the 2021-2022 Vancouver Opera Agreement (VOA) between Equity and the Vancouver Opera were ratified today by the eligible Equity membership. Members voted 100% in support of the proposed changes. A total of 115 voters were eligible to vote and 40 Equity members cast a ballot. The voting return rate was 34.8%. Read more.

September 16, 2021 - The election is now only days away. Equity encourages all members to be informed about the parties’ platforms on arts and culture before they vote. The major federal parties' responses to the Creative Industries' arts and culture questions. These promises will shape the work life of artists in our sector for the next term of government. Read Council President Scott and Executive Director Arden R. Ryshpan's email to Equity members.

September 2, 2021 - Equity announces that bargaining for the 2021-2022 Vancouver Opera Agreement (VOA) has successfully concluded. Regular, Regular - Extended Visa and Life members, in good standing and who worked under the 2017-2020 and the 2020-2021 VOA are eligible to vote on the proposed changes starting September 2, 2021. Read more

August 27, 2021 - COVID has highlighted to the government the precarity of gig workers and the self-employed without access to the EI system. In Budget 2021 they committed $5 million to consult with Canadians over two years about desirable reforms to the EI program. To understand Canadians’ needs, they have launched a survey and they are seeking input from the self-employed. Read more.

June 2, 2021 - Equity is pleased to be part of a national initiative encouraging up-take of COVID-19 vaccinations. Dozens of organizations representing business, industrial and educational sectors, labour unions, and individuals have come together to develop a campaign, around the theme Getting vaccinated can bring us back together, faster.

Vaccines are safe and effective. Equity encourages every member who is medically able to be vaccinated, get vaccinated. This important action protects members, colleagues, communities and will enable the live performance sector closer to safely re-open sooner.

We are closely monitoring the multiple provincial re-opening plans and will continue to update our vaccination guidance based on public health directives. Any Equity member informed that vaccination is a condition of engagement should contact a Business Representative at busrep@caea.com.

Visit Faster Together to see the growing list of participants.

August 16, 2021 - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Governor General Mary Simon yesterday asking her to dissolve Parliament and trigger a Federal election on September 20.

With only 36 days for the election campaign, there are some key steps Equity encourages our members to do right away in order to be ready to cast your vote:

Voter Registration: check or update your voter registration on the Elections Canada website to ensure you are able to cast your vote.

Campaign Platforms: familiarize yourself with the various parties’ election platforms so you can make an informed choice at the ballot box:

• Liberal Party of Canada
• Conservative Party of Canada
• New Democrat Party
• Green Party of Canada
• Bloc Québécois
• People’s Party of Canada

Get Active: now is the time to make the needs of our sector heard to the various parties. Watch the Grassroots Lobbying member information session Equity hosted in March. Our guests from leading government relations consultancy Temple Scott Associates gave a lot of great advice about how to get active at the grassroots level during the Federal election – including some excellent advice on using social media in an election.

Finally, Elections Canada will be hiring a number of workers across the country for help with the election process. If you’re seeking a short-term job in your area, check out Elections Canada Jobs.

July 29, 2021 - Equity provides members the opportunity to choose specific communication delivery preferences for specific activities and programs. In advance of the 2021 Council Elections, we would like to confirm your essential information preference as it will be used to deliver key nomination and election information later this year.

Your Essential Information Communication Preference
Certain essential information must be provided to Equity members (e.g., member benefit program introductions or changes, member service initiatives, National AGM agenda, Council nomination materials, election and all-candidate meeting schedules, , and communiqués required by the Constitution and Bylaws).

If you are currently registered with EMAIL as your essential communication preference, thank you for selecting this preference, limiting our effect on the planet, and keeping mailing costs down. No action is required.

If you would like to change this default setting, please log in to My Profile. Click "Edit" in the "About Me" section and change your preference to "I receive other essential Equity information" to MAIL. Click "Submit" to save your new essential communication preference.

Please note: Most of Equity's communications are intended to be sent by EMAIL. Choosing a MAIL communication preference ensures that essential information will be mailed to members. However, non-essential updates will not be mailed.

Questions or Feedback
Please email communications@caea.com with any questions, or just reply to this email.

June 8, 2021 - At its meeting on May 31, the national Council acknowledged the recent discovery of the buried remains of 215 children at the Kamloops Indian Residential School. We join our sister associations in offering our condolences to Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation and all Indigenous communities across Canada. Despite our usual practice of refraining from commentary on issues outside the jurisdiction of the Association, your Council wants to issue a public statement of support and solidarity.

The labour movement has a central tenet that all individuals are equal and deserving of respect and fair treatment. Equity believes this is applicable in every aspect of our industry, our organization, and our communities.

Equity Council call upon the federal government to act upon the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, mobilizing all levels of government, organizations and individuals to make concrete changes in society.

Equity Council aims to break the cycle of silence that surrounds and erases the experiences of Indigenous First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples of this land. We commit to listen and bear witness to what is being shared by these survivors.

Resources and services for Indigenous community members:

• Indian Residential School Survivors Society Counselling Services: https://www.irsss.ca/services
• The IRSSS Crisis Line is open 24 hours a day & 7 days a week: 1-800-721-0066

Equity acknowledges a shared colonial history with Indigenous First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada, and continues to work toward understanding and actionable practices of reconciliation.

#EquityStrong

June 10, 2021 - Proposed changes for the 2021 COVID-19 Addendum to the Stratford Festival Addendum to the Canadian Theatre Agreement (CTA) between Equity and the Stratford Festival were ratified by the eligible Equity membership. The vote concluded on Thursday, June 10, 2021.

Members voted 90.6% in support of the proposed changes. A total of 441 voters were eligible to vote and 117 Equity members cast a ballot. The voting return rate was 26.5%.

While the Stratford Addendum renewal dates run slightly later than the CTA, the same 1% increase as was negotiated for the CTA will apply. Further increases for upcoming seasons will be negotiated this fall when we re-open the Addendum for full negotiations. Please email agreements@caea.com regarding any issues you would like us to consider for full negotiations this fall. Fee increases come into effect as of ratification.

The 2021 COVID-19 Addendum to the Stratford Festival Addendum to the CTA will be available on www.caea.com as soon as updating and printing allows. Please email Margaret Thompson, Business Representative Manager - Theatre Agreements in the interim with any questions or for any information.

June 10, 2021 - Equity's National and Western Offices will be closed from Thursday, June 24, at 5:00 p.m. local time (Toronto and Vancouver), re-opening on Monday, July 5, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. local time. This office closure is timed to coincide with the July 1 statutory holiday. more...

May 28, 2021 - Proposed changes for the recently negotiated 2020-2023 Royal Winnipeg Ballet Agreement (RWBA) between Equity and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet were ratified by the eligible Equity membership. The vote concluded on Tuesday, May 25, 2021.

Members voted 100% in support of the proposed changes. A total of 31 voters were eligible to vote and 23 Equity members cast a ballot. The voting return rate was 74.2%.

Equity and The Royal Winnipeg Ballet have agreed to a three-year agreement, with financial increases of 2% in each year of the Agreement for any returning Artists, and a 1% increase in each year of the Agreement in the grid.

The 2020-2023 RWBA will be available on www.caea.com as soon as updating and printing allows. Please email Ruth Leggett, Business Representative Manager - Ballet & Opera Agreements/Engagement Policies in the interim with any questions or for any information.
 

May 27, 2021 - Equity announces that bargaining for the 2021 COVID-19 Addendum to the Stratford Festival Addendum to the Canadian Theatre Agreement (CTA) has successfully concluded.

Regular, Regular - Extended Visa and Life Equity members, in good standing and engaged under the Stratford Festival Addendum 2015-2018 (including extensions) and those engaged for the 2021 Season to date, are eligible to vote on the proposed changes.

Voting starts today May 27, 2021, and will conclude at noon ET on June 10, 2021. It will be conducted by online and telephone voting only. The results of the ratification will be announced on e-Drive and on Equity's website. Pending a successful ratification, the amended terms of the 2021 COVID-19 Addendum to the Stratford Festival Addendum, including fee increases, will take effect immediately.

Eligible voters should look for a ratification ballot in their email inbox today. Information on this ratification vote, including a detailed explanation of the proposed material changes, is now available at www.caea.com (members only).

Negotiations between Equity and the Stratford Festival took place online by Zoom from February 3 to March 24, 2021, and were completed by email on May 11, 2021.

Full Stratford Addendum Negotiations Taking Place Fall 2021
Please email agreements@caea.com regarding any issues you would like us to consider for full negotiations this fall.

Questions
Questions regarding the negotiation and ratification of this agreement may be emailed to Executive Director Arden R. Ryshpan (execdir@caea.com), Business Representative Manager – Theatre Agreements, Margaret Thompson (margaret@caea.com) or Senior Business Representative Chris Blanchenot (chris@caea.com).

May 27, 2021 - Equity's National Council is publishing this notice to the membership in accordance with Bylaw 81. The intention of this bylaw is to ensure that members are informed about actions resulting from Disciplinary Complaints, as part of Council’s efforts to maintain safe and respectful workspaces for our members.

A formal complaint was brought against a member for alleged behaviour, contrary to Equity’s Standards of Professional Conduct, on the grounds of bullying and harassment. Following an investigation by an independent party, the complaint was dismissed by the Disciplinary Panel. No appeal was filed following the Panel's decision.

A separate formal complaint was brought against a member for alleged behaviour contrary to Equity’s Standards of Professional Conduct, on the grounds of bullying and harassment. Following an investigation by an independent party, the parties involved agreed to a restorative remedy to resolve the matter.

Council would like to remind all members that they have a right to a workplace that ensures their safety, their dignity, and their creativity. Since the launch of the Not in OUR Space! campaign, Council and Equity staff have worked diligently to ensure that members have these protections in place, and we are committed to the continued development and ongoing improvement of these protections. Engagers large and small are required to have up to date Harassment Policies and provide information regarding reporting incidents of harassment. Equity wants to encourage any member who is or has experienced harassment in the workplace to call the HAVEN Helpline (1-855-201-7823) for immediate assistance.

May 28, 2021 - Equity announces that a renewed 2021-2024 Independent Theatre Agreement (ITA) is now available online. This Agreement is now in closer alignment to a mirror agreement of the Canadian Theatre Agreement (CTA).

The 2021-2024 ITA includes three searchable documents: the ITA Material Terms, ITA Minimum Fee Booklet and the COVID-19 Addendum to the ITA, all available for download. Each document includes bookmarks and a hyperlinked Table of Contents. 

Hard copies of the ITA Material Terms will be available when printing allows. Please note: Printing of the hard copy ITA Material Terms has been delayed due to the Ontario emergency provincial order. Thank you in advance for your patience.

Related ITA support documents for Engagers will soon be made available on Equity’s website as a downloadable management package. The ITA fee calculators will be updated at that time.

Here are some highlights of the revised terms and conditions that can be found in the 2021-2024 ITA, in effect as of May 31, 2021.

What's new in the ITA?

• Financial increases to match the current CTA minimum fees as of May 31, 2021, 1.75% for year-2 starting on June 28, 2021, 2% for year-3 starting on June 27, 2022, and 2% for year-4 starting on June 26, 2023 apply to all minimum fees and other monetary amounts.
• Revision of “As Cast” to “Casting by Consent,” providing Artists with much more agency when accepting roles unassigned at the time of contracting, including the ability to request a meeting with the Director and to turn down the role if it presents a conflict with their identity.
• Enhanced Inclusion article, which requires the Engager to make concrete commitments to increased inclusion in productions and considerations to ensure integrity in casting.
• Expanded audition opportunities, including a requirement to have an entire day every two years for “open auditions” for those Engagers required to hold general auditions.” Further changes require all posted casting to be sent out via Equity's e-Drive, prohibition on requiring an artist to reveal their age or weight, and the removal of any nudity in auditions.
• Gradual reduction of Engagement Level 2 percentages resulting in the removal of Level 2 entirely by the end of this Agreement.
• Enhanced anti-harassment provisions, including mandatory participation in the Not In OUR Space! program and language with respect to signing non-disclosure agreements and reprisal.
• Two new more flexible rehearsal models, allowing for greater pro-rating in one case and non-continuous rehearsal in the other.
• Articles 42:00 to 47:00, which refer to billing and all photography and recording requirements, have been completely re-written and re-structured.
• Inclusion of language to specifically address scenes of intimacy, and for the first time, inclusion of terms and conditions for the engagement of Intimacy Directors and Intimacy Captains.
• For the first time, Theatres will be required to pay Apprentice Stage Managers no less than the applicable provincial minimum wage. An agreement (including an interactive spreadsheet) on how to apply ESA overtime in each province.
• All Equity members engaged as Assistant Directors or Assistant Choreographers shall now be engaged on an insurance only contract but may negotiate to have a full Equity contract.
• New language to facilitate members working on Community Engaged Activities with an Equity contract that addresses the specific conditions of the engagement, while covering the member when doing the work.
• Removal of all gendered pronouns (he/she) in favour of gender-neutral language (the Artist, they, their, etc.).
• Non-Standard Activities now included in the updated applicable terms, conditions and fees for Article 57:00 Workshops, Readings and Non-Standard Activities. Please note: due to reduced staff resources at Equity, clauses with respect to Non-Standard Engagements have been put on hiatus and replaced by Workshops and Readings for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. Equity will advise engagers whether Non-Standard terms will be reintroduced at a later date.
• There are numerous other amendments throughout the ITA, including the move of all audition and understudy clauses into single articles for each topic.

Equity believes that this is an Agreement that reflects the current needs of both Artists and the Theatres at which they work.

For questions and clarifications regarding the 2021-2024 ITA, please contact:

National Office
Margaret Thompson
Business Representative Manager - Theatre Agreements
margaret@caea.com
1-800-387-1856 (416-867-9165 in Toronto)

or

Western Office
Jennifer Riedle
Senior Business Representative
jennifer@caea.com
1-877-682-6173 (604-682-6173 in Vancouver)

#EquityStrong

May 25, 2021 - As has previously been announced, after careful consideration and as part of necessary cutbacks related to a drop in revenue resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the bricks and mortar Equity's Western Office is closing as of May 31, 2021. The virtual Western Office remains fully operational. Members and engagers may reach out to Western Office Senior Business Representative Jennifer Riedle (jennifer@caea.com) and Office Manager Jessica Tan (jessica@caea.com) as usual.

All documents or payments that cannot be sent electronically, including hard copies of contracts, basic dues payments by cheque, bonding documentation, etc., must be sent to us as follows:

All non-registered mail must be sent to the National Office ONLY:

Courier deliveries and registered mail must NOT be sent to the National Office as they cannot be delivered. Please contact an Equity staff member for more information about our temporary special arrangements for accepting courier deliveries.

Engagers please note: remittances and bonds may now be paid electronically. Email woffice@caea.com for more information.

Basic dues may be paid online (member login required). Most of Equity's member documents and agreements and engagement policies are available online at www.caea.com.

May 20, 2021 - A video recording from the Stage Management Focus meeting on April 14, 2021 is now available for viewing on Equity's Member Meeting Archive page.

Based on member feedback from the meeting, the CTA-ITA Stage Manager weekly timesheets have been updated with additional instructions and format adjustments. You can find the updated versions (v2021.3) on the Stage Management Resources page.

Additionally, by member request, the Committee has developed a brand new resource! The new ITA sheet for self-employed members has also been added to the Stage Management Resources page.

Do you have feedback or suggestions? Equity's Stage Management Committee wants to hear from you! Please email us at any time at: caea.sm.committee@gmail.com.

May 18, 2021 - Equity announces that the ratification for the 2020-2023 Royal Winnipeg Ballet Agreement (RWBA) commences today, May 18, 2021.

Regular, Regular - Extended Visa, Associate and Life members, in good standing and engaged under the 2017-2020 Royal Winnipeg Ballet Agreement and the extension for the 2020-2021 Season to date, are eligible to vote on the proposed changes. Voting is open from noon (CT) on May 18, 2021 to noon (CT) on May 25, 2021.

This ratification will be conducted by online and telephone voting only. The results of the ratification will be announced on e-drive and on Equity's website on May 25, 2021. Pending a successful ratification, the amended terms of the RWBA will retroactively take effect as of July 1, 2020.

Eligible voters should look for a ratification ballot in their email inbox today. Information on this ratification vote, including a detailed explanation of the proposed material changes, is now available at www.caea.com (members only). If you believe you are eligible to vote on this ratification and have not received a ballot via email, please email communications@caea.com for assistance or questions.

Negotiations between Equity and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet took place in-person from February 3 to 10, 2020, and were completed by email on March 8, 2021.

Questions
Questions regarding the negotiation and ratification of this agreement may be emailed to Executive Director Arden R. Ryshpan or to Ruth Leggett, Business Representative Manager - Ballet & Opera Agreements/Engagement Policies.

If you believe you are eligible to vote on this ratification and have not received a ballot via email, please email communications@caea.com for assistance or questions.

May 17, 2021 - Please be advised that the Western Office local 604 and toll free 1-877 phone numbers will be intermittently out of service today, May 17. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience for the duration of this outage. Please contact the National office at 1-800-387-1856 (toll free) with any urgent matters during this time.

May 4, 2021, 2021 - For the first time since the founding of the FIA in 1952, the 22nd FIA World Congress will take place in a purely virtual environment. It was scheduled to take place in Fall 2020 in Manchester but was cancelled due to the pandemic and a virtual Congress planned to take its place. The 22nd FIA Congress will take place between May 3-7 and Executive Director Arden R. Ryshpan, Associate Executive Director Steven Sparling, Equity Council President Scott Bellis, First Vice-President Kerry Davidson and Council Secretary / Treasurer Erika Morey will attend.

Equity has submitted (or co-submitted) several motions to be discussed at the Congress including:

• Motion #8 that recovery efforts for the sector aim to build back ‘greener’ or with a focus on more ecologically–minded ways of working
• Motion #14 to encourage governments to extend a permanent and robust wage and social protection to freelance arts and entertainment workers with independent contractor status
• Motion #19 to encourage practices of ‘ethical casting’ including consideration of representation, consent and agency in the casting process

Executive Director Arden R. Ryshpan's report to the FIA North America working group (including other visiting English language affiliates), which gives an overview of Equity’s work over the last year, is now posted on Equity's website.

FIA is a global federation of performers’ trade unions, guilds and professional associations. Founded in 1952, it represents hundreds of thousands of performers with some 90 member organizations in more than 60 countries around the world. FIA’s main purpose is to voice the professional interests of actors (in film, television, radio, digital media, theatre and live performance), broadcast professionals, dancers, singers, variety and circus artists and others.

May 3, 2021 - Have you ever witnessed something that made you feel uncomfortable? Were you unsure what you could say or do about it?

Equity is pleased to announce that we will be hosting two upcoming member training sessions in Bystander Intervention on Wednesday May 26 and Wednesday June 16.

Registration for these events is now full.

Downloadable Slide Deck from presentation.

Save the Date: Wednesday, May 26
Time: 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. ET
Platform: Online via Zoom webinar
ASL interpretation will be provided for this session only

Save the Date: Wednesday, June 16
Time: 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. ET
Platform: Online via Zoom webinar

Each session will be limited to only 100 participants.

Registration details will be emailed to all members in good standing the week of May 10, 2021.

Bystander Intervention
Bystander intervention training offers five distinct tactics ("the five D's) that artists can employ to help make our creative spaces safer.

• This training will provide an opportunity for performers, stage managers, directors, choreographers, fight directors and intimacy directors to come together to discuss common problems in our industry, and how to employ the five D's to address them
• We will offer opportunities (via breakout rooms) for folks to brainstorm scenarios and practice intervention
• We will address barriers that artists face that may prevent intervention
• All of this training is tailor-made by Equity member artists, for Equity member artists

Training Creators and Facilitators

Jenna Rodgers is a mixed-race Director and Dramaturg based on Treaty 7 Territory. She is the founding Artistic Director of Chromatic Theatre - a company dedicated to producing and developing work by and for artists of colour. Jenna is also the Dramaturg for the Playwrights Lab at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. She is a passionate arts equity advocate; the Vice President of Anti-Oppression for LMDA; and the Artstrek Director with Theatre Alberta. Jenna is a graduate of the NTS Artistic Leadership Residency (2020), a graduate from the Banff Centre's Cultural Leadership Program (2019), and a member of the artEquity National Facilitator Training cohort (2018). She was shortlisted for the 2021 Gina's Prize and holds a MA in International Performance Research from the universities of Amsterdam and Tampere.

Stafford Perry is an award-winning actor and community leader with extensive experience in public engagement and facilitation. As an actor, he's been a fixture on Canada's theatre stages from Victoria to Halifax, and has been featured in a wide-range of film and TV projects. As a community leader in men's engagement, Stafford has worked specifically with men and boys to prevent violence and foster social change for close to a decade. He was instrumental in coordinating and developing the award-winning WiseGuyz program, a groundbreaking violence prevention program for young men and has facilitated over a hundred professional and community workshops across the province. Today, he designs and delivers education workshops, provides consultation and is a featured speaker at local, national and international conferences. Stafford translates his comprehensive knowledge and expertise as an actor into his community work and offers a unique approach to using experiential arts-based practices to foster healing in communities. With passion, integrity, vulnerability and humour, He creates spaces that foster empathy, genuine connection, authentic expression and support.

Registration
In order to make this training practical we will be limiting the numbers to 100 participants per session. This training will be only available to members in good standing and because of the sensitivity of the topic, the sessions will not be recorded.

D/deaf members and those who require ASL interpretation:
ASL interpretation will be provided only for the Wednesday, May 26 session. If you are a member who requires ASL interpretation please email communications@caea.com

April 29, 2021 - PACT and Equity announce that a searchable and downloadable version of the 2021-2024 Canadian Theatre Agreement (CTA), including bookmarks and a hyperlinked Table of Contents, is now available. The 2021-2024 CTA consists of three items; the CTA Material Terms, the CTA Minimum Fee Booklet and the COVID-19 Addendum to the CTA. The terms of the 2021-2024 CTA are in effect until June 23, 2024.

Please note: The online CTA Material Terms and Fee Booklet documents are designed to be viewed with recent versions of Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat. Interacting with PDF documents/forms using 3rd party applications and Internet browsers will have varying and unexpected results. Visit the PDF Help page for further assistance.

Hard copies of the CTA Material Terms and the CTA Minimum Fee Booklet will be made available as soon as printing permits. Please note, due to the Ontario emergency provincial order, printing may be delayed.

Hard copies of the 2021-2024 CTA will be mailed to Equity stage managers in good standing upon request. Stage managers should look for an email invitation early next week to register to receive a CTA in hard copy. Other Equity members may place a request to receive hard copies by email to agreements@caea.com; include your name, member number and any contact information updates. Please note, due to the Ontario emergency provincial order, access to Equity'S National Office to complete this mailing may be delayed until our staff can safely and legally enter the offices.

Questions about the application of the CTA should be directed to a Business Representative in the National Office (by email to busrep@caea.com or by phone to 1-800-387-1856 / 416-867-9165 in Toronto) or in the Western Office (by email to woffice@caea.com).

April 26, 2021 - On May 3, Equity will be invoicing all members for a $90 payment of basic dues.

Members' financial support by paying basic dues will help ensure that a strong Equity is able to continue supporting members during the pandemic through to when it is safe for members to begin to work again.

At the moment, Equity remains operating on only 26% of our normal earned revenues and is relying heavily on government supports such as the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy and the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy. With the phasing out of these programs in the coming months and the ongoing impact of the pandemic on the Association we anticipate a significant deficit for the coming fiscal year and will continue to have to draw from our operating stabilization fund to cover a further $1M-plus revenue shortfall.

Member's financial support keeps the Business Reps working on the many creative projects undertaken by engagers and members in spite of the pandemic. 2021 will be an exciting year for Equity Council as Councillor elections will be held this fall. Equity's popular online member meeting series continues in May and June. Most importantly, Equity is continuing its work with the live performance coalition, lobbying the federal government to ensure that the needs of the live performance industry remain front and centre in post-pandemic recovery planning.

Default "Basic Dues Notification" Preference
All members have a default communication preference for basic dues invoices and receipts. While the majority of members use an EMAIL notification option, others choose hard copy delivery.

Members who wish to register an EMAIL communication preference for this billing cycle should call 1-800-387-1856 (416-867-9165 in Toronto) or email Michel Roberts, Membership Administrator, at membership@caea.com. Members may also log in to "My Profile" at www.caea.com. On the website, click "Edit" in the "About Me" section and change your preference to "I receive my basic dues notifications by" to EMAIL. Click "Submit" to save your temporary communication preference.

Billing Method
Members who want to review or change their dues invoice payment options should contact Equity to make these arrangements as soon as possible. Please email Michel Roberts, Membership Administrator, at membership@caea.com with the text "Payment Preference" in the subject line of your email.

We understand that the payment of basic dues may be financially challenging at this time. If you find yourself in this position, please reach out to us as soon as possible. Email us at membership@caea.com to discuss your options.

April 8, 2021 - Equity has been apprised of continuing anti-Asian harassment and intolerance linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, within the live-performance community. Equity condemns anti-Asian discrimination and racism, and all forms of hate and racial violence. Racism and discrimination are completely unacceptable in our workplaces. The labour movement has a central tenet that all individuals are equal and deserving of respect and fair treatment. Equity believes this is applicable in every aspect of our industry, our organization, our communities, our homes, and our workplaces.

If you have experienced abuse of power, bullying, discrimination (including, but not limited to, acts of ableism, ageism, racism, or sexism), harassment or sexual harassment, reprisal or violence, caused by a member of Equity while working under Equity agreements or engagement policies in a workplace, please contact HAVEN Helpline: 1-855-201-7823.

More HAVEN Helpline information is available at https://www.caea.com/Features/Haven-Helpline.

March 31, 2021 - As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting live performance sector shut-down has lasted longer than we ever imagined. Our two physical offices closed over one year ago and one will not be reopening in the near future. The word unprecedented doesn't even begin to address the apprehension, concern and difficult choices faced by Equity and its membership over the last 12+ months.

Council and Equity's staff have been hard at work providing support to the membership during this time. Online member meetings have not only provided essential information but have helped the membership stay in touch with the Association, Councillors and each other when the industry was effectively shut down. Equity's tireless advocacy with Government resulted in first getting, and then keeping in place, key income supports to sustain members until venues can open safely and we can all begin to resume the work we all love. We hope that these efforts have benefitted you during these very trying times.

Thank you to the many members who have reached out to Council and staff sharing your appreciation of how helpful the member meetings and Equity's advocacy efforts have been. Your feedback is appreciated and your words of support have been very meaningful during a difficult year.

With vaccines slowly becoming more available, we hope it won't be much longer until live performance work can begin in earnest once again. However, we are not there yet and recently faced more difficult choices in order to continue to provide reasonable services.

Equity remains operating on only 26% of our normal earned revenues plus government supports, such as the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), the Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) and more recently the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS). These subsidies will account for over 45% of our revenue for the 2020-2021 fiscal year.

The wage subsidy is scheduled to end in June of this year and Equity has had to responsibly budget for the year ahead. Artists working on Equity contracts have seen their earnings plummet over the last year by almost 80%. This has resulted in a corresponding drop in revenue for the Association as Equity does not receive funding from any source, other than basic dues and the dues that artists pay when working under an Equity contract. With no more places from which to save, our only remaining cost saving option is to make cuts to staff.

Therefore, effective April 5, 2021:

• All senior staff will have their earnings reduced further and some will have their hours reduced accordingly.
• In addition to the two permanent layoffs already announced, another staff person will leave the Association.
• We will introduce temporary rolling layoffs for a number of staff in the Business Representative Department. Rotating layoffs will be for shorter periods, one after another, making it easier and faster to restart our full staff complement when we emerge at the end of the pandemic.
• Remaining staff have had their hours cut and wages reduced accordingly.

Our current draft budget for the upcoming fiscal year is based on total revenues from all sources being almost 60% less than normal. It is important to note that after factoring in the end of the remaining government subsidies and savings from reduced staffing costs, we anticipate a significant deficit for the coming fiscal year and will continue to have to draw from our operating stabilization fund to cover a further $1M plus revenue shortfall.

These were difficult choices. When all these measures come into effect in April, Equity will have lost 40% of its pre-pandemic staffing capacity. As a result, slower response times are to be expected. Engagers will notice that new time saving processes may be applied to some engagements. Many of Equity's staff are now job-sharing in new ways with steep learning curves. We ask that you be patient when reaching out to Equity and understand if it takes a while longer for us to respond. Please continue to reach out to your usual Business Representative and your email will be dealt with by another of our Business Representatives who is familiar with the agreement or policy under which you normally work.

The decision to have to reduce our staffing levels even further has been taken as a last resort in order to maintain a level of fiscal responsibility and financial stability. It is essential that there is a functioning structure in place for when production levels increase. We hope that rolling layoffs will allow us to staff up more flexibly when the work returns. However, we are still committed to providing the best level of service we can with the restrictions we are currently working under. As a result, we ask for your cooperation in reaching out to Business Representatives as soon as possible to discuss your production as it will be difficult to accommodate last minute requests.

And lastly, we want to recognize the staff who will be leaving us temporarily or permanently and thank them for their good work and specifically for their graciousness as we continue to navigate this ever changing situation. As always, members are encouraged to contact either of us at the email address links below with any questions or concerns.
    - Council President Scott Bellis and Executive Director Arden R. Ryshpan

March 27, 2021 - Greetings to my fellow Equity members on this most unusual World Theatre Day.

How do we recognize and celebrate this day after a year of almost no live performing arts?

Perhaps I'll share a dream I sometimes have. It's a version of the "Actor's Nightmare" that many of us are apt to experience a few times in our creative lives - you know, the one where you're on stage, or in the booth, and you don't know what show you're in, you don't know how you got here, but it's HAPPENING NOW, and you have no idea what your lines are or where your cue book is, or what you are supposed to do.

My personal version of this dream is somewhat opposite. I'm backstage, ready to go on, the piece is rehearsed, the tech has gone brilliantly, the director is expectant and joyful, everyone looks amazing, the lights go up, I'm onstage, about to speak, and -- the theatre is empty. There is no audience. Raising a hand to shield my eyes from the toplight, I peer out into the house to find only motes of dust swirling in a sea of vacant seats. After hearing the pre-show hum of the crowd while standing in the wings, they have now all mysteriously vanished. I am confused, angry and a little panicked. All that preparation, all that sweat and effort, all that collaboration, and most of all, the momentum and potential, just -- frozen. "What is happening?", I say, but my voice is distant and muted as it hollowly escapes up into the echoing rafters.

We've been living this dream for over a year now. What a marathon of utter paralysis. The cancellation of so many projects and artistic endeavours last year was disorienting and paralyzing many of us - not just financially, but creatively. And not just for us, but for the audiences who are invested in the continuation of our work, and who share in the celebrative and rejuvenating power of live performance.

But our community remains resilient, and even hopeful. Theatre people are unceasingly flexible and adaptable. I have seen so many friends and colleagues brilliantly pivot this year into educational opportunities, building other types of work skills, and development of online performance projects. It's been incredible to witness. Here at Equity, the national Council has continued to work with our staff on ensuring that when our collective workspaces open up again, they will be spaces built on foundations of safety, fairness, and respect, and that the Association will continue to be there to provide services when members need them. It has been challenging work under turbulent conditions, and I have been inspired this year by the efforts of my fellow Councillors and our dedicated staff.

This past year has also provided an opportunity for deep reflection on the state of our communities, their histories, their inequities, and their possibilities. It has been a time for recognizing that there are different ways for us to be together and work together. It has been a time for many types of dreams.

One day soon, soon, soon, theatres will open, we will come together, and a new landscape will be presented to us. What will it look like?

As we dream forward, I hope to see you all there.

World Theatre Day was started by the International Theatre Institute. This year, their celebratory message is from Helen Mirren, celebrated British stage, screen and television actor.

Our colleagues at the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT) in partnership with l'Association des théâtres francophones du Canada (ATFC) and the Playwrights Guild of Canada (PWC) share this World Theatre Day 2021 message.

If there's one thing all stage managers agree on, it's that everyone is confused about overtime and hours averaging.

Join Equity SMs Allan Teichman, Melissa Novecosky and Erika Morey as we try to shine some light on contract issues that affect stage managers.

We'll walk through the new SM timesheet, talk CTA overtime, employment standards averaging, and give you some tips for how to ask the right questions and advocate for yourself when it comes to conversations about overtime.

To help us better craft this session, please send questions you have about SM overtime and hours averaging in advance to communications@caea.com by April 7.

Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2021
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET

Log in and register here

Please note: Only Equity members in good standing may attend. A video recording of the meeting will be made available to all members as soon as possible after the meeting takes place. ASL interpretation will be provided.

March 2, 2021 - Official receipts for working dues and/or medical insurance premiums paid by Regular, Life, and Regular Extended-Visa Equity members in the past calendar year are now available on Equity's website. View, download and/or print a PDF copy of your official receipts for tax purposes here (member login required).

Online official receipts are available for the past three calendar years. Email membership@caea.com with any questions.

Please note, hard copy official receipts are only mailed to Equity members without a current email address on file or by request. View, update or amend your official receipt mailing preferences for future years here.

Please note: A member's off-contract accident and sickness insurance eligibility for 2021 is available on the member profile page (member login required) of Equity's website.

Non-members who paid permit fees in 2020 will be mailed receipts.

March 10, 2021 - Equity's National Council is publishing this notice to the membership in accordance with Bylaw 81. The intention of this bylaw is to ensure that members are informed about actions taken in relation to Disciplinary Complaints and efforts made to maintain safe and respectful workspaces for our members.

Acting on the findings of a Disciplinary Panel relating to a safe and respectful workplace complaint, Equity has expelled Aaron Crane from membership as of March 3, 2021. Expelling a member from our Association is a serious action not taken lightly. The Disciplinary Panel felt strongly that this action was warranted. The investigation of this complaint by the Disciplinary Panel and the resulting report are confidential, and in order to protect the privacy and identities of the complainants, Equity will make no further statement relating to this action.

Council would like to remind all members that they have a right to a workplace that ensures their safety, their dignity, and their creativity. Since the launch of the Not in OUR Space! campaign, Council and Equity staff have worked diligently to ensure that members have these protections in place, and we are committed to the continued development and ongoing improvement of these protections. Engagers large and small are required to have up to date Anti-harassment Policies and provide information regarding reporting incidents of harassment. Equity wants to encourage any member who is or has experienced harassment of any kind, in the workplace, to call the HAVEN Helpline (1-855-201-7823) for immediate assistance.

Equity’s Standards of Professional Conduct and the Disciplinary Process are available in our Constitution and Bylaws (see Bylaws 34 to 81).

March 4, 2021 - Equity is happy to announce the next two events in our Spring Season of online member information sessions on March 17 and March 31 - mark your calendars now.

Safer Workspaces
Join us on March 17 at 7:00 p.m. ET to learn more about anti-harassment and anti-bullying initiatives in our workplaces. We will be joined by James Turk from Ryerson's Centre for Free Expression to discuss findings from their Harassment and Discrimination in Canada's Live Performance Industry report, we will have a presentation from Equity Councillors about our improved Complaint and Disciplinary Process, and then we will have a panel discussion including special guests Kate Cornell from Aftermetoo and Grégoire Gagnon from the Cultural Human Resources Council to discuss how we can collectively improve on standards of respect and safety in our workspaces.

Log in and register for Safer Workspaces

Equity's Insurance Explained
Join us on March 31 at 3:00 p.m. ET to learn about Equity's insurance - particularly as it applies to pro-rated contracts, non-standard contracts and contracts of under a week, with a focus on readings and workshops.

Equity has received a number of enquiries and your Councillors have shared with us many recent questions about insurance for short engagements. This presentation will take members through the basics. Arden R. Ryshpan (Executive Director), Ruth Leggett (Business Representative Manager - Ballet & Opera Agreements/Engagement Policies), Margaret Thompson (Business Representative Manager - Theatre Agreements), and Maz Magoris (Director of Finance & Administration), will walk members through the various policies and agreements to better understand Equity's non-standard insurance and answer related questions.

Log in and register for Equity's Insurance Explained

Please note: Only Equity members in good standing may attend. A video recording of the meeting will be made available to all members as soon as possible after the meeting takes place. ASL interpretation will be provided.

March 3, 2021 - On Tuesday March 2, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage, announced a further $181.5 million of support for arts and live performance workers in 2021-22 - something Equity and its coalition partners (IATSE, the Canadian Federation of Musicians (CFM) and the Associated Designers of Canada (ADC)) have been collectively advocating for since August 2020.

These funds will be directed towards short-term work opportunities for artists, technicians, cultural workers, and arts groups/organizations in a number of artistic practices helping to ensure stability in the live performance sector and provide Canadians with continued access to arts and culture.

As a signal that Equity's advocacy is working, much of what has been announced were requests Equity made in our Priorities for the 2021 Federal Budget, submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Proposals for Recovery submission to Canadian Heritage, both made in August 2020.

Breakdown of the Funding

The Canada Council for the Arts will receive $116.5M for two programs:

• A new, one-time digital innovation fund that will enable recipients to adapt or create works to be shared with audiences online ($50.5M).
• Explore and Create program that will enable individual artists and organizations to research, create, produce, and disseminate new works ($66M). This investment is in addition to the existing envelope, which will more than double the number of project grants available.

Department of Canadian Heritage will receive $65M for two purposes:

• New funding for COVID-19-safe live arts or music events that can be virtual or physically distanced ($40M will be delivered through Building Communities through Arts and Heritage, Canada Arts Presentation Fund, and the Canada Music Fund via FACTOR and Musicaction). Maximum funding is $100,000 per eligible applicant and can cover up to 100% of eligible project costs. Funding agreements for BCAH and CAPF will require recipients to dedicate at least 50% of their funds to paying artists, workers, and support staff. We hope this will help absorb some of the risk and create some job opportunities.
• Extension of Budget 2019 funding for Building Communities through Arts and Heritage, Canada Arts Presentation Fund, and the Canada Music Fund via FACTOR and Musicaction in 2021-2022 ($25M).

For further information please check out the news release and backgrounder.

Further Advocacy News

At the provincial level, Equity's Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs - Proposals for Recovery to the Ontario Government in August 2020 along with similar submissions from our arts service organization partners, also appears to have resonated. On Tuesday, March 2 the Ontario Government announced details about how the $25 million to help artists and arts organizations survive the COVID-19 pandemic, remain solvent and prepare for a time when they can fully re-open their facilities, resume full programming and welcome back their visitors and audiences, will be delivered.

The Ontario Government has now named 140 arts organizations in Ontario who will be the beneficiaries of $24 million in pledged support, and a further $1 million will be provided directly to artists and creators from across the province. More information on the artists and creators support, including eligibility requirements and application deadlines, are promised to be available soon on the Ontario Arts Council website.

Equity continues to advocate for our members and for our sector and we will continue to issue updates as we make further gains.

Join Council President Scott Bellis and Executive Director Arden R. Ryshpan for the first of Equity's 'spring season' of online member information sessions: Effective Grassroots Lobbying. Equity will be joined by special guests Don Moors (President) and Ryan Singh (Senior Consultant) from leading government relations consultancy Temple Scott Associates. There will be a presentation on how local advocacy and action can effect change in government policy, followed by a Q&A forum.
 

• Agenda and Bios (PDF)
• TSA Presentation Deck (PDF, 5MB)

February 19, 2021 - The Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, has announced the Government of Canada intends to introduce regulatory and legislative amendments to increase the number of weeks of benefits available for the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) and to Employment Insurance (EI) regular benefits.

This is welcome news to Equity and its coalition partners (IATSE, the Canadian Federation of Musicians (CFM) and the Associated Designers of Canada (ADC)) who have collectively lobbied the Government to keep the income support benefits in place until venues can re-open and our members can safely return to working in live performance.

CRB: weeks available under the CRB will be increased by 12 weeks, extending the maximum duration of the benefits from 26 weeks to up to 38 weeks.

EI Regular Benefits: the number of weeks of EI Regular Benefits available will be increased by up to 24 weeks to a maximum of 50 weeks, for claims made between September 27, 2020 and September 25, 2021.

Read the Employment and Social Development Canada news release here.

Specific regulatory and legislative amendments are pending and will be subject to Royal Assent. Equity will provide updates as they become available.

February 9, 2021 - The Government of Canada has announced that previously announced clawbacks to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) from self-employed recipients who applied based on incorrect eligibility information, will not proceed.

Since December Equity and our coalition partners (IATSE, theCanadian Federation of Musicians (CFM) and the Associated Designers of Canada (ADC)) and other associations, unions and guilds have lobbied the Government to allow these individuals to keep the benefit, after incorrect or unclear information about eligibility for self-employed applicants originally led them to believe they qualified. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) announced that people who accessed CERB based on their gross self-employed income instead of net will not have to return those payments, as long as they meet the other criteria.

Those who already repaid the benefit will have those payments returned to them. Read more from the CRA media release.

"This announcement is giving certainty to self-employed Canadians who applied for the CERB in good faith, while also protecting their financial well-being. We have gone to great lengths to support workers during this pandemic, and will continue to do so as we build back better together." - Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough

Specific details on how this decision will be enforced and if a repayment is to be reimbursed, is pending. Equity will provide updates when they become available.

February 6, 2021 - Financial Update: Equity remains operating on only 15-20% of normal earned revenues plus Federal Government supports like the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), the Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) and more recently the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS). These subsidies have together represented $1.2 million or 55% of our operating budget for 2020-2021. It is important to note that even with the government subsidies we are anticipating a significant deficit for the fiscal year and will have to draw from our operating stabilization fund to cover a 30-35% revenue shortfall.

The COVID-19 pandemic second wave has hit many provinces and members hard. More productions have been cancelled and contracts terminated. Work week numbers remain low and all of Equity's savings and revenues found have not replaced our income lost from working dues. Just as our members have been badly affected, so has the Association. Our members' generous response to the November 2020 basic dues billing certainly helped but has not generated enough revenue to stave off making more difficult decisions.

The Government wage subsidy support is scheduled to end in June and we must plan accordingly. The Association has already laid off staff and reduced the hours and wages of those that remain. At this point, with no existing places from which to save, the Association is now forced to look for new ways to reduce costs. It remains our intention to have Equity emerge at the end of the pandemic, when live performance returns to the stage, ready to serve the needs of working members. We are on track to do that but some difficult choices lie ahead.

Western Office to Close
With regret, Equity has made the difficult decision to not renew the lease for the physical Western Office in Vancouver. By June 1, 2021, we will switch to providing virtual service to the western region. The nature of our work had radically changed in the last 10 years. Email, scanning to PDF, digital contracts and forms and electronic conferencing, have reduced member foot traffic in the office to almost nil. The past 10 months have taught us that it is possible to effectively do the business of Equity remotely and our current western region staff will remain in place. This decision will amount to an annual cost savings of over $40,000 a year.

"This pandemic has forced us to make many difficult and unpleasant decisions, and the decision not to renew the lease on the Vancouver office when it expires at the end of May is one of them." acknowledged Executive Director Arden R. Ryshpan. "The members in the western region are attached to their office and worked hard many years ago to get Equity to open one so that they could be serviced in their own time zone and by staff who they knew and who had developed relationships with members and engagers alike. Our two dedicated staff people, Senior Business Representative Jennifer Riedle and Office Manager Jessica Tan are valued members of the Equity staff and they will continue to provide excellent service, just as they have already offered remotely since March of 2020."

A Zoom meeting was held in early December with Equity members, elected representatives and staff to hear member input on the future of the Western Office and to answer questions.

"I was deeply appreciative of our conversation with my fellow Western members and the perspectives shared. Some of those present had pushed for the opening of an office in the West back in the 80s, and to hear them speak with pride about their efforts was special." shared Council President Scott Bellis. "Our discussion was thorough, informative and respectful. I believe the members understood the challenges Equity is currently facing and felt that the decision would be, with some regret, accepted and respected by the members. Clearly, closing the physical Western Office is not an outcome anyone wants. The pandemic has forced Equity into some hard corners, and this is one of them. Equity's national Council has been consulted on this matter, as they are with all issues that could affect member services. We acknowledge and support this decision with the hope of better times to come."

The Western Office will officially close in the last week of May, COVID-19 restrictions permitting. More information about the practicalities of the new remote western workspace, will be released as soon as it becomes available.

This decision does not preclude Equity from re-opening an office in Vancouver in the future. It is impossible to predict how long it will take for production levels to return to pre-COVID-19 levels or when Equity's revenues will sufficiently recover making it financially prudent to consider a new lease. Reinstatement of full time hours and the restoration of complete services to members will be Equity's most immediate future priority. A new Vancouver office will be on a list of items to consider in the next phase of our rebuilding efforts.

February 5, 2021 - The Government of Canada is asking for your input ahead of the 2021 Federal Budget. This is an opportunity to speak up about Canada's economic priorities for the next year.

Take five minutes and let the Federal government know that our live performance sector needs to be prioritized.

Complete the government's questionnaire before February 19, 2021 to make your voice heard.

At the end of the questionnaire, there are write-in answers where you can speak up for our industry. The questionnaire asks:

• If you were designing the Federal budget, what would you like to see in it to help create jobs and grow Canada's economy?
• When we are able to safely re-open the economy and COVID-19 is under control, what is one idea you have for how the Federal government can help you or your community?

The government wants to hear from you, so tell them what matters to you in Canada's budget. If you are looking for some points, please consider the following:

• Prioritize the re-opening of arts and culture sector. $53.1 billion was generated by the Canada's arts and culture sector in 2017 making arts and culture an important contributor to our economy.
• Extend and/or increase Employment Insurance (EI) / Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) benefits for artsworkers until restrictions on audience size are lifted, and continue to provide clarity to benefit recipients when necessary.
• Ensure that theatres have additional funds for ongoing health and safety requirements and to help them rebuild audience confidence in the safety of an indoor performance space.
• Review Canadian Actors' Equity Association's 'Priorities for the 2021 Federal Budget', submitted to the Standing Committee on Finance (link: https://www.caea.com/Portals/0/Documents/News/2020/Equity-Pre-Budget-Consultation-Submission-2020.pdf) and 'Proposals for Recovery' (link: https://www.caea.com/Portals/0/Documents/News/2020/HeritageSubmission-08-26-2020.pdf) submitted to Canadian Heritage, both in August 2020.

The questionnaire closes February 19th, 2021. Now is the time to let our government know YOUR priorities for Canada's next budget

Get started here: https://letstalkbudget2021.ca/pre_budget_consultations

January 28, 2021 - e-Drive's list provider is currently performing website updates which are resulting in the 'subscribe' and 'e-Drive Archive' features being offline this week. We anticipate the archive to be back up and running in a day or two while the updates are being made. We apologize for any inconveniences this issue may have caused.

January 19, 2021 - On January 15, 2021, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, published updated mandate letters for many government ministries. These letters outline the objectives that each minister will work to accomplish, as well as the pressing challenges they will address in their roles.

Original mandate letters were issued in 2019. Prime Minister Trudeau has sent supplementary mandate letters to outline further responsibilities and prioritize key areas of focus for the government to fight COVID-19 and ensure a strong economic recovery in Canada.

Equity and our coalition partners (IATSE, the Canadian Federation of Musicians (CFM) and the Associated Designers of Canada (ADC)) have been actively advocating the government on a number of issues relevant for our members and our sector. We are heartened to see that many of the changes we've been calling for are reflected in these updated mandate letters.

Within the letter to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion can be found these two new mandates:

• Complete the implementation of the Canada Recovery Benefit and make appropriate adjustments as the pandemic response warrants.
• Bring forward and implement a plan to modernize the Employment Insurance (EI) system for the 21st Century. This should include a plan to make EI the primary delivery mechanism for employment benefits, including for the self-employed and those in the gig economy.

Within the letter to the Minister of Canadian Heritage can be found these three new mandates:

• Support the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry to introduce sector-specific measures for industries that have been hit hardest by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the art, cultural, heritage and sport sectors.
• Support the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance to create over one million jobs, restoring employment to levels prior to the pandemic using a range of tools, including direct investments in the social sector and infrastructure, immediate training to quickly up-skill workers and incentives for employers to hire and retain workers, with a focus on the art, cultural, heritage and sport sectors.
• With the support of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, work to ensure that the revenues of web giants are shared more fairly with our creators and media, and require them to contribute to the creation, production and distribution of our stories on screen, in lyrics, in music and in writing.

This is positive acknowledgement that the government is taking notice of the needs of cultural workers and the cultural industries in Canada.

January 18, 2021 - Today Equity launched a survey of Stage Manager members to gather SM contract compliance experiences in the areas of overtime, penalties and appropriate compensation. This information will help Equity Council and staff to better support Stage Manager members.

The survey link has gone out directly via email to members in good standing with a permanent address in Canada who have had an SM contract since 2016.

If you meet these criteria, and did not receive a link to the survey, please contact communications@caea.com.

January 11, 2020 - Proposed changes for the negotiated 2021-2024 Canadian Theatre Agreement (CTA) negotiated between Equity and the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT) has now been ratified by the eligible PACT membership.

The Equity membership previously ratified the Proposed changes to the Agreement in a vote which concluded on Thursday, December 17, 2020.

The 2021-2024 Canadian Theatre Agreement (CTA) comes into effect today, January 11, 2021 and the Agreement will expire on June 28, 2024.

The CTA consists of the CTA Material Terms Booklet (agreed changes) and the CTA Fee Booklet. These newly-ratified documents should be used in combination with the 2015-2018 CTA until a final 2021-2024 Agreement is available. As of January 2021, the COVID-19 Addendum to the CTA is also in effect indefinitely.

Equity and PACT have agreed to a three-and-a-half-year agreement, with financial increases of 1% in 2021, 1.75% for year-2 starting on June 28, 2021, 2% for year-3 starting on June 27, 2022, and 2% for year-4 starting on June 26, 2023 applying to all minimum fees and other monetary amounts.

Equity is happy to announce that our next online member meeting will be with Siobhan Richardson, Amanda Liz Cutting and Megan Gilron.

National Society of Intimacy Professionals (NSIP)
Scenes or Moments of Intimacy
- and -
Support for Performers Mental Health in the time of COVID

Two versions of the recorded education session are below. Downloadable materials follow below the videos.

Video 1 | includes PowerPoint Presentation

Video 2 | includes ASL Interpretation

• Learn more about our special guests
• Download the Presentation (PDF)

Before the pandemic, Intimacy Directors came into industry awareness as specialists who help navigate scenes or moments of an intimate and/or vulnerable nature. Additionally, this included specialization in helping to support creative workspaces in the wake of #metoo.

In the "new normal" of producing during a pandemic, the Intimacy Direction role is again expanding, now including awareness of the impact that the current stressors (mental and physical) can have in our workplace.

In the ever-changing landscape of the live performance industry, and as we return to work during COVID-19, Intimacy Directors can offer various ways to support performers within the role and perspective of Intimacy Direction.

Save the Date: Wednesday, November 25
Time: 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. ET
Platform: Online via Zoom webinar *
ASL interpretation will be provided

Due to technical difficulties, a written transcript will not be available.

This session offers insight into the role of Intimacy Directors, and how we all can enter into this new working environment with a clearer understanding of approaching scenes or moments of intimacy at this time.

* Please note: Only Equity members in good standing may attend. Transcription and a video recording of the meeting will be made available to all members as soon as possible after the meeting takes place. 

On June 9, 2020, Equity Council convened a special meeting to discuss the current state of the community in relation to the #BlackLivesMatter movement and commit to action in response to the urgent needs of the membership. From that meeting, Council committed to four actions.

The final of these commitments was that the next Online Member Meeting would be dedicated to Anti-Oppression training. After a summer hiatus, Equity is proud to offer this important training for our members.

Save the Date: Wednesday, August 26
Time: 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. ET
Platform: Online via Zoom webinar
ASL interpretation will be provided

Our guest trainer is Douglas Stewart. Douglas has worked as an equity trainer, dispute resolution officer and Chief Human Rights Advisor and has done extensive work with Equity over the last few years.

A video recording of the seminar is below. A transcript of the meeting is available here. The materials and resources from the meeting are available for download HERE (member login required)

Join Council President Scott Bellis and Executive Director Arden R. Ryshpan at Equity’s seventh online video meeting looking at your personal finances in these challenging and uncertain times.

Recently, Financial Health came up as one of three top concerns of our members right now. We heard you, and we are dedicating our next Online Member Meeting to helping manage your personal finances more effectively.

Topics for discussion include: how to plan and manage cash flow, how to determine expenses, how to cut expenses, how to create a draw-down strategy, when to consider debt, how to consider the pros/cons of drawing from RRSPs and how to clean up your tax record with the Canadian Revenue Agency. Our special guests to guide us on this financial exploration are:

Chris Enns – Opera Singer and Financial Planner 
Chris’s mission is ‘helping creatives and other money ‘misfits’ build financial stability’ and he does this through coaching and DIY tools on his website Rags to Reasonable. Chris has built his practice for people with variable income, hard to predict expenses, and no built-in safety net.

(Expense Worksheet and Money Matters - Chris Enns Outline)

Tova Epp – Actor and Senior Tax Preparer
Tova Epp is a tax preparer/actor/wildlife rehabilitator-in-training. She’s been working at Artbooks, the cosy tax office for artists, for 12 years, preparing the tax returns of many diverse and exciting artists from across the country. She holds a BFA with Distinction from Concordia University.

Date: Wednesday, June 3 2020
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Online Zoom webinar

Video recording of the meeting is available below.

Equity is holding a fifth online video meeting with Council President Scott Bellis and special guests and mental health experts Stephanie Kersta MSc RP and Carolyn Plater MSW RSW, who will share valuable information on building and strengthening resiliency during COVID-19.

Date: Monday, May 4, 2020
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Online video meeting via the Internet (Zoom webinar)

Video recording of the meeting is embedded below.

PART 1/2 (Discussion):

PART 2/2 (Meditation):

Meeting Resources

• Cognitive Distortions
• Coping Skills
• Putting Thoughts on Trial
• Sleep Hygiene
• Meeting transcript

June 23, 2020 - Equity’s national Council invites Equity members to attend an online Council education session held as part of Council’s two-day June meeting. This information session has been opened up to members-at-large as part of Council’s ongoing commitment to dismantling systems of oppression within our Association and industry.

The Staying Warm: A Guide to Allyship in Action seminar will be presented by Jacquelyn Cardinal and Equity member Hunter Cardinal from the Naheyawin Centre. It approaches Indigenous allyship through action, courage and humility, and meaningful change. The Staying Warm A Guide to Allyship in Action presentation guidebook is available HERE. 

Date: Monday, June 29, 2020
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET
Platform: Online via Zoom webinar.

A video recording of the seminar is below. A transcript of the meeting is available here.