As an Equity member, you must be on an Equity contract when working in the Association’s jurisdiction and you must be in Good Standing before signing an Equity contract.
Working as a Member
Agreement Issues
Members can contact an Equity Business Rep regarding any questions or concerns you may have about:
Find your Business Rep
Not sure who your Business Rep is? Look them up by typing the name of the theatre below:
Health & Safety Issues
Emergencies
If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
After business hours (9 am – 5 pm ET), please contact Equity at 416-867-9165 or TF at 1-800-387-1856 and follow the “in case of an emergency” prompts.
Respectful Workplace Issues
Members who have experienced or witnessed inappropriate behaviour in the workplace should speak to the Engager as soon as possible. The Engager has an obligation to be available and receptive to any concerns raised by workers and to investigate any incidents of inappropriate behaviour immediately.
If you have questions about your options for pursuing a complaint regarding inappropriate behaviour in the workplace, you can submit a disclosure to Equity and ask for an Equity Respectful Workplace Advisor to contact you.
Equity Minimums
The wages and working conditions negotiated in Equity’s collective agreements and set in the Association’s engagement policies are minimums. Your right to negotiate above those minimums is a core privilege of Equity membership.
Consider negotiating for:
Working Without an Equity Contract
Equity may grant an Artist permission to work “without reference” to an Equity contract—meaning without:
Only an Artist can request permission to work without an Equity contract—not an Engager—and permission is not automatic or guaranteed. An Artist must not accept a role or position without an Equity contract before receiving approval from Equity.
- Professional development opportunities, including exploring a new discipline (e.g., a performer becoming a director) or participating in an approved training program
- A requirement of an Artist’s enrollment in an educational program
- A requirement or function of an Artist’s employment contract at an educational institution
- An Artist moving to a new location and seeking to introduce themselves to a new community
- An Artist returning to the sector after not working in Equity’s jurisdiction for an extended period of time
- An activity that had been accepted prior to becoming an Equity member
- Failing to inform an Engager that you are a member of Equity, ACTRA, or UDA
- An Engager lacking the budget to hire you under an Equity contract
To file a “without reference” request, email busrep@caea.com. Your request must include:
- Rationale for your request
- Engager name
- Production/activity name
- Dates of the potential engagement
Requests are assessed on a case-by-case basis, considering both the needs of the Artist and the membership as a whole. Approval is at Equity’s sole discretion and does not set a precedent.
If permission is granted, the Engager must include a program acknowledgment stating that the Artist’s participation is by special permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association, and provide a copy to Equity.
The Dance • Opera • Theatre (DOT) Policy allows an Artist to be on an Equity contract for two reasons often given in “without reference” requests:
- A requirement of an Artist’s enrolled educational program
- A requirement or function of an Artist’s employment contract at an educational institution
Consider whether the DOT Policy applies to your situation before submitting a “without reference” request.
To learn more, visit the DOT Policy page.