Interpreter information
The Ministry of the Attorney General accredits all court interpreters.
To receive accreditation as an interpreter, an applicant must:
- pass the Standard Interpretation Aptitude Test (SIAT) in his or her language
- attend a training seminar
- pass a written test in court procedure and interpreter ethics (S.2.1- Ministry of the Attorney General Court Interpreter Coordinator's Manual)
The Ministry of the Attorney General provides an up-to-date Registry of Accredited Freelance Interpreters to every court in Ontario. City of Toronto Interpreter Co-ordinators shall use this registry when they request the service of interpreters. Preference is given to those who have been designated to work at a specific court (Section 3.1 - Ministry of the Attorney General Court Interpreter Co-ordinator's Manual).
Interpreters should not call the court office for assignments. A co-ordinator will contact an interpreter when one is required. Assignments are divided fairly among the interpreters who are "headquartered" at a particular site (Section 3.2 - Ministry of the Attorney General Court Interpreter Co-ordinator's Manual).
Interpreter fees and payment for service
Interpreters must obtain a City of Toronto Interpreter Invoice (PDF 356 Kb) from the clerk/monitor in the courtroom. The interpreter is responsible for filling in the required information on the invoice, including name of defendant, courtroom and tier time. The interpreter must then present the invoice to the clerk/monitor in that court who fills in the time at which the interpreter's assignment ended and initials the appropriate area. Failure to get the clerk/monitor to initial the invoice may result in non-payment of invoice.
Interpreters must keep the invoice and produce it at subsequent assignments until the invoice is completely filled in. At the end of each month, return invoices for processing via mail to the address listed below, or you may hand deliver it to any court office.
Ontario Court of Justice
Provincial Offences Office
York Civic Centre
2700 Eglinton Avenue West
Toronto ON M6M 1V1
All cleared invoices are paid within 30 days of receipt.
Fee schedule
Interpreters are required to remain on court premises for up to two hours after their scheduled start time, but may be dismissed at the discretion of the City of Toronto Interpreter Co-ordinator (Section 4.1.1 - Ministry of the Attorney General Court Interpreter Co-ordinator's Manual).
This schedule is subject to change and amendments will be promptly implemented.
Fees for day court and night court:
- Hourly Fee: $30 per each additional hour, or part thereof
- Minimum daily fee: $90, this fee will be paid for each day an interpreter's services are booked, unless they are cancelled with at least 48 hours notice
- Recall Fee: Interpreters who have been released by a court office, but are called back to court for a second time in one day, shall receive the $90 minimum daily fee, or $30 per hour, whichever is greater
Note: The City of Toronto pays the minimum daily attendance fee only once per day. Assignments prior to July 3, 2012 will be paid at the previous rate of $25.00 per hour with a $75.00 daily fee
Mileage
Interpreters who reside and/or are headquartered within the City of Toronto will not be paid expenses for travel.
