The City of Toronto is committed to supporting learning and development by providing educational assistance to employees who pursue continuous work-related knowledge and skill improvement. Tuition Assistance Reimbursement is one way the City encourages continuous learning and invests in employees who choose to develop in their current or future role. Attracting and retaining talent is important as employees build new skills, develop in their job and apply the learning in the workplace. This contributes to building a great Toronto Public Service where employees are engaged in serving a great city and its people and it also meets our Talent Blueprint objective of having adaptable and high-performing employees with the right skills in the right job at the right time to meet our current and future needs.
All permanent full-time and permanent part-time employees, and full-time temporary employees with one year’s continuous service.
Work-related training/development applies to courses other than those offered internally by the City that:
The request for tuition assistance reimbursement must be initiated by the employee.
The request must be pre-approved by the Division Head or designate of the employee’s division.
Employees must meet eligibility criteria for approval. Employees must submit all administrative documentation and proof of successful course completion for reimbursement.
Employees must attend courses on non-work time.
The courses requested must be work-related and consistent with the employee’s performance objectives as well as development plans as discussed with their Manager.
Courses must be delivered by a provincially- (or equivalent), professional or industry-recognized educational institution, agency or proprietor of continuous learning services.
Courses that are eligible include, but are not limited to, post-secondary education through community colleges and universities (undergraduate and graduate level programs), accreditations related to trades and vocations, and professional designations and certifications. Classroom, e-learning programs through distance learning and correspondence courses are all acceptable.
Tuition assistance reimbursement is limited to 80 percent of the total cost of tuition, student fees, books, and examination fees. Parking fees and other incidentals will not be reimbursed.
Tuition assistance reimbursement is limited to a maximum of $1,500.00 (Canadian) per calendar year (January 1 – December 31) per employee. The actual amount any one individual may receive will be based on the available budget, divisional business priorities, the principle of equitable access to available funds, and anticipated demand for each division.
Employees may not claim any portion of tuition assistance reimbursed by the City for personal income tax purposes.
Exception
Exceptions to any condition outlined in the policy must be based on a bona fide occupational or corporate requirement.
Only Division Heads or their designate may determine and invoke exceptions at their discretion.
Division head or designate.
Toronto City Council
April 13, 1999
April 2019