The Region 3 Educational to be held on June 13 and 14, 2026, at the Deerhurst Resort –1235 Deerhurst Dr – Huntsville ON – P1H 2E8, 1-800-461-4393 or 705-789-6411
PLEASE NOTE: You will receive a confirmation letter if selected. At that time, you will also receive the time-off request form, childcare request form, human rights accommodation form, for completion.
For your application to be considered, it must be sent to the email [email protected] before Friday, April17, 2026 by 4:30pm. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
In solidarity,
Region 3 Education Committee
Information
Application
- Application forms must be signed by the Local President or Designate, and received by the Region 3 email address [email protected] no later than Friday April 17, 2026 by 4:30pm. Application forms & accompanying documents must be fully completed and received on time to be considered.
Cancellations
- A member cancelling participation must notify their Local President and [email protected] as soon as possible. Members are responsible for cancelling hotel reservations and any associated cost for late cancellations.
No Call / No Show
- Members who do not cancel their participation with the Regional Office within forty-eight (48) hours of the event start date will not be eligible to attend the next educational. Extenuating circumstances will be considered.
Childcare / Elder / Dependant Care
- Members will be reimbursed for family care (childcare/ elder care/dependent care) at a rate of$15.00 an hour to a maximum of $220.00 in a 24-hour period.
- Childcare claims will be honoured for children up to and including age 16, for whom the member is a guardian.
- Care may be provided by friends/family, professional or commercial services, or any other arrangement satisfactory to the member making the claim. Claims may be verified and must be signed by the service provider. A spouse is excluded from the list of eligible care providers.
- Members who have responsibility for elderly/dependant persons living with them as part of their family may claim for their care.
- Members will be reimbursed for family/attendant care at $15.00 an hour, to a maximum of $220.00 in a 24 hour period.
- This policy covers the expenses for persons over the age of 16, permanently residing with, and under the care of a member, who are differently-abled and/or aged. A spouse is excluded from the list of eligible care providers.
- If childcare is requested through OPSEU/SEFPO at the Educational, all paperwork must be completed and submitted, and the child must be in attendance with the program. If the child is not in attendance, you will be responsible for the full cost of their accommodation and the cost of meals at the Resort.
Expense Claims
The Member Portal (opseu.org//members-login) is the quickest way to have your expenses processed. Please see the E-Claim tutorial in your Members Profile under the Documents menu.
If you choose to use a paper expense claim – only one event is allowed on each form and can be submitted to [email protected]. Multiple events on one form will be returned to the member for correction.
Accommodation
A block of rooms has been reserved at Deerhurst Resort and is based on OPSEU/SEFPO policy of single accommodations.
- Once accepted to the Weekend Educational, you will receive a Hotel Accommodation Booking Form, this must be completed and returned to [email protected] before Friday May 8, 2026 at 4:30pm.
- Members who complete and submit their Hotel Accommodation Booking Form by May 8, 2026, will be placed on the OPSEU/SEFPO Primary Account, and will not be required to book their accommodations through the Resort.
- Members will still be required to present a valid credit card for incidentals at the time of Check-In. Check-In is after 3:00PM, please do not arrive to the Resort before this time, as rooms will not be ready.
- OPSEU/SEFPO will not be responsible for booking accommodations for members who arrive at the event without previously confirming the need for hotel accommodations.
- Hotel Accommodations are not approved for members living within 60 Kilometers of the hotel location. If you live within 60km, please book & pay using your own credit card. Room keys will not be provided to those within 60km unless a credit card is provided.
- OPSEU/SEFPO members are responsible for notifying the hotel directly of any special accommodations or dietary restrictions required by guests or children of the member.
- Pet Policy: If you require a Dog to attend, please let [email protected] know at the time of your booking
- Credit card must be provided upon check-in for incidental pre-approval.
- Check-in after 4 p.m. on Friday, check-out by 11:00am on Sunday.
- If members are unable to attend, they are responsible for cancelling their reservation.
Meals that are included at the event will not be allowable expenses even if you do not eat at the resort (Saturday Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, and Sunday Breakfast). Dinner on Friday June 12, 2026 is not
included in the event stay, and members will be on their own for Friday dinner. This can be submitted on your expenses claim after the even and will be reimbursed as per OPSEU/SEFPO Policy. Meals for members and their guests/children will be provided for Saturday Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, and Sunday Breakfast. Members are responsible for notifying [email protected] of any dietary restrictions or allergies by May 8, 2026.
Additional Guests – please notify the [email protected] directly to let them know you are bringing additional guests so we can make the appropriate meal arrangements. Please note that accommodations and meals for additional guests will not be reimbursed.
Children must be registered and attend the on-site childcare to have their accommodations and meals reimbursed (not applicable if Companion/Spouse is in attendance but NOT registered for a course)
Time-Off / Lost Wages
Lost wages will be reimbursed for shift workers only in accordance with current OPSEU/SEFPO policy. Documentation must be submitted with your claim
Own time is not paid for a weekend education.
Time off arrangements – Time-Off Request forms will be provided for completion with the confirmation letter if selected.
Time off for Friday shifts prior to the start of the event, are only approved in extenuating circumstances, or if a member is required to work overnights leading into the Saturday of the event.
Course Descriptions for June 13 and 14, 2026
Courses times: Saturday, June 13th, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. & Sunday, June 14th , 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Women in Activism – Staying Connected
Are you a woman who wants to get involved in your Union but you are uncertain as to where and how to begin? Have you wondered how activists got into the position they are in and why they got involved? Do you have the energy and interest but lack the confidence in getting yourself elected to a position? Then this is a course for you.
This course will take you through the journey of successful women in unions and the political arena, how they got there and what they have achieved. You will understand your role as an activist, gain confidence in taking the first steps, and feel motivated in encouraging others to do the same. You will review your own time management strategies and work out a schedule for yourself.
Through scenarios, role-play, interactive videos, and checklists, you will understand the issues women have faced over the years; some of which still continue today. You will learn how to build on these wins to make further inroads for women.
Suggested Pre-requisite – one elected activist and one partner who is not elected (take a closer look at who you may want to bring). This can be an encouragement to mentor others.
Human Rights, Union Rights and Global Solidarity
Faced with governments pushing austerity around the world, global solidarity is more important than ever. Why do we find ourselves fighting the same fights fought more than 30, 50, or even 100 years ago? This course explores what our roles are as individuals, union members, and community citizens, in the ongoing fight for fairness, equality, and justice.
Participants will draw critical links between human rights, union rights, and global solidarity, and will be asked to commit to collective action to build solidarity locally and globally. By the end of the course, participants will be able to recognize and challenge privilege and oppression, know the differences between charity and solidarity, and will be better able to challenge the current austerity agenda.
Advance Grievance Handling for Union Building
Does your local have a grievance committee? Can your experience in handling a grievance help to build the local? Can you use your knowledge of common grievance issues to raise awareness at demand setting meetings? Have you ever thought of what it is like to be on the Employer side of the table? These are some of the topics that will be explored in the Advanced Grievance Handling for Union Building course.
You will also get the opportunity to practice being on the Union’s team and the Employer’s Team as you work through some scenarios. Building on the Basic Grievance Handling for Union Building course, this course focuses on expanding both the steward’s and Local’s ability to process grievances from start to finish.
Through active interviewing process, participants will explore how to identify grievances, practice negotiating settlements, and draft realistic, enforceable grievance settlements. Participants should bring their Collective Agreements to the course.
Workplace Surveillance
Develop an understanding of workers’ rights regarding workplace surveillance so that you can be informed, strategic and proactive in a technologically changing workplace. Through shared experiences, hands-on mapping of your workplace surveillance systems, insights into the future of work, and an exploration of case studies, you will return to your local with tools, tips, best practices, sample contract language, and more.
Statement of Respect
Harassment or discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated at OPSEU/SEFPO functions.
Whenever OPSEU members gather, we welcome all peoples of the world. We will not accept any unwelcoming words, actions or behaviours against our union members.
We accord respect to all persons, regardless of age, creed, political affiliation and racialization including and not limited to People of African descent, Black, Caribbean, South Asian, Asian, Palestinian, women, men, First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, members of ethno-racial groups, people with disabilities, gays, lesbians, bisexual, trans, two-spirit, and gender diverse persons, francophones and all persons whose first language is not English.
In our diversity we will build solidarity as union members. If you believe that you are being harassed or discriminated against, contact (specify names)* for immediate assistance.
Names:
* It is the event coordinator’s responsibility to designate at least two qualified persons. The names and phones numbers of such persons must be listed. One of the designated members shall be female.
Updated September 2025
Allergy Alert
Scent, Peanuts and Nut-Free Policy
Workers are becoming sensitized to chemicals, scented products and certain foods such as peanuts, peanut butter, pecans, walnuts, many chocolate bars and energy/nutrition bars.
For many individuals, attending conferences, meetings etc. and being exposed to perfumes, other strong scents and certain foods can pose serious health risks such as asthma attacks, respiratory problems and/or migraine headaches.
In the interest of the health and safety of the sisters and brothers whose health may suffer from any of these exposures, we ask that you refrain from wearing or using scented products, peanut and nut products at all OPSEU/SEFPO events and OPSEU/SEFPO locations.