Objective: To request an immediate review and reduction of the annual professional renewal fees for pharmacy technicians to ensure fiscal equity and professional sustainability.

To the OCP Board of Directors,

   We, the registered pharmacy technicians of Ontario, are formally petitioning for a reduction in our annual renewal fees. The current fee structure has become a significant and disproportionate financial burden.

1. Inter-Professional Disparity

    Pharmacy technicians in Ontario currently pay significantly higher regulatory fees than other healthcare professionals with comparable or higher levels of clinical risk and responsibility. For example, the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) charges all Registered nurses (RN’s) a total annual fee of $415.84 (including HST). Similarly, the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario (CDHO) maintains a renewal fee of $415. There is no clear regulatory justification for why a pharmacy technician must pay $683.80 ($605.13 base plus HST) for the 2026 registration year over 60% more than a nurse.

2. Disproportionate Economic Burden

     The current fee structure is regressive. The median wage for an Ontario pharmacy technician is approximately $26.45 per hour, or roughly $51,600 annually. In contrast, the median annual pay for a pharmacist in Ontario is approximately $114,800.[8]
A technician pays approximately 1.33% of their gross income toward their license, while a pharmacist pays only 0.88%. This creates a "working tax" that falls most heavily on the lower-earning segment of the OCP's registrant base.

3. Strong Financial Position of the College

     As of December 31, 2024, the OCP reported over $11,000,000 in internally restricted reserves and total net assets exceeding $16,200,000. In 2024 alone, the College collected $3,544,336 in revenue specifically from pharmacy technician fees. Given these robust financial reserves and high liquidity, the College has the fiscal capacity to implement a fee reduction for technicians without impacting its mandate of public protection.

4. Global and National Benchmarks

    Licensing fees in Ontario remain relatively high compared to other jurisdictions. In the United Kingdom, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has set the 2025 technician renewal fee at £138 (approximately $245 CAD)—less than half of the current Ontario fee. Nationally, technicians in Alberta pay a total of approximately $633.15, benefitting from a lower tax rate and a lower base fee than their Ontario counterparts.

Our Formal Requests:

Fee Reduction: Lower the base renewal fee for Part A Pharmacy Technicians to align with the nursing benchmark of approximately $415.

Fee Freeze: Suspend the annual CPI-linked fee increases for the technician category for the next three years.

Tiered Structure: Introduce a reduced fee category for technicians working part-time or those on parental/medical leave to prevent professional exits.

We are vital partners in Ontario’s healthcare system. We ask the College to recognize our contribution by ensuring that the cost of professional standing is fair, equitable, and sustainable.