CLC Ontario Summer School 2026
As Canada’s unions, we know who we are: we build, we care, and we fight — for everyone.
From shop floors to hospitals, warehouses to classrooms, working people are confronting challenges. They are facing rising costs, precarity, and mounting pressure, even as corporate profits reach new heights. But together, we have the power to fight back, protect good jobs, and strengthen the communities we call home.
Date
Sunday, July 19 to Friday, July 24, 2026
The CLC Ontario Summer School will be held at The Hamilton Convention Centre.
Registration Fees
Single accommodation: $2050 per student/week
Single accommodation with spouse/partner: $2,550/week
Course and meals only: $1100/week
Children (who require additional hotel rooms): $500
Prevention Link Course: $2,050 + $290 additional cost = $2,340
*Standard Registration Includes: accommodation at The Sheraton Hotel, meals, coffee breaks, and class materials
* *Please note, registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to limited course availability and in consideration of all students, please do not hold spots. Applicants must have the approval of their union before enrolling. Payment for all fees must be made at the time of registration and can be made via credit card or cheque. Cheques should be made payable to: “Canadian Labour Congress – Ontario School” and mailed to: Ontario Summer School Registrar, 895 Don Mills Road, Building Two, Suite 610, Toronto M3C 1W3
Last day to register is June 15, 2026. To change a registration after it has been submitted please contact the Ontario Region office at ontario@clcctc.ca , cancellations with a full refund will not provided after June 20, 2026.
- Accommodations will be booked by the CLC, if you have any questions contact the office at ontario@clcctc.ca
- Check-in will take place on Sunday, July 19 from 3:00pm to 5:00pm
- Hotel rooms at The Sheraton Hamilton will be booked on the students behalf once they have registered.
- We will be following all provincial health requirements at the CLC School. As provincial requirements do change on short notice, we encourage all affiliates to remain up-to-date.
Courses Offered
MEMBER ENGAGEMENT – MEMBER ACTION
designed for experienced shop stewards, local union leaders and union staff who want to transform how members engage with their union and how their union engages with their members. This course trains participants on the three-step approach to effective member engagement (Go, Listen, Build) and connects it to organizing approaches for building an active membership. Participants will leave with new skills and ideas for building and measuring a member engagement strategy.
Who this course is for: Experienced shop stewards, local union leaders and union staff.
TRANSFORMING CONFLICT INTO UNION ACTIVISM
approaches conflict in a novel way. It recognizes that conflict isn’t always negative but that it is the outcome of the conflict that is negative or positive. The course teaches participants how to listen to people involved in a conflict, get to the root causes of a conflict, and how to coach people involved in a conflict to identify shared interests. Participants learn how to use those shared interests to help people involved in a conflict find solutions and turn the conflict and shared interests into union activism.
Who this course is for: Union representatives, leaders, educators, organizers and other active union members.
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE AND PUBLIC SPEAKING
is a two-part course. Parliamentary Procedure covers how to run a meeting effectively, the duties of a chairperson and secretary, and how rules of order can provide a democratic and fair process to accomplish union business. Public Speaking covers how to speak persuasively to various groups and how different formats are used to speak at convention, debates, and impromptu gatherings.
Who this course is for: All union members
VALUES INTO ACTION: EMBEDDING HUMAN RIGHTS INTO UNION ROLES AND PRACTICE
provides union leaders and members with a solid understanding of human rights principles and values, along with practical skills to apply them in every area of union work – such as leadership, union roles, organizing, bargaining, and advocacy – across the entire labour movement. Participants will: build a foundational understanding of human rights principles, values, and history; apply anti-oppression frameworks to union roles, leadership, labour organizing, and advocacy; learn to address human rights issues in practical and systemic ways; and foster personal and collective commitments to building human rights-centered unions.
Who this course is for: All workers, union members and leaders. NOTE: This is a new course that will be launched in Summer 2026.
DEBUNKING MYTHS AND SHIFTING POWER: A WORKER’S GUIDE TO THE ECONOMY
is an introductory course focused on debunking some of the most common myths we hear about the economy. In this course, participants will learn the basics of how the economy works, how to push back on economic myths, and how to apply this knowledge to core union work like bargaining, member engagement, and policy advocacy. Many activists know these myths to be untrue but lack the language and confidence to push back against the false narratives that are often taken as fact. We must be able to confront the ideas behind bad economic policies and decades of economic mismanagement so that we can promote our vision of a just economy – one that puts people first. We cannot continue to cede economic expertise to the traditional economists whose ideas have undermined the labour movement, empowered the corporations, and enriched the billionaires. Turning the tide begins with building knowledge and confidence to push back on the dominant narratives and propose an economy that benefits everyone.
Who this course is for: Union members and activists looking to understand the economy and improve their communication skills around this issue.
DIGITAL STRATEGIES FOR MEMBER ENGAGEMENT
Have you been wondering how digital campaigns can boost member engagement in your union? Drawing on lessons from successful political advocacy, issue-based campaigns, and your own union’s experiences, the course offers a practical framework for planning and running effective digital strategies. Over five days of collaborative learning and hands-on practice, you’ll master the fundamentals of digital engagement and learn how to seamlessly integrate digital strategies into your union work, including:
- Understanding what digital organizing is and how it can strengthen your entire organization.
- Learning storytelling, digital tactics, data management, and how to leverage email and social media.
- Building campaigns that connect online and offline strategies – and measuring the results.
- Exploring practical digital tools to support engagement and make your work more efficient.
Who this course is for: Union communicators, campaigners, organizers, strategists, and activists.
PREVENTION LINK- UNRAVELING PROTECTED GROUNDS – TURNING AWARENESS INTO ACTION
Discover how the Ontario Human Rights Code protects people in the workplace and what it means in everyday situations. This engaging session explores the protected grounds in employment, how discrimination and harassment can occur, and the role everyone plays. Through practical examples and discussion, participants will gain the knowledge and confidence to recognize human rights issues and help foster a workplace built on dignity and fairness.
Who this course is for: All union members
Register Online