This form is for instructors to fill once a year to confirm they are current in the outdoor sector and maintain access to their license. The form has 3 sections.

The first section is on this page

The second section is where you provide us with information confirming you are current as an outdoor instructor

The third section is for the agreement between yourself as a holder of an Instructor license and the OCC

Instructor License Agreement

The Outdoor Council of Canada (OCC) has prepared instructional materials, exams, and curricula for the Field Leader (FL) courses and Get Outside (GO) courses. These instructional materials, exams, and curricula are subject to copyright by the OCC and may not be reproduced or used in any manner without express authorization from the OCC pursuant to this agreement.

All Instructors teaching OCC courses must sign this agreement. This agreement must be renewed once a year. This is done by completing the following section of the form. The agreement expires on the same day as the OCC membership expires, or 12 months after signing (whichever comes first).

Instructor License Agreement

SECTION 1: Overview and Term

1.1 Agreement Purpose

This Instructor License Agreement (“Agreement”) is between the Outdoor Council of Canada (“OCC”) and the Instructor. It governs the Instructor’s use of OCC instructional materials and the delivery of OCC-certified courses (Field Leader and Get Outside courses).

1.2 Term of Agreement

This Agreement is valid for up to twelve (12) months from the date of signing or until the Instructor’s OCC membership expires, whichever comes first. Instructors must renew this Agreement on or before its expiration to maintain their license.

1.3 Agreement Scope

This Agreement only grants permission to deliver OCC courses using OCC-provided materials. It does not authorize the Instructor to act as an employee, agent, or representative of OCC. The Instructor operates independently and is solely responsible for their own course delivery, logistics, and participant safety.

Plain Language Explanation

(The Plain Language Explanations in this Agreement are for convenience only; any interpretation questions are resolved in favour of the numbered legal provisions.) This agreement gives you permission to teach OCC courses for one year, as long as your membership is also active. You’re not employed by OCC—we give you the curriculum and certify your students, but you run your own courses.

SECTION 2: Instructor Qualifications and Responsibilities

2.1 Required Qualifications

To hold and maintain an OCC Instructor license, the Instructor must:

• Successfully complete an OCC-approved Field Leader Instructor course.
• Be a current member of the OCC in good standing.
• Hold any additional certifications required for the course they are delivering (e.g., first aid).
• Meet OCC’s annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements.

2.2 Course Delivery Responsibilities

The Instructor agrees to:

• Deliver only OCC-certified courses using approved curriculum, materials, and exams.
• Ensure the student-to-instructor ratio does not exceed 10:1 during field sessions.
• Adhere to the minimum durations for classroom and field components as stated in the curriculum.
• Provide each student with the OCC course manual in advance of the course start date, allowing sufficient time to read it and complete pre-course quizzes.
• Carefully select course locations that match the scope of the curriculum and minimize risk.
• Follow the risk management principles, supervision practices, and Event Cycle planning framework taught in the Instructor course.

2.3 Certification Standards

The Instructor will issue course passes only to students who:

• Make every effort to attend the entire course.
• Complete required coursework and exams.
• Demonstrate competency to lead in the terrain and activities covered by the certification level.

Plain Language Explanation

You must meet OCC’s requirements to be licensed. You’re responsible for running safe, properly structured courses using OCC materials. You can only pass students who complete the full course and show they’re ready to lead within the approved scope.

SECTION 3: Roles, Materials, and Branding

3.1 OCC as Certifying Body; Instructor as Course Provider

The OCC is the certifying body that develops course content, maintains curriculum standards, and issues certifications. Instructors are independent course providers, responsible for all planning, logistics, risk management, delivery, and student support.

As such, instructors must be mindful of how they present and speak about the course, its content, and the OCC brand—including use of the OCC logo. The remainder of this section outlines specific guidelines to help instructors accurately represent the OCC relationship and uphold the integrity of the certification program.

3.2 Use of OCC Materials and Pedagogical Adaptation

All Field Leader (FL) and Get Outside (GO) course materials—including manuals, exams, lesson plans, graphics, and supplementary content—are the intellectual property of OCC. Instructors may use these materials only for the delivery of OCC-certified courses.

Instructors are permitted to adapt, translate, or contextualize OCC materials to fit their teaching environments—such as modifying terminology, adjusting delivery methods, or incorporating supplemental content—provided the course remains within the approved Scope of Practice and all intended learning outcomes are preserved.

Instructors may substitute the standard written exam with an alternative assessment method, provided it is equivalent or superior in reliability and validity. These alternatives must be documented in a retrievable format (e.g., written record, digital file, video, or assessment rubric) that clearly demonstrates how the student’s competency was evaluated and supports the instructor’s certification decision.

OCC materials may not be published, reproduced, or publicly distributed beyond what is necessary for course delivery without written permission.

3.3 Branding and Representations

Instructors are expected to clearly and accurately represent their relationship with the OCC in all course-related materials and public communications. Many instructors operate independently, using the OCC’s curriculum under license. Occasionally, the OCC organizes a course and contracts an instructor to deliver it on its behalf.

Permitted References (for all instructors):

Instructors may use the following statements, or similar wording, when describing their courses:

• “Curriculum and instructional materials provided by the Outdoor Council of Canada.”
• “Field Leader (FL) course using the Outdoor Council of Canada’s national curriculum.”
• “Outdoor leadership training based on the Outdoor Council of Canada’s national standards.”
• “Course content developed and maintained by the Outdoor Council of Canada.”

Representations to Avoid:

Unless the course is organized and operated directly by the OCC, instructors must not imply or state that:

• The course is delivered or hosted by the OCC.
• The instructor is an employee, staff member, or official agent of the OCC.
• The OCC is responsible for course logistics, participant registration, or on-site operations.

3.4 Use of the OCC Logo

The OCC logo is a recognized symbol of national outdoor leadership training standards. Instructors are permitted—and encouraged—to use the OCC logo in the following two contexts:

A. Promoting OCC-Certified Courses

Instructors may use the OCC logo to advertise and promote courses they are licensed to deliver, under the following conditions:

• The logo may only be used in materials directly related to OCC-certified courses the Instructor is currently licensed to teach.
• It must be clear that the Instructor is delivering the course independently and that the OCC is not the host or organizer, unless otherwise authorized in writing by the OCC.

B. Representing OCC Certification

Instructors may also use the OCC logo to indicate their personal certification status as a Field Leader or Instructor (e.g., on resumes, bios, professional websites, or social media), provided that:

• The logo is used in a truthful and professional context that reflects the Instructor's valid certification.
• The logo is not used in a way that implies the OCC endorses the Instructor’s other services, business, or activities.

3. General Conditions for All Logo Use

The following conditions apply to all uses of the OCC logo:

• The logo must not be altered, recolored, or combined with other branding in a way that misrepresents its origin.
• The logo may not be used to promote unrelated products, services, events, or organizations without written permission from the OCC.
• Instructors must stop using the logo if their certification or instructor license expires, is suspended, or revoked.

A current version of the OCC logo will be provided to Instructors upon request, along with usage guidelines.

Plain Language Explanation

You’re delivering the course—the OCC gives you the curriculum, but you run the sessions. You can adapt the materials and how you assess students, as long as you meet the learning outcomes. You’re encouraged to use the OCC logo to promote your courses or show you’re certified, but you need to follow the rules: don’t change the logo, don’t use it for unrelated work, and don’t imply the OCC is running your course unless they’ve actually asked you to teach it on their behalf.

SECTION 4: Instructor Status and Legal Relationship

4.1 Independent Role

Instructors are independent providers and are not employees, agents, or representatives of the Outdoor Council of Canada (the OCC). Additional guidance on public communication of this relationship is provided in Section 3.3.

4.2 No Employment Entitlement

This Agreement does not create an employment relationship, partnership, joint venture, or agency between the Instructor and the OCC. Instructors are not entitled to OCC employee benefits, insurance coverage (beyond what is specified in Section 7), or access to internal OCC resources.

4.3 Instructor Responsibilities

Instructors are fully responsible for the safety, legal compliance, and quality of the courses they deliver. This includes risk management, proper waiver use, accurate certification decisions, and timely submission of student information and required records.

Plain Language Explanation

You’re not an OCC employee. You work independently, and you’re responsible for running your courses safely and according to the rules. The OCC gives you the training system and certifies your students, but doesn’t manage your course.

SECTION 5: Certification and Student Information

5.1 Certification Decisions

Instructors are responsible for evaluating whether a student has met the requirements to be certified. A student may only receive certification if they:

• Attend the full course;
• Complete all required assessments;
• Demonstrate the ability to safely and competently perform the duties of a Field Leader (or GO participant) within the applicable scope.

Certification must align with the OCC’s current curriculum, scope of practice, and evaluation criteria.

5.2 Student Data Submission

Within seven (7) days of completing a course, the Instructor must submit the following information for each participant who successfully completes the course:

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Email address
• Phone number
• Mailing address
• Course location and date
• Any additional data required by the OCC to issue a certificate and maintain training records

The OCC will provide a standard reporting process and tools to support this submission.

5.3 Certificate Issuance

The OCC is solely responsible for issuing official OCC certificates. Instructors must not issue their own certificates using the OCC name or logo.

5.4 Privacy and Recordkeeping

Instructors must handle student information in accordance with all applicable privacy laws. Student records must be securely stored and submitted through the OCC’s approved process. Instructors may not share student data with third parties without the OCC’s written consent, except as required by law.

Plain Language Explanation

You decide who passes the course, based on OCC’s standards. After the course, you must send us the required information so we can issue certificates. You can’t make your own OCC certificates, and you have to keep student data safe and private.

SECTION 6: Legal Compliance and Insurance

6.1 Compliance with Applicable Laws

Instructors must ensure that all courses are conducted in compliance with applicable municipal, provincial/territorial, and federal statutes, regulations, and policies. This includes—but is not limited to—land use permissions, group size regulations, public health directives, and permits required for instructional or commercial activity.

6.2 Land Use and Regulations

It is the Instructor’s responsibility to confirm that all course locations are used in accordance with relevant land manager rules, such as those set by provincial parks, national parks, municipalities, or Indigenous land authorities. The OCC is not responsible for obtaining or verifying permits for courses run independently by Instructors.

6.3 Insurance and Risk Management

Instructors are encouraged to carry their own professional liability insurance when delivering OCC-certified courses. If an Instructor holds such insurance, the OCC requests that the Instructor list the OCC as an additional insured on that policy, where possible.

This does not replace the Instructor’s obligation to:

• Follow OCC’s Scope of Practice and curriculum;
• Properly administer participant waivers (see Section 7);
• Apply the principles of risk management taught in the Field Leader Instructor course.

Plain Language Explanation

You’re responsible for following all local laws and park rules when running a course. The OCC doesn’t get permits for you. If you have insurance, we ask that you include the OCC as an additional insured. And you still need to follow the OCC’s standards and use proper risk management.

SECTION 7: Waivers and Risk Acknowledgment

7.1 Mandatory Use of Waivers

The OCC’s liability insurance provider mandates that in order to keep the OCC’s policy in effect,

[the OCC’s insurance provider] warrant that a “release of Liability/Waiver of Claims” document […] be used and signed by or on behalf of all participants. If this warranty is violated, coverage will be automatically terminated from the time of such. Subsequent correction of the violation will not reinstate the coverage.

7.2 What the Waiver Does

The OCC’s Release of Liability / Waiver of Claims document is a legal agreement that:

• Releases the Instructor, the OCC, and affiliated sponsors or partners from liability in the event of injury, death, or property damage during the course;
• Acknowledges the inherent risks of outdoor leadership training;
• Waives the participant’s right to bring legal claims against the OCC or Instructor, including for alleged negligence.

Instructors must not minimize or contradict the legal effect of the waiver (e.g., saying “This is just a formality” or similar statements). Doing so may render the waiver legally unenforceable and void the insurance coverage.

7.3 Waiver Administration Procedure

Instructors must follow these steps without exception:

Before registration or payment:

• Inform participants that signing a waiver is mandatory.
• Provide a link to the OCC waiver on your course registration page or communications.

At the beginning of the course:

• Allow time for participants to read the waiver.
• Clearly say: “This is a waiver. It is a legal document. By signing it, you are giving up your right to sue.”
• Personally witness each participant’s signature.

As a witness, ask:

• “Have you read the waiver?” → Yes
• “Do you understand the waiver?” → Yes
• “Do you have any questions?” → No

Verify:

• All required initials and signature fields are completed.
• No part of the waiver is altered, crossed out, or modified.

For minors:

• A parent or legal guardian must sign the waiver for any participant under the age of majority.
• Waivers signed by or on behalf of minors are generally unenforceable under Canadian law. However, the OCC’s insurance provider still requires this step to demonstrate informed parental consent and risk communication.
• Keep these waivers on file until the minor reaches the age of majority plus two (2) years.

Unregistered participants:

• Any assistants, observers, or others participating in field sessions must also sign the waiver, even if they are not officially registered as students.

Repeat participants:

• Participants must sign a new waiver for every course, even if they’ve signed one before.

Storage and access:

• Waivers must be securely stored for a minimum of seven (7) years.
• Copies must be provided to the OCC upon request, unless restricted by applicable privacy laws.

Plain Language Explanation

Every student must sign the OCC waiver—no exceptions. This is a strict requirement from the OCC’s insurance provider. If someone doesn’t sign it, insurance coverage ends right away and can’t be restored. Even for minors (where the waiver may not be legally binding), the insurer still requires a parent or guardian to sign. You need to follow the waiver steps exactly, witness signatures, and keep the signed forms on file.

SECTION 8: Release of Liability, Waiver of Claims, and Indemnity

8.1 Release of Liability

This section confirms the Instructor’s agreement to waive claims and assume responsibility for any liability related to the courses they deliver.

In consideration of being granted a license to deliver OCC-certified courses, the Instructor agrees:

• TO WAIVE ANY AND ALL CLAIMS that they have or may in the future have against the Outdoor Council of Canada (the OCC), its directors, officers, employees, representatives, and affiliated sponsors (collectively, “the Releasees”);
• TO RELEASE THE RELEASEES from any and all liability for loss, damage, injury, or expense, including death, that the Instructor or their next of kin may suffer in connection with any OCC course, however caused, including but not limited to negligence, breach of contract, or breach of any statutory duty of care by the Releasees.

8.2 Indemnity

The Instructor further agrees:

• TO HOLD HARMLESS AND INDEMNIFY THE RELEASEES from any and all claims, liabilities, or expenses arising from:
  • Personal injury, death, or property damage involving any course participant;
  • Allegations of misconduct, negligence, or non-compliance by the Instructor;
  • Any third-party claims resulting from the Instructor’s delivery of an OCC-certified course.

This indemnity applies whether the course was delivered independently or, unless otherwise specified in a separate written agreement, under contract to the OCC.

Plain Language Explanation

You agree not to sue the OCC, and you take full responsibility for your own courses. If anything goes wrong in a course you deliver, and someone makes a legal claim, you’re agreeing to protect the OCC from that liability, including paying for legal costs to OCC—even if the claim involves an accident or injury. This helps keep everyone’s legal responsibilities clear and fair.

SECTION 9: Term, Renewal, and Agreement Confirmation

9.1 Term and Renewal

This agreement remains in effect until either:

• The Instructor’s OCC membership expires, or
• Twelve (12) months have passed since the agreement was signed—whichever comes first.

To continue teaching OCC-certified courses, the Instructor must renew this agreement on or before its expiration and maintain an active OCC membership. If the OCC updates the terms of the agreement, Instructors will be notified and must agree to the revised version in order to maintain their instructor status.

9.2 Termination or Suspension

The OCC reserves the right to suspend or terminate this agreement immediately if the Instructor:

• Fails to comply with any part of this Agreement;
• Does not meet annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements;
• Acts in a manner that compromises participant safety, program integrity, or the OCC’s reputation;
• Misrepresents their role or relationship with the OCC;
• Allows their membership, instructor license, or course-related qualifications to lapse.

Upon termination, the Instructor may no longer teach OCC-certified courses, issue certifications, or use OCC course materials, branding, or logos.

9.3 Acknowledgment and Acceptance

By checking the boxes and submitting this agreement, the Instructor confirms that they:

• Have read and understood the full Instructor License Agreement;
• Agree to comply with its terms;
• Understand its legal implications, including limitations of liability and their independent responsibility for course delivery.

Plain Language Explanation

This agreement ends either when your OCC membership runs out or after 12 months—whichever comes first. To keep teaching, you have to renew it and stay in good standing. The OCC can suspend or end your instructor status if you don’t follow the agreement, miss your CPD requirements, or act in a way that puts people or the program at risk. By signing, you’re confirming you get all of this and agree to it.