Support Programs and Initiatives for the Faculty Recruitment Process

Updated: May 3, 2023

Details of these programs and many other resources for new faculty can be found at faculty.utoronto.ca.

Faculty Relocation Service

The Faculty Relocation Service (FRS) provides assistance to prospective and recently appointed faculty members with most aspects of relocating to Toronto. FRS can enhance the recruitment efforts of your department/division and save you time and effort by providing candidates with accurate, timely information on the quality of life issues that have a significant impact on a candidate’s decision to accept an offer from the University. The staff are knowledgeable concerning Toronto’s various ethnocultural and religious communities and the lesbian and gay communities. They meet with candidates to discuss housing, moving, care for children and elderly family members, banking, and many other issues. They can provide a general orientation to life in the Greater Toronto Area and at the University of Toronto. You will get answers to questions on everything from support for new researchers to housing assistance, from getting a driver’s license to equity offices at U of T. You may find it useful to have members of the search committee visit the website for background information.

To arrange an appointment for a candidate or to consult with the coordinator or other staff members, please call 416.978.0951 or email faculty.support@utoronto.ca. FRS operates as a separate program within the Family Care Office at the Koffler Student Services Centre, 214 College Street.

Family Recruitment Information for Candidates

The Faculty Relocation Service (FRS) will provide you with Welcome Booklets to distribute; email faculty.support@utoronto.ca at least one week in advance. Each candidate on the short list should receive a copy well in advance of the visit.

Teaching Support

The Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation provides excellent resources and workshops designed to support faculty in their roles as teachers and supervisors of students.

Research Support

In addition to resources provided by your division, the Office of Research Services offers support to new researchers.

Spouse/Partner Employment Assistance

To support our recruitment efforts and ensure that we remain competitive with our peer institutions, U of T has developed programs and cost-sharing initiatives to assist spouses/partners in securing employment. Please contact academic.hr@utoronto.ca for more information.

Immigration

Information and assistance on new faculty immigration issues is available through the University Employment and Immigration Coordinator upon referral by the Dean or Chair. Note: some newly appointed faculty who are Canadians or permanent residents will have spouses or partners who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents. They will require assistance with immigration and work authorizations.

Housing Assistance

U of T maintains a limited supply of on-campus rental housing for new and visiting faculty. Contact the Faculty Housing Office at 416.946.5671 or newfaculty.realestate@utoronto.ca.

For off-campus housing information, contact the Faculty Relocation Service at 416.978.0951 or faculty.support@utoronto.ca. Staff can provide you with access to real estate agents and sources of rental housing. They also have descriptive information on neighbourhoods in the Greater Toronto Area.

Relocation Expenses

Academic units can provide relocation grants for the cost of transporting a new faculty member and family to Toronto, as well as the cost of moving household and personal effects. As a minimum, we suggest that you fund two-thirds of the moving cost, though you might want to establish an upper limit. Should you wish, you may fund more than two thirds—up to the full cost—as a means of attracting outstanding candidates in highly competitive situations.

Relocation expenses form part of the total compensation package provided to a prospective faculty member. Ensure that the arrangements are stated clearly in the letter of offer and subsequent correspondence. When using a moving company, new faculty members should obtain at least two quotes and submit them to the Chair or Dean for approval in advance. U of T has preferred moving companies that offer services at a discounted rate. Find out more on planning your move.

Tax Consulting and Financial Planning Advice in Recruitment

The Human Resources Department, in collaboration with the Provost’s Office, provides support to the faculty recruitment effort by offering in-depth information on tax issues and financial planning, on a consulting basis, to academic administrators and potential recruits. U of T has entered into a contractual arrangement with the firm of GCSE LLP Chartered Professional Accountants to assist you in your recruitment efforts, and the Provost’s Office has agreed to share the cost of this service with departments and divisions. The Provost’s Office pays the cost of the retainer, while the department pays a share of the cost of each consultation.

GCSE is available to assist potential recruits by assessing the impact of moving from their current economic environment to the Toronto area, including topics such as filing dual tax returns, tax treatment of foreign investment income, tax issues when family income is split between two countries and assessing the differences between the Canadian tax system and other countries. The GCSE team may provide advice to the Dean or Chair of the department, or directly to the recruit when referred by the Dean or Chair. The partners are available by phone, fax, or email, and can also arrange for in-person consultations where required.

If you have tax questions, contact Keithann Newton, Benefits Specialist at the People Strategy, Equity & Culture (416.978.4673). Keithann will contact GCSE to get answers to your questions, or put you in touch with them directly, depending on your needs. To help facilitate this process, we have established a unique email address should the Dean or Chair wish to communicate by email to obtain assistance with tax/financial planning or pension or benefit questions. recruit.comp@utoronto.ca will be monitored daily and referred appropriately. Please note that you must make contact with GCSE through Keithann in order to use the U of T program.

Pension Issues in Recruitment

With some prospective faculty members, particularly those being recruited as associate or full professors, pension concerns play a role in their decision to accept or decline a position at the University of Toronto. The Human Resources department has produced a document that is very effective when negotiating with these individuals. It describes the U of T Pension Plan, government retirement programs, and registered retirement savings plans. It also includes sample pension calculations. Contact University of Toronto Pension Services (UTPS) at 1.888.852.2559 or 416.226.8278.