Our Governance

Our Mission Statement

The OSSTF ELHT promotes and supports the well-being of Plan members and their families by providing comprehensive and sustainable health and welfare benefits through excellence in governance and service.

OSSTF ELHT Board of Trustees

Who they are

Your OSSTF ELHT Board of Trustees consists of nine voting members, who are responsible for operating the OSSTF Benefits Plan and ensuring its financial sustainability. Five members of the Board of Trustees are appointed by OSSTF, two are appointed by the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) and two by the Crown. Each Trustee has a minimum three-year term, which can be renewed twice, subject to a maximum tenure of nine years. Meet the current Board of Trustees here.

What the OSSTF ELHT Trustees are responsible for

The OSSTF ELHT Trustees are responsible for the operations of the Trust including but not limited to:

• Adoption of the initial benefit plan design, regular review of the plan and any amendments to the benefit plan;
• Selection of auditors and actuaries and any other professionals required to allow the trustees to carry out their duties;
• Validation of the plan design sustainability; and
• Adhering to the Funding Policy including setting and revising Employee Contribution rates or premium requirements and deductibles with respect to the Investment Policy.

Trustees have fiduciary obligations which include duty of loyalty and of prudence. The duty of loyalty requires that the Trustee act solely and exclusively in the interest of the plan. At all times, the Trustee must act in good faith and not for their personal gain or profit. The Trustee has to act honestly and with the same degree of care, skill and prudence as a reasonable person would exercise in the management of the Trustee’s own affairs. The duty of prudence requires fiduciaries to make decisions on an informed basis, after conducting appropriate due diligence. While Trustees must apply the knowledge and skills that they possess, they may also retain specialized advice relevant to the decisions they must make. In order to comply with their fiduciary obligations, the Trustees must adopt policies, processes and procedures that outline how they will obtain and access relevant information and expertise that allows them to make reasoned and well-informed decisions for the Plan’s beneficiaries. At no time can Trustees delegate their responsibilities to third parties. Trustees are responsible for the choice of proper third parties and must adequately supervise them.

The OSSTF Employee Life and Health Trust Agreement (PDF) outlines the roles and responsibilities related to the OSSTF ELHT.