The Opticians Association Of Canada Inc.

What The Opticians Association Of Canada Inc. does

The Opticians Association of Canada Inc. (OAC) is a private, non-profit professional membership association incorporated in 1990 and headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It represents approximately 4,980 licensed opticians across all ten Canadian provinces, governed by an eleven-member National Board of Directors with one representative per province plus one appointed director. The OAC's core offerings center on three membership tiers — Optician Membership ($120-$189.88 annually depending on province and contact lens fitting designation), free Student Membership for students in accredited Optical Training programs, and Associate Membership for non-opticians and international residents — bundled with a free $1,000,000 individual Professional Liability Insurance policy administered through BMS Canada Risk Services.

The association's technology stack is a website-based membership platform (opticians.ca) with on-demand continuing education (CE) delivery through the Ventla mobile app and a web portal. OAC administers NAIT Optical Sciences programs (Eyeglasses, Contact Lenses, and Refraction) for students outside Alberta under accreditation from Accreditation Canada, and partners with NACOR for national licensing examinations used in nine of ten provinces. Revenue is generated through recurring annual membership dues, freemium CE course sales ($20 per course for non-members), one-time event registration and sponsorship for OAC Connect conferences and webcasts, and corporate partnership fees from industry players including Alcon, Specsavers, ZEISS, Hoya, Bausch + Lomb, CooperVision, Johnson & Johnson, and TheOpticalGroup. The go-to-market motion is community-led, leveraging advocacy, regulatory alignment, professional liability insurance inclusion, and member benefit partnerships (Bell, GoodLife Fitness, Park'N Fly, FlagShip, Health Plus, Glasson practice management software) to acquire and retain licensed opticians across Canada.

Name

The Opticians Association Of Canada Inc.

Legal name

Opticians Association of Canada

Website

https://opticians.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Opticians Association of Canada is a non-profit professional membership association serving approximately 4,980 licensed opticians across Canada, providing annual membership, professional liability insurance, accredited continuing education, and advocacy for the opticianry profession.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Optician Professional Association

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Ophthalmic/Optometric Assisting (EDAOAJAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Comprehensive Eye Exams & Vision Care (HLAKAKAA), Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Devices (Frames, Lenses, Lens Edging/Finishing Equipment) (HLAHAJAD)

Keywords

• Professional association services
• Continuing education
• Optician licensing
• Professional liability insurance
• Membership association

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnipeg

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from opticians across Canadian provinces, with tiered pricing by province reflecting different tax structures (GST/HST). Student membership is free; associate and international memberships are available at standard rates.
2. Continuing Education: Free online CE for members; non-members pay $20.00 per course. Revenue from course access and accreditation fees.
3. Event Registration: Revenue from OAC Connect events, webcasts, and regional conferences including registration fees and sponsorship opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Opticians Association of Canada (OAC) is a national professional membership association representing Licensed Opticians across Canada. It provides tiered memberships (Optician, Student, Associate), free $1,000,000 professional liability insurance, accredited continuing education courses, advocacy with government, NAIT Optical Sciences training programs (Eyeglasses, Contact Lenses, Refraction), member events (OAC Connect), and a job board (OAC EyeList).

Product overview

The Opticians Association of Canada (OAC) is a professional association offering a membership-based service portfolio centered on professional support for Licensed Opticians across Canada. The core offerings include membership tiers (Optician, Student, and Associate), professional liability insurance through BMS Canada, accredited continuing education programs administered in partnership with NAIT (Eyeglasses, Contact Lenses, and Refraction programs), on-demand CE via the Ventla app, and member discounts on partner services. The association also provides job listings through OAC EyeList, organizes OAC Connect events, and advocates for the profession through the Vision Health Partners Coalition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Optician Membership
• Student Membership
• Associate Membership
• NAIT Optical Sciences Eyeglasses Program
• NAIT Optical Sciences Contact Lenses Program
• NAIT Refraction Program
• On-Demand Continuing Education
• OAC Connect Events
• OAC EyeList
• Professional Liability Insurance

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• AlconcoreOthersLegacy Partner providing ophthalmic products and solutions. Alcon is a global leader in eye care with products spanning surgical equipment, vision care, and consumer eye health products.
• SpecsaverscoreOthersLegacy Partner and Academic Scholarship Provider. Major optical retailer offering scholarships for NAIT Optical Sciences programs including 3-year tuition and textbook coverage for eyeglasses and contact lenses programs.
• TheOpticalGroupcoreOthersLegacy Partner and Academic Scholarship Provider. Independent optical buying group offering scholarships for NAIT programs including tuition and textbook coverage for eyeglasses and contact lenses.
• TransitionscoreOthersLegacy Partner providing photochromic lens technology. Co-sponsors Students of Vision Scholarship Program with $1,000, $1,500, and $2,000 scholarships for opticianry students.
• VisionRxLabstrategicOthersVisionary Partner providing lens manufacturing and prescription lab services for Canadian opticians.
• Bausch + LombstrategicOthersCommunication Partner providing contact lenses, lens care products, and eye health solutions. Part of Bausch Health companies.
• CooperVisionstrategicOthersCommunication Partner specializing in contact lenses and myopia management solutions for eye care professionals.
• Johnson & JohnsonstrategicOthersCommunication Partner providing eye health and vision care products including ACUVUE contact lenses.
• GlassonstrategicOthersCommunication Partner offering optical practice management software. OAC members receive Elite Access Program with savings over $2,000 including 12-month access at 6-month price, free data migration, and free onboarding.
• BMS Canada Risk Services Ltd.coreOthersInsurance broker providing Professional Liability Insurance (free $1,000,000 coverage for members) and additional business/personal insurance products including clinic package, cyber liability, and employment practices liability.
• ZEISSstrategicOthersCreative Partner and leading manufacturer of high-quality eyeglass lenses. With around 250 dedicated employees across key economic hubs in Canada, ZEISS combines local expertise with global optical innovation.
• HoyastrategicOthersCreative Partner providing advanced lens technology and optical products for Canadian eyecare professionals.
• NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner administering Optical Sciences programs (Eyeglasses, Contact Lenses, Refraction) for students outside Alberta. OAC handles administration, NAIT provides curriculum and accreditation through Accreditation Canada.
• NACOR (National Alliance of Canadian Optician Regulators)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulatory consortium administering national optical sciences examinations used for licensure in nine out of ten Canadian provinces. OAC provides examination information sessions and directs candidates to membership.
• Bell CanadaminorOthersMember discount partner offering up to 30% off phone plans and preferred pricing on popular phones for OAC members and their families.
• GoodLife FitnessminorOthersMember discount partner offering 20% off membership rates and waived join fee for OAC members and one eligible family member.
• Park'N FlyminorOthersMember discount partner offering discounted airport parking rates and Aeroplan miles at seven locations across Canada (Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax).
• FlagShipminorOthersMember discount partner providing discounted shipping rates from Purolator, UPS, FedEx, Canpar, DHL, and GLS through volume negotiation.
• Health Plus InsuranceminorOthersMember benefit partner offering health and dental insurance at preferred rates including prescription drugs up to $30,000/year, paramedical practitioners, and travel emergency health coverage.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• College of Opticians of Ontario: Ontario's provincial regulatory body for opticians with overlapping scope in licensure and continuing education requirements, representing both a key coordination partner for OAC and a potential competitor for member-facing services.
• Ordre des opticiens d'ordonnances du Québec (OODQ): Quebec's provincial regulatory body for opticians, which uses its own OODQ-accredited continuing education framework in lieu of NACOR exams, illustrating the provincial fragmentation OAC must navigate.

Others

• National Federation of Opticianry Schools (NFOS): US federation of opticianry education programs, comparable in scope to OAC's role administering the NAIT Optical Sciences programs and accrediting optical training pathways.
• National Alliance of Canadian Optician Regulators (NACOR): The consortium of Canadian provincial optician regulators administering national licensing examinations, with which OAC coordinates to direct candidates into membership — a strategic partner comparable in regulatory scope.

Direct peers

• Opticians Association of America: The US national professional association for opticians, offering the closest direct analogue to OAC's role in Canada — providing membership, advocacy, continuing education, and member benefits to licensed dispensing opticians.
• Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO): The UK national professional body for dispensing opticians, with a comparable mandate of membership services, continuing education accreditation, advocacy, and member support analogous to OAC's Canadian mandate.

Broad incumbents

• American Optometric Association (AOA): The largest US optometric professional association, providing a broader-incumbent benchmark for advocacy, continuing education infrastructure, and member-benefit programs that frame the operating environment for OAC.
• Vision Council of America: US optical industry trade association representing manufacturers, distributors, and retailers; analogous to the industry-wide convening role OAC plays in Canada and a comparable partner-sponsorship model.
• Optometry Australia: Australia's national professional association for optometrists, offering a comparable Anglosphere peer for benchmarking continuing education, advocacy, and member benefit infrastructure.
• Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO): Canada's national professional association for optometrists, representing the broader eye-care professional community with which OAC co-accredits CE and partners on national advocacy initiatives like the Vision Health Partners Coalition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/OACexecutiveDr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/opticianstv
• Facebookfacebook.com/OpticiansAssociationofCanada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/opticians-association-of-canada
• Instagraminstagram.com/opticiansassociationofcanada

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Opticians Association Of Canada Inc.