Choosing an authorized court transcriptionist in Ontario can be daunting. The Ministry designed a system which in its initial stages those who worked for the Ministry were grandfathered onto a list of a company who won a tender posted by the Ministry. As of 2025 there are over 630 transcribers trying to get a piece of the pie, your order…
As time passed the Ministry allowed qualified, for lack of a better word, schools to run courses to train and graduate authorized court transcriptionists. The course required the instructor to cover certain criteria and ran for different lengths, not a full-time course, but more akin to a night school course. During the course the Ministry provides 13 recordings for the students to PRACTICE on, each of a duration of about 13 pages, including 3 administrative pages, cover page, table of contents and certification page. Once the course is completed an open book exam takes place with approximately 13 pages required to be typed and formatted according to Ministry standards, allowing the student a pass if their mark is above 98 percent.
So for example if the transcript consists of 2500 words, the student can lose 49 points and still pass. So let us focus on that and think about it for a minute. Loss points can be 3 for missing headers, 2 for wrong speaker, etcetera. If all the formatting is correct, the student could make 49 verbatim errors in 10 typed pages - yes, you read that right 49 verbatim errors in 10 pages and still pass. So when you type I did do it, but the witness said I didn't do it - you still pass. Or the accused is testifying and he/she says I didn't shoot him and the transcriber types I did shoot him. One little error, BUT not to worry you can make 48 more verbatim errors and you still pass.
Pay your fee, and you are on a government list and can type jury trials, preliminary hearings, bail transcripts, set dates, absolutely anything. So now you can PRACTICE on real life transcripts that are about as close to the practice ones you did during the course as your feet is to your nose.
Let us take one more minute to think about this. A hundred page transcript could have 480 verbatim errors but you are still on a government list for ordering parties to choose you to type your court transcript where your life could be in their hands.
Well, personally, I wouldn't want my life hanging with someone who is PRACTICING on my transcript because they passed a night course/day course and paid a fee to be on a government list and the passing criteria is above 98 percent. Heck you practiced on about 150 pages, did an exam of approx 13 pages, and now you can type a 3000 appeal transcript - YOU ARE QUALIFIED according to the Ministry.
That is why Videoplus has become the leader in Ontario Court transcripts. When you choose Videoplus and order directly from us, we ensure your project is completed by experienced and properly trained ACTs. All our contractors have to pass our very strict criteria by being mentored and reviewed with the recording by highly skilled and trained ACTS. It may take a few months if they have the skill and knowledge before working with us or it may take years.
So the next time you go to a government list to choose your ACT, think twice. Do you want to take a chance the person actually knows how to transcribe or do you want a guarantee that it will be done right.
Make Videoplus your number one choice with experience, expertise and highly qualified contractors. Owned and operated by an ACT since 2000.
Look for this symbol on websites and social media for contractors Videoplus endorses PLUS and you can be sure of a quality, accurate and on-time transcript with that ACT or order from us directly at myvponline.ca.
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