BLAME CANADA -- And yes, I'm a CANADIAN. (WebCapTel, Sorenson, Relay Fund, VRS, etc)

How much do Canadian interpreters get paid?
 
Byrdie714 said:
How much do Canadian interpreters get paid?
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Freelance interpreters often get paid around $50 or above per hour. They can get paid anywhere from $50 to $200 per hour.

But if you are employed full-time by a school board, you usually get paid anywhere from $16 to $30 per hour with benefits. Maybe more. My sister is an ASL interpreter. I'll have to ask her the next time I see her.
 
Since I'm paying for U.S. telephone numbers, I'm at least able to get WebCapTel now. It is already revolutionizing the way I communicate with the loved ones that know my voice well, even though my voice is not easy for a stranger.

There's pratically infinite ways to get two U.S. numbers in Canada, some of them at only a few dollars a month. Two MagicJack dongles ($20/year unlimited long distance). Two U.S. lines with call forwarding. A couple of Vonage Virtual Numbers. Two cheap $7/month TollFreeForwarding.com lines. Two generic Voip lines with call forwarding. Two U.S. cellphones brought into Canada. Then register using a U.S. family/friend address at Sprint WebCapTel, and one is ready to make captioned calls while located in Canada.

As of right now, Sprint WebCapTel does not block Canadian visitors. As long as you are paying for two U.S. phone numbers, the U.S. doesn't seem to care if a few Canadians use the services - some of us Canadians have been doing this for years, since the first IP-Relay services in 2001, and they haven't instituted additional blocks against the small number of Canadians occasionally using the U.S. services. For example, anybody located in Canada can already use IP-Relay to call a U.S. number or a toll-free number.

In theory, this is impossible to prevent since they can't tell I am calling from Canada: Even if Sprint WebCapTel eventually blocks Canadian Internet visitors, there's always U.S. proxy servers to access the Sprint WebCapTel website, or even running a VPN to a U.S. ISP. But that doesn't need to be resorted to. It just underlines that there are so many ways for technically-minded Canadians to at least partially benefit off the excellent U.S. deaf infrastructure.

This is a compromise for Canadians now, until Canada gets their act in order -- I have no use for VRS, as I do not do A.S.L. and I need both traditional relay as well as CapTel.

Maybe someone should reserve a booth at a Canadian Deaf Expo and demonstrate all these technologies. Just a simple one, big poster "Closed Captioning for the Telephone!", and a live demo of captioning of two regular phone conversations. And maybe live demo of IP-Relay, CapTel, wireless relay, etc. I wonder if that would CRTC / Bell / Telus buzzing? Help a home-grown Canadian solution materialize. I could even help but I'd want help but if any other Canadians wants to volunteer for this kind of effort: Educate everybody here about what we're missing out here in Canada, to step up pressure for replacement services. Unless you know someone who's already doing this (i.e. such as the Canada deaf convention July 22-26 in Calgary, Alberta).
 
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Banjo said:
Freelance interpreters often get paid around $50 or above per hour. They can get paid anywhere from $50 to $200 per hour.
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Wow! I need to move to Canada! That's a lot more than what I earn.

But if you are employed full-time by a school board, you usually get paid anywhere from $16 to $30 per hour with benefits. Maybe more. My sister is an ASL interpreter. I'll have to ask her the next time I see her.
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Even that's better. I used to get $50 per day (no benefits) for substitute interpreting at a public school.
 
RichardDeaf said:
Don't forget, taxes is terribly there from what I heard.. I may be wrong, it been years since I last visited Canada..
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I suggest that you look up the tax brackets and how they tax people's incomes in both countries, then compare them. You may be surprised to learn a few things.
 
Yeah; besides, Reba didn't literally mean she'd move to Canada so all that's left of interest is the tax bracket comparison between the two countries. Share that back to us if you will.....
 
diehardbiker said:
Just think about this, if you are telling Canadian government to get rid of Sorenson, they will say, oh you don't want nor need VRS, ok then we will not support in future. That is whole point.

Why not you Canadian telling government.... Here we have Sorenson in our country, we would like to use them, and see? The Americans are using them right now and benefit them, why not us

this kind of message is far better than telling your government to get rid of Sorenson and sending them wrong message.
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Yep, I agree! The deaf Canadians could really do something about it. It's not impossible, I believe.

We acknowledged about their lack of VRS long enough yet I think it's rather amazing that it wasn't brought up or do something about it there yet... since Sorenson has been around since 6 years, you know.

Hope that it solves out for their sake someday.

ps. One thing... they have much less deaf population in Canada therefore maybe the Sorenson company might not be interested in doing business there?! Plus how taxes work out is another.
 
Canada

Canada's federal government has the following tax brackets for the 2007 tax year:
Federal Tax Rates for 2007

• 15% on the first $37,178 of taxable income, plus
• 22% on the next $37,179 of taxable income (on the portion of taxable income between $37,178 and $74,357), plus
• 26% on the next $46,530 of taxable income (on the portion of taxable income between $74,357 and $120,887), plus
• 29% of taxable income over $120,887

Each province adds their own tax on top of the federal tax.
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USA

For 2008, the Federal tax brackets for a single (unmarried) person are:

• 10%: from $0 to $8,025
• 15%: from $8,026 to $32,550
• 25%: from $32,551 to $78,850
• 28%: from $78,851 to $164,550
• 33%: from $164,551 to $357,700
• 35%: $357,701 and above

This applies only to amounts above $8,950 (standard deduction of $5,450 plus the one personal exemption of $3,500) for an individual. For example, a single individual would actually pay:

• 0% of the first $8,950 of income,
• 10% of the income between $8,951 and $16,975,
• 15% of the income between $16,976 and $41,500,
• 25% of the income between $41,501 and $87,800,
• 28% of the income between $87,801 and $173,500,
• 33% of the income between $173,501 and $366,650, and
• 35% of the income exceeding $366,650.
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Source: Tax bracket - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It's much more expensive to live in Europe from what I know.
 
Canada will have IP Relay Services that will be provided by Bell Canada this year if my memory serves me correctly. I can check with people who are directly/indirectly involved within VRS/IP Relay Service issues in Canada since I have connections with them thru several organizations and networks.
 
*sigh* I'm not alone.. :(
still wanting.. I just want sorenson vp200 but not want vp100 cheapstake used by the way,
Thanks stupid gov't greedy not willing recognize help subsidizing funding. (Mumbling)
I'm losing the patience.... and kept fight for this damn gov't.
Btw, I'm glad, HOVRS very great supportive and welcome for Deaf Canadian people can use VRS.
:)
but others VRS aren't willing welcome to Deaf Canadian people who can contact.
 
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