The Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO) is the oldest organization of translators, conference interpreters, court interpreters and terminologists in Canada. It was founded in 1920 as the Association technologique de langue française d'Ottawa, and was incorporated the following year under Ontario Letters Patent. In 1962 the Association adopted its current name. ATIO is also the first translators' association in the world whose certified members are deemed professionals by law, for in February 1989 the Province of Ontario granted a reserved title for certified members of ATIO through the Association of Translators and Interpreters Act, 1989.
The main purpose of the Association is to promote a high level of competence in the fields of translation, conference interpretation, court interpretation and terminology by:
providing a collective voice for its members;
promoting the professional development of its members; and
applying standardized, national criteria to recognize the competence of professional translators, conference interpreters, court interpreters and terminologists.
ATIO and its sister provincial organizations comprise the Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC), which is a member of the International Federation of Translators (FIT). FIT, a worldwide organization, is composed of the many national translation organizations, and has earned the status of an official UNESCO consultative agency (NGO Category A).
