Are you a physicist in Canada? The CAP is your national association that supports your professional activities and the physics community at large. Join now to
- Support science policy and advocacy efforts, including the CAP-NSERC Liaison Committee
- Enjoy networking, education and career development events at our premier national physics conference, the CAP Congress
- Be eligible to receive a medal or award recognizing excellence in research, teaching or service in physics within Canada
- Benefit from substantial discounts for the annual CAP Congress, for joint memberships with other organizations, and benefit from reciprocal agreements with other physics societies.
- Certify as a Professional Physicist
Learn more about the beneifits of CAP regular memberships here.
Ordinary regular membership
is open to individuals who self-identify as physicists. The minimum requirements for regular membership are:
- Bachelor’s or higher degree from a recognized university in physics or a related field (e.g. Applied Physics, Astronomy, Astrophysics); or
- the equivalent of four full years of experience in physics or a related field of a nature deemed satisfactory by the Membership and Affiliateship Committee.
Regular members are entitled to all the rights and privileges of the Association, including holding office on the Advisory Council and Board of Directors and voting for positions on these two bodies.
Regular membership for members who have recently graduated
Reduced fees are offered to regular members or regular affiliates who have obtained their highest degree within the last four years.
Regular membership for retired members
Reduced fees are available to CAP active/past-active regular members or regular affiliates who are retired.
Joint regular membership
The CAP has joint membership agreements with the following partner societies:
- The Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC);
- The Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists (COMP);
- The Canadian Astronomical Society (CASCA).
The requirements for joint regular membership are:
- fulfills the requirements for regular membership;
- membership is currently in good standing with one of the above partner societies (proof may be required).
Reduced membership fees are offered by both societies to joint regular members. Joint regular members are entitled to all the rights and privileges of the Association, including holding office on the Advisory Council and Board of Directors and voting for positions on these two bodies.
Should a joint regular member let their membership in the partner society lapse, their CAP membership will be temporarily suspended until they either renew their membership with the partner society or pay the difference in membership fees to bring their CAP membership to regular member status.
Special Circumstances
- Sustaining designation: All members and affiliates who pay an annual additional fee of $100 will be designated as Sustaining Members (or Affiliates) of the Association
- 5-year renewals: Full and retired members have the option of renewing their membership (including division memberships, voluntary contributions, sustaining membership, and certification licence fee) for five years at a time. The five-year renewal fee will be calculated as five times the current year’s renewal (not including CAPF donations). The fees are non-refundable. Donations made to the CAPF will be receipted, in their entirety, in the renewal year in which they are received.
- Temporarily unemployed: Active/past-active regular members who are temporarily unemployed are entitled to apply for a reduced membership fee. If granted, the fee will be effective for one membership year only. If the member’s circumstances remain unchanged at the end of that year, they may request continued renewal at this rate for an additional two years (maximum of three consecutive years at this rate), after which the member must either return to Regular Member status or temporarily resign. The decision to grant this membership rate lies solely with the Membership and Affiliateship Committee and is final.