The OAA fulfils its mandate to protect and serve the public interest by:
- ensuring those licensed to practise architecture in Ontario are competent to do so;
- determining what professional conduct and competence is required from its members and taking steps to encourage and ensure compliance;
- establishing and overseeing a process for determining when a member has breached their professional obligations, and, if so, setting the consequences; and
- preventing the illegal and unauthorized practice of architecture.
The OAA strives to realize its mandate by adopting a risk-based approach to regulation. This means it looks for solutions proportionate to the risk posed to the public, and will only intervene in matters directly relevant to one or more of its regulatory functions.