DEADLINE: October 16, 2020

Volunteers are important to the work of the OAA. A diversity of voices, opinions, skills, and knowledge is critical to the decision making process. Please consider volunteering on one of the nine Committees that have vacancies for the 2021–2023 term.

The OAA recognizes the inherent benefit of encouraging the active participation of all members in its volunteer opportunities, and is committed to having Committees representative of the profession now and in the future.

Recognizing the number of women in the profession is increasing, and the profession is becoming more diverse, the OAA commits to greater diversity and inclusion as well as to working toward gender parity in its appointments process. OAA Council formally adopted a policy that strives for inclusion, diversity, and gender parity on all its Committees back in 2017.

OAA Committees/Task Groups currently seeking volunteers beginning in January 2021 include: 

• Complaints Committee;
• Discipline Committee;
• Experience Requirements Committee;
• Practice Resource Committee; 
• Policy Advocacy Coordination Team (PACT);
• Registration Committee;
• Sub-Committee on Building Codes and Regulations (SCOBCAR);
• Sustainable Built Environments Committee (SBEC); and
• Interns Committee.

Read below for more information about the role of each Committee and what is required as a member. Architects interested in serving on any of the following Committees are encouraged to do the following:

1. Send a quick email to the staff member for the Committee, saying you are interested (email links below).
2. Complete the Indication of Interest form.
3. Email your CV with the Indication of Interest form to the staff member for the Committee.

Deadline: Friday, October 16, 2020

Complaints Committee 

The Complaints Committee is a statutory body established under the Architects Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. A. 26, s. 29, that considers and investigates complaints made by members of the public or members of the Association regarding the conduct or actions of any member licensed by the OAA or holder of a Certificate of Practice or a Temporary Licence. 

The Committee is seeking six new members to begin January 2021 for a three-year term.
 
The Committee meets monthly, with the majority of meetings held by conference call and one to two meetings per year held in-person at the OAA or through a virtual platform. For the purpose of reviewing case material, the Committee is divided into teams, and one member of each team leads the review and prepares a written report to the Committee. All Committee members are expected to review the documents of all cases prior to the meeting and participate in Committee deliberations. All Complaints Committee matters are strictly confidential. 

Several years of experience in a broad range of architectural activities is ideal. A Licensed Technologist OAA may sit on an OAA Statutory Committee convened for the purpose of assessing or making decisions on a matter where the member in question is a Licensed Technologist OAA.

OAA members interested in joining the Committee are invited to submit their application to Claire Hepburn in the Office of the Registrar.

Discipline Committee

The Discipline Committee is a statutory body established under Section 33 of the Architects Act to hear allegations of professional misconduct against a member of the Association or a holder of a certificate of practice or a holder of a temporary licence. 

The Act requires that members of the Discipline Committee have a minimum of 10 years of experience in the practice of architecture. The Discipline Committee is seeking members to begin January 2021 for a three-year period. A Licensed Technologist OAA may sit on an OAA Statutory Committee convened for the purpose of assessing or making decisions on a matter where the member in question is a Licensed Technologist OAA.

Committee membership involves sitting as a member of a Tribunal selected for a particular matter, hearing evidence presented by legal counsel to the Association and legal counsel to the member, and rendering a Decision.

Architects interested in joining the Discipline Committee are invited to follow the instructions above and submit their application to Tina Carfa, Executive Assistant, Executive Services, at tinac@oaa.on.ca. 

Experience Requirements Committee

The Experience Requirements Committee (ERC) is a statutory body established under Section 13 of the Architects Act. ERC reviews Intern experience for those applicants ready to apply for licence who request a review, or that are referred by the Registrar. 

The Committee is empowered to determine whether sufficient experience has been obtained by applicants to enable them to meet the standards of skill and knowledge considered necessary for the practice of architecture in Ontario.

The Experience Requirements Committee is seeking new members to begin January 2021 for a three-year period. A Licensed Technologist OAA may sit on an OAA Statutory Committee convened for the purpose of assessing or making decisions on a matter where the member in question is a Licensed Technologist OAA.

Members interested in joining the Experience Requirements Committee are invited to follow the instructions above and submit their application to Kim Wray in the Office of the Registrar at kimw@oaa.on.ca.

Practice Resource Committee

The Practice Resource Committee (PRC) is a non-statutory Committee that reviews regulatory and business-related practice issues that impact day-to-day architectural practice. This includes material for Regulatory Notices, Practice Tips, and practice matters with a view to “best practices.” PRC also develops practice-related content for the OAA Website and other platforms. Members are encouraged to author content based on their insight and experience (e.g. lessons learned that might be useful to their peers). First-hand experience in a broad range of architectural practice activities provides the appropriate background for the work of the Committee. Eight meetings a year are held at OAA Headquarters or virtually, with email correspondence and conference calls occurring throughout the year as necessary.

Members interested in a three-year term on the PRC, beginning in January 2021, are invited to follow the instructions above and submit their application to Gaynor Kim-Sing, Administrative Assistant, Practice Advisory Services, at gaynork@oaa.on.ca.

Policy Advocacy Coordination Team (PACT)

The Policy Advocacy Coordination Team (PACT) coordinates the means in which to address specific issues and concerns that are political in nature (i.e. requiring discussion with various levels of governments). It identifies emerging issues in our industry specifically related to the practice of architecture in Ontario and coordinating the advancement of those issues in order that practices have a fair and transparent condition in which to operate. The Committee coordinates existing and future ongoing OAA Committees' and Sub-Committees' work toward achieving maximum effectiveness through the monitoring of priories and inter-communication. It identifies methods of gathering information about issues, advancing concerns and initiatives to governments and the membership.

The Committee meets approximately eight times per year at the OAA with a summer hiatus. Members who would like to be considered for a term on PACT, beginning in January 2021, are invited to follow the instructions above and submit their application to Sara Trotta, Policy Analyst, at sarat@oaa.on.ca.

Registration Committee

The Registration Committee is the statutory committee under the Architects Act responsible for holding a hearing and making a determination where:

(1) the Registrar serves notice to a party that their application for licence or certificate of practice is being refused or that their licence or certificate of practice is being revoked; and
(2) the applicant or member requests a hearing before the Registration Committee.

The Committee hears the matter and makes a determination as to the proposal by the Registrar.
The Registration Committee requires members whose term would begin January 2021. Committee members serve for three-year terms and may sit for a maximum of three terms. The Committee meets as needed and does not hold regular meetings—however, there is training by outside legal counsel to ensure Committee members are well-informed about the process. A Licensed Technologist OAA may sit on an OAA Statutory Committee convened for the purpose of assessing or making decisions on a matter where the member in question is a Licensed Technologist OAA.

Those members interested in pursuing membership on the Registration Committee are invited to follow the instructions above and submit their application to Gail Hanselman in the Office of the Registrar at gailh@oaa.on.ca.

Sub-Committee on Building Codes and Regulations (SCOBCAR)

The Sub-Committee was established under the OAA Practice Committee to re-establish and maintain the architectural profession’s leadership role in the development of building codes and regulations in order to ensure that the public interest and safety is paramount and that the architectural profession continues to be solely responsible for its own self-regulation.

The Sub-Committee typically meets at OAA Headquarters when National and Provincial Code reviews occur, usually from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. There are generally one or two meetings a year. Materials are circulated for individual review prior to the meetings, with email correspondence occurring throughout the year as necessary.

Members interested in a three-year term on SCOBCAR, beginning in January 2021, are invited to follow the instructions above and submit their application to Gaynor Kim-Sing, Administrative Assistant, Practice Advisory Services, at gaynork@oaa.on.ca.

Sustainable Built Environment Committee (SBEC)

The OAA’s Sustainable Built Environment Committee (SBEC) is established to serve in an advisory role to the Council of the OAA regarding matters of sustainable design and environmental issues as they relate to the design industry and building industry. The Committee defines, analyses, reviews and assesses areas which the OAA can focus on in order to demonstrate leadership from the architectural profession on this area of practice which is of paramount importance. 

The Committee liaises with other professions and organizations with common interests and goals in promoting Sustainable Built Environments and adopting the 2030 Challenge.

The Committee meets approximately eight times per year at the OAA with a summer hiatus. If interested, please follow the instructions above and submit your application to Sara Trotta, Policy Analyst at sarat@oaa.on.ca.

The Interns Committee

The Interns Committee reports to the OAA Council about issues of importance to Intern Architects and Student Associates. The issues relate to the integration of Intern Architects and Student Associates into the profession and improving the pathway to licensure. The Committee meets every two months for approximately two hours. Sub-committees meet independently and report back at the bimonthly meetings. 

The Interns Committee is seeking five Architects or Licensed Technologists OAA, three Intern Architects, and two Student Associates enrolled in the graduate program of a school of architecture in Ontario to begin January 2021. Intern Architects serve a three-year term. Student Associates serve a one-year term. 

As a member of the Interns Committee, you will be involved in improving the path to the profession from school through to licensure. Intern Architects and Student Associates interested in volunteering on the Interns Committee are invited to follow the instructions above and submit their application to Catherine Reyes in the Office of the Registrar at catheriner@oaa.on.ca.