The OAA’s 134th Annual General Meeting of Members (AGM) was held as a virtual event on April 11, 2024. Approximately 200 people participated in the Zoom meeting, which can now be viewed on the OAA’s YouTube channel.
The event was hosted by OAA President Settimo Vilardi, whose closing speech to the membership is shared below:
Since the COVID pandemic pushed us to pivot from an in-person meeting at Conference to a virtual event, we have received feedback suggesting most of you actually prefer it this way. We’re happy to keep the Annual General Meeting of Members online. It improves our accessibility and inclusiveness, helping ensure people can attend from across the province.
Earlier today, I mentioned our five-year strategic plan. I am now going to take a few moments to look at that plan’s pillars in a little more detail and provide insight into some of the specific activities and initiatives this year.
The Strategic Plan’s first pillar is to bring the OAA’s regulatory framework into alignment with current legal principles for professional regulators. It is also to modernize our legislative and governing documents, and ensure we continue to serve and protect the public interest. This involves a range of activities, including complaints and discipline, Act enforcement, and licensing.
For today, I want to focus on two particularly significant matters:
- amendments to government regulations that have changed the requirements for licence; and
- the modernization of the Architects Act and amended Regulation 27 that permits limited licences.
Let’s start with the licensure requirements.
Recent amendments to the Fair Access to Regulated Professions and Compulsory Trades Act, or FARPACTA, meant the OAA had to revise registration practices. More specifically, we could no longer require Canadian experience without also accepting an alternative.
Notwithstanding the FARPACTA requirement to have an alternative to direct Canadian work experience, it has long been the OAA’s position that local Ontario practice knowledge is critical to public health and safety, as well as to the provision of competent architectural services in our province. Therefore, we have established a method to assess the architectural competencies specific to Ontario practice and an alternative to acquire knowledge of practice in Canada prior to licensure, with 2024 being a transition year for those in the Internship in Architecture Program or IAP.
All Intern Architects are still required to complete at least 3,720 hours of architectural experience. If fewer than 940 hours of that experience is obtained on projects within Canada while in the IAP, then the Intern Architect must successfully complete a Practice of Architecture in Canada online course offered by the Regulatory Organizations of Architecture in Canada. As well, all Intern Architects must complete an outcomes-based competency self-assessment to demonstrate Ontario practice knowledge prior to application for licence.
There is, of course, a lot more information being shared on the OAA Website and in Regulatory Bulletin emails, but I do want to say I am so proud about the work done by Council, working in tandem with our government partners, to come up with this solution. The result is a registration process that is more equitable, efficient, inclusive, and transparent, while keeping the OAA’s obligation to the public interest at the forefront.
And while we’re talking about Intern Architects and becoming licensed, I want to also take this opportunity to remind OAA members you are strongly encouraged to add your name to our online Mentor Directory, which we launched last year.
There is a URL in the chat for you to learn more about this platform that allows Interns to search for mentors based on not only practice-based information, but also other types of identity criteria. And if you’re an OAA Intern Architect or Student Associate joining us today, I’m also hoping you’ll check out that directory if you need help finding a mentor.
Staying under the “Regulatory Leadership” banner, I want to discuss another important development over the last year or so, and update you all on where we are now.
Last May, the outcome of a Court application advanced by the Association of Architectural Technologists of Ontario meant the pausing of the OAA Technology Program and the voiding of all Licensed Technologist OAA licences and Certificates of Practice. The impact on these former Lic.Tech.OAA members was immediate and, as you can imagine, critical.
It is important to note there was never any risk to the public inherent in the court order—the education and competencies of the individuals affected was not in question. What was at issue was the OAA's use of a policy, rather than regulation, to grant these CoPs and licences. Again, you can read more about this on the OAA Website.
Throughout 2023, the OAA worked with its partners in the provincial government to find a path forward. Then in December, amendments to eventually allow the Association to issue limited licences, and effectively bring back the Technology Program, were introduced at legislative assembly. This Schedule 1 of Bill 157, the Enhancing Access to Justice Act, 2023, was subsequently referred to the provincial government’s Standing Committee on Justice Policy.
The Committee held public hearings in February, where I had the honour of appearing in person before the group to speak to our support of changes to the Architects Act. Previously, the OAA had issued written submissions to the Committee, as well as detailed briefing notes to all MPPs in keeping with the ongoing efforts to ensure decision-makers have accurate information. Again, you can find all that information on our website.
Shortly after the hearings, the Bill successfully underwent Third Reading and has now been passed into law. The OAA is working closely with the Ministry of the Attorney General to obtain the necessary amendments to Regulation 27 and eventually proceed toward the issuing of Limited Licences and a restarting of the OAA Technology Program.
We are excited to advance this evolution in the practice of architecture in Ontario and re-establish the recognition of a para-profession licensed by the OAA in service and protection of the public interest.
Returning to our Strategic Plan, the next pillar is Member Competency. This involves ensuring the continued and current professional skillsets of OAA licensed members so we all maintain our leadership role in the built environment while being accountable to the public interest.
Perhaps one of the biggest components of this is the OAA’s mandatory Continuing Education Program, which is of course a requirement for all licensed members. The current two-year cycle ends on June 30—a little more than two months away. So, this is a good time to remind you that, before then, you are responsible for self-reporting all the ConEd activities to fulfil your Structured and Unstructured Learning hours to your transcript, as well as the current cycle’s separate Climate Action requirement.
If you’re looking for more educational opportunities, the OAA has a weekly webinar series and also shares third-party sessions on the website. As well, there is our Conference coming up in Niagara Falls, which offers up to 21 Structured hours!
I also wanted to remind you the OAA offers all its licensed members free access to CSA standards cited in the building code. And speaking of the OBC, the OAA continues to liaise with government and building official partners as the revised code rolls out to ensure our members will have access to the latest information.
The next pillar calls for enhancing our governance and operational practices to ensure we have an effective, inclusive, resilient, and transparent organization. The OAA has more than 6,000 members and status-holders, including Intern Architects, Retired Members, and Student Associates. As well, there are 13 active Committees, governed by a Council of 19 that meets seven or eight times a year and our Association staff of 36.
The Annual Report covers a lot of the changes over the last year, including new staff, enhanced IT security, and internal best practices related to visual identity and accessibility. But I want to talk a little bit now about another initiative we have related to our headquarters building in Toronto.
The OAA has launched a juried, anonymous Landscape Design Competition to revitalize its headquarters, with final submissions due next month. In addition to showcasing design excellence, we asked competitors to create a welcoming arrival experience, enhance the building, incorporate public art, recognize the role of sustainability and water use in the health of the environment, acknowledge the Don River ravine context, and consider the importance of Reconciliation.
Eligible teams are led by a licensed member of the OAA or a Full Member of the Ontario Association of Landscape Architect, and must include an OALA landscape architect and a civil engineer.
You can learn more about the competition, including the jury, prizes, scope, and timelines on the OAA Website. We’ll also be sharing the anonymous submissions at a special Doors Open Toronto event at our building next month. If you’re in the area and haven’t been at OAA Headquarters recently, I invite you to come by and learn more about both the landscape design competition and our building itself, which was transformed through a Renew+Refresh campaign to achieve zero-net-carbon performance.
And speaking of buildings and Climate Action, we are continuing to ask practices to share their case studies on our website. There is a link provided in the chat to learn more.
Climate resources continue to be an important focus for the OAA, and members can access free Total Energy Use Intensity Calculators on the OAA Website. Many of the entrants in our biennial Design Excellence Awards program to calculate their own projects’ impacts used those very tools. If you haven’t heard the news yet, the OAA was proud to reveal the 10 winners last week.
The final pillar calls for advancing the public's understanding and recognition that architecture is integral to the quality of life and well-being of our society. And “public” can mean everyone from clients and government to teachers and students to other players in the design/construction realm. Late last year, we developed a public outreach plan to refine our audiences, our messaging, and our communication channels.
I mentioned Doors Open, and there are other ways the OAA connects with the public—including our YouTube videos and Instagram stories, our People’s Choice Design Excellence Award program now open for voting, and our podcast series, which just had a new episode released about designing homes for orangutans. We also have a very successful Public Awareness Sponsorship program, where the OAA helps support other groups raising awareness or appreciation about architecture.
The government represents another public audience for the OAA. In addition to numerous submissions and correspondence on topics ranging from code changes to housing affordability, we have our annual Queen’s Park Picks program, where MPPs name their favourite buildings in their ridings. Building these connections have strengthened our relationships. I’ve been able to reach out directly to a number of provincial politicians from all parties, having one-on-one meetings to discuss issues of importance to the profession and to the public.
We also continue to work more closely with our 14 Local Architectural Societies embedded in their communities across Ontario, from Thunder Bay to Toronto to the Ottawa region. Providing insight into the diverse needs and challenges faced by both our members and the broader public, they have been invaluable in supporting and furthering the OAA’s secondary object to promote public appreciation of architecture.
Finally, I want to remind you registration is open for the 2024 OAA Conference, which takes place next month at the Niagara Falls Convention Centre. We kicked things off a couple of weeks ago, with a virtual Keynote where I had the pleasure of introducing international architect Vishaan Chakrabarti, which I believe is currently available on the OAA’s YouTube channel if you missed it live.
The OAA will have shuttle buses between Toronto and Niagara for the event. And this year’s Conference has a housing theme that is particularly relevant. It includes numerous special events, networking opportunities, awards ceremonies, recreational tours, and approximately 75 experiential learning and classroom ConEd sessions. You can look at the full lineup on the OAA Website, and I encourage you to register soon to ensure your spot.
Regarding the Conference’s housing theme, the OAA has continued to believe architects can play an important role in finding new approaches to deal with our current affordability crisis. We have the commissioned studies supporting our belief that thoughtful density increases, important conversations, and better processes are key. On a personal note, I have seen some exclude architects from these conversations—or, worse, point fingers of blame at us. I have a letter to the editor in the latest Canadian Architect about this very issue. I look forward to seeing the other discussions coming out of our Conference.
My time is ending, so I’ll end this address by reiterating my earlier encouragement to consider running in the upcoming Council elections or responding to a call for Committee volunteers, which will be announced in the summer. You can also connect with your Local Society to see how you can become more involved.
My genuine thanks for taking the time to be here today. I hope you will continue to think about your relationship with not only the wider profession, but also your regulating Association. I hope to see you in Niagara Falls for Conference.