Looking at January Through June 2021

The OAA administers the Architects Act to serve and protect the public interest. The Act restricts the practice of architecture to licensed members of the OAA providing professional services through an OAA Certificate of Practice; it is an offence for an unlicensed person (including a corporation) to use, or aid and abet in the using of, the title “architect.”

It is also an offence to hold oneself out (or aid and abet in the holding out) as engaging in the practice of architecture within an architect’s protected scope of work without a licence issued by the OAA. Misrepresentation of the protected title “architect” and misleading claims or advertising (inadvertently or purposely) could lead the public to falsely conclude they would be receiving architectural services from a licensed and regulated professional.

Click here to see a summary of the OAA’s enforcement activities for the first half of 2021.
Of the 63 investigations thus far this year (mid-June 2021):

• 6 were resolved by written agreement with legal counsel;
• 7 were resolved by written agreement with the Office of the Registrar;
• 26 were found to be unsubstantiated or to not contravene the Architects Act, and were discontinued; 
• 2 could not be located; and
• 22 remain ongoing.