The OAA’s governing Council met in Toronto on January 23 for its first meeting of the year, with discussions also continuing the following day as part of the annual Council planning session. Ted Wilson, Sudbury Architect and master lecturer at the McEwen School of Architecture, was acclaimed as the new OAA President, and there was the election of officers for 2025. Councillors received the semi-annual reports from various OAA service areas, as well as updates from the OAA Committees.
At the meeting, as previously mentioned in the Practice Advisory email, Council endorsed the refreshed Practice Tips PT.23.6 and PT.23.7, which provide suggested amendments to CCDC 14-2013 and CCDC 15-2013 for use in design-build projects. Some of the other Council motions are captured below, but the full agendas, minutes, and meeting packages for this and past meetings can be found of the OAA Website.
Canadian Architectural Certification Board Budget
The Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) assesses the educational qualifications of architecture graduates and accredits professional degree programs in architecture at Canadian universities. Regarding this school accreditation, CACB is funded by the Regulatory Organizations of Architecture in Canada (ROAC)—which includes the OAA as a member—and the Canadian Council of University Schools of Architecture (CCUSA).
Both parties are responsible for approving the annual budget, based on a recommendation of the CACB board. Following the usual procedure, the budget has been advanced to each of the ROAC regulators for approval. This approval confirms acceptance by each jurisdiction of their individual per capita funding allocation. The OAA’s contribution, approved by Council, will be approximately $65,000 for 2025.
Limited Licences: Amendments to the OAA Bylaws and Schedule A
With the proclamation of changes to the Architects Act to allow for the issuance of limited licenses via the recently filed amendments to Regulation 27, updates to the OAA Bylaws (as well as the schedule of fees thereunder) are necessary. These amendments, made with guidance from legal counsel, are consistent with the content of the Bylaws prior to the pause of the OAA Technology Program (OTP). While Council approved the Bylaws and Schedule, this will be subject to ratification by the members at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), held virtually next month.
Annual Planning Session
After the conclusion of Council’s open session, the group embarked on its annual planning exercises for the year. This began with a review of 2024 through the context of the OAA Strategic Plan, as well as discussion on the status of various OAA Operational Review recommendations. Councillors and OAA staff had a chance to preview improvements to the Association’s IT infrastructure, and received a presentation from Quebec architect Laurent Mercure on the potential and current challenges with use of artificial intelligence (AI) among those in the profession.
Council planning continued for a second day, with further training related to good governance and the importance of regulators protecting the public interest. There was also a comprehensive review of the various activities and programming planned for the year to come, with strategic goals reconfirmed. Additionally, there was a workshop regarding the future of the OAA Conference and how this event can continue to evolve after 2026, when it is scheduled to take place in the Waterloo Region.
Next Council Meeting
The next Council meeting will take place on Thursday, March 6 at the OAA Headquarters in Toronto. For those interested in attending the open session virtually, contact the Association’s Tina Carfa for more information.