Toronto, ON – Ted Wilson has been named the new President for the governing Council of the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA). A Sudbury-based architect and master lecturer at Laurentian University’s McEwen School of Architecture (MSoA), he was acclaimed to the one-year position at the OAA Council meeting in Toronto on January 23.
Wilson has worked with several Canadian architecture practices, including AECOM Canada Architects Ltd., where he co-ordinated engineering with LGA Architectural Partners for the design of MSoA, where he now teaches. For the OAA, Wilson previously served as Senior Vice President & Treasurer, and has chaired Association committees related to governance, finance, and sustainable design.
“I first ran for Council to engage in larger thinking about architects, the public interest, and where the profession can continue to be effectively guided by a regulator,” Wilson says. “Now as President, I’m eager to keep listening, to use data as a resource, and to be mindful and respectful in engagement. I know this is a long run and want to take the time to do it well. The public and the profession deserve it.”
The OAA regulates the practice of architecture in the province, protecting the public interest. This includes licensing Architects and Licensed Technologists, establishing and enforcing standards for professional practice, and ensuring ongoing education for the profession. Among Wilson’s primary goals are fulfilling the OAA’s current
Strategic Plan, continuing work to modernize the
Architects Act, supporting interns on the path to licensure, and strengthening relations with the
14 Local Architectural Societies across Ontario.
Wilson has always been deeply passionate about architecture and the community that surrounds the profession. A graduate of the University of Waterloo, his dream of becoming an Architect dates back to childhood, inspired by seeing the design work of his friend’s father.
“I went to Expo ’67 and was amazed at how architecture from all over the world could be brought together in one beautiful place,” Wilson explains. “As an Architect, the joy is in seeing the light in someone's eyes as they watch you draw their concept with them. The challenges are found in those walls along the run of a project that you need to find a way to push through.”
“Running” and “pushing through walls” are things Wilson knows a lot about. He credits the buildings around him with inspiring him get to the finish line for 14 (and counting) marathons. While Wilson is deeply connected to the built environment, his commitment to sustainability and the natural world is just as important. A LEED AP and a Certified Passivhaus Designer, he and his partner Deborah live in a Sudbury heritage home they have restored to reduce energy consumption by 90 per cent. “The two lenses of the OAA’s Strategic Plan—
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and
Climate Action—go so well together,” he says. “I am mindful of the need to be respectful of others, to care for others. If we are mindful in this way, we become mindful of the world of which we are an inextricable part. Care for each other, care for the natural environment. I call this environmental integrity.”
During his term as President, Wilson will continue his teaching work at MSoA. In leading Council for 2025, he replaces
Settimo Vilardi, who had completed two one-year terms and has now assumed the role of Immediate Past President. Also joining Vilardi and Wilson in the OAA Executive Committee are Senior Vice President & Treasurer
Lara McKendrick, and Vice Presidents
Susan Speigel and
Thomas Yeung. Together, they will help lead the Association’s governing
Council, which includes Architects elected by the OAA membership and representatives appointed by the provincial government.
Further Information
OAA President Ted Wilson, or other representatives of OAA Council, may be available for phone, videoconference, or email interviews. Additional information and high-resolution photos may also be available. Please contact:
Media Contact
Daniele Alcinii (he, him)
416-449-6898, ext. 306
DanieleA@oaa.on.ca
About the Ontario Association of Architects
Founded in 1889, the
Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) is an independent regulatory body that serves and protects the public interest by overseeing the architectural profession in Ontario, as mandated by the
Architects Act. The Association licenses Architects and Licensed Technologists, establishes and enforces standards for professional practice and ethics, and ensures ongoing education to maintain competency. By upholding stringent qualification standards and supporting continuous professional development, the OAA helps ensure its members create safe, accessible, and functional buildings that meet the needs of a diverse society and shape sustainable, vibrant, and resilient communities across the province.