The OAA’s governing Council met on December 1 to discuss a landscape design competition for the Headquarters, the 2024 budgets, Committee appointments, public outreach, and items related to the forthcoming Conference in Niagara Falls.

You can read highlights from the meeting below, and also peruse the information package and agenda on the OAA Website through the link above. The next Council meeting takes place January 18, 2024 and will include the election of officers for the executive as well as planning workshops for the coming year. As always, if you are interested in joining the open session virtually, you can contact the OAA’s Tina Carfa for the Zoom link.

Landscape Design Competition

At its previous June 2023 meeting, Council considered a report prepared by architect Joe Lobko regarding the array of options and costs associated with a design competition to renew and revitalize the landscape and site at the OAA Headquarters.

Council has now approved a one-stage design competition, with Lobko as professional advisor, to address the much needed repair and rejuvenation of the site and landscape. This will be done in accordance with the principles and criteria originally approved in the Fall 2022 brief, and the competition will be open to members of the OAA and the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects (OALA). Budgets for the competition and design/construction were approved.

OAA Operating and Capital Budgets

The 2024 draft operating and capital budgets were approved at the meeting. (The OAA runs on a December to end-of-November fiscal year.)

Council also approved a proposed three-year plan to build the OAA’s Capital and Operating reserves (2024–2026), as recommended by the Association’s Finance & Audit Committee. This will be done by moving funds currently held in unrestricted member’s equity into these two restricted reserves.

Additionally, updates to Schedule A to the OAA Bylaws were agreed to by Council, reflecting an increase in fees of 4% for 2024.

Annual OAA Demographic Survey

The Governance Committee’s recommendation to adjust the frequency of the OAA Demographic Survey to a biennial basis was passed. This means the next survey, following the January 2024 administration, will be in 2026.

Life Members and Members of Long Standing

All those who have been with the OAA for at least 50 years are recognized as Members of Long Standing, presented with a certificate at the virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM)—scheduled for April 2024—and invited to the Conference in Niagara Falls this coming May. Council approved the following members for this honour:

- Peter E. Peltekoff (architect since January 19, 1973);

- Karl H. Stevens (architect since May 23, 1973);

- Alexander L. Temporale (architect since July 23, 1973);

- John R. Hix (architect since July 23, 1973);

- Paul W. Roth (architect since September 18, 1973); and

- John B. Stark (architect since September 18, 1973).

You can see profiles of recent Long Standing Members on the OAA’s blOAAg.

As well, Council appointed several more individuals to Life Membership, effective January 1, 2024.

Committee Appointments

Volunteers are critical to the work of the OAA, with a true diversity of voices, opinions, skills, and knowledge necessary for its decision-making processes. OAA Council strives for inclusion, diversity, and gender parity on all its Committees, aiming for a complement that reflects Ontario and an equitable, inclusive profession.

Council agreed to candidates joining or rejoining the following nine Committees that had vacancies for the 2024–2026 term:

•           Complaints Committee;

•           Discipline Committee;

•           Experience Requirements Committee;

•           Registration Committee;

•           Communications and Public Education Committee;

•           Finance and Audit Committee;

•           Policy Advisory Coordination Team (PACT);

•           Practice Resource Committee; and

•           Interns Committee.

These individuals, who applied to the Committees earlier in the fall, are now being contacted by OAA staff in preparation for next year. On behalf of the profession, the OAA thanks all those who put their names forward for consideration.

Endorsement of OAA Tools and Resources

As recommended by the Practice Resource Committee (PRC), Council approved and endorsed a pair of Practice Tips. PT10.3 Construction Act–Prompt Payment & PT10.5 Construction Act–Interim Adjudication. These resources will be added to the other Practice Tips available on the OAA Website through the Practice Advisory Knowledge Base.

Council also approved content updates to the Mentorship Guide, authored by members of the Interns Committee. Once the edits have been made, the guide will be available through the OAA Website.

OAA Conference

Housing: Pushing the Envelope is the theme of the 2024 OAA Conference, which takes place in Niagara Falls in May 2024. At the December meeting, Council approved a proposed roster of education sessions—both classroom lectures and roundtables, as well as experiential learning—for the event, as recommended by the Continuing Education Advisory Committee (subject to minor changes based on speaker availability and budget).

As well, Council approved the Communications and Public Education Committee (CPEC) recommendation to have internationally licensed architect Vishaan Chakrabarti as the Virtual Keynote speaker for a free, online March event that will kick off registration. More information will be shared in the new year.

Public Outreach Plan

OAA Council has approved a Public Outreach Plan proposed by CPEC, with staff now directed to propose tactics for consideration. The plan comes out of an audit process that involved both external research and input from OAA staff to understand current and potential projects and resources dedicated to public education and public outreach. This audit revealed the OAA already offers a number of core services and programs, and the goal is to now amplify current initiatives, leverage existing and new partnerships, piggyback on successful projects, and evaluate any new ideas or initiatives.

Ultimately, the primary aim of the plan is to advance the public’s understanding and recognition that architecture is integral to the quality of life and well-being of our society as experienced through a sustainable, resilient, and durable built environment. It identifies the key audiences as government (staff and elected officials), K–12 (educators and students), clients (building owners and procurement professionals), and the general public (those without specialized knowledge). Further, it proposes four key messages:

“Architecture is integral to the quality of life and well-being of our society as experienced through a sustainable, resilient, and durable built environment.”

“The OAA is a professional self-regulator; regulators exist to protect the public.”

“Architects are licensed professionals who bring exceptional value to design and construction projects. Working with all such professionals requires entering into fair and balanced business relationships.”