The Association’s governing board of directors, OAA Council, met in Toronto on January 22 for its first meeting of the year, with discussions also continuing the following day as part of the annual planning session. Lara McKendrick, Ottawa Architect and previously the OAA’s Senior Vice President & Treasurer, was elected as the new President, and there was also the election of officers for 2026.

With past-president Ted Wilson stepping down from Council, an OAA Architect needed to be appointed as the new holder of the Northern Electoral District seat. After a call for expressions of interest was issued in December 2025, many licence holders submitted their names for nomination. During the meeting, Maxine Blais was chosen and will now hold office until the end of 2027.

It was also moved by McKendrick that Architect Walter Derhak be appointed to the OAA Finance and Audit Committee for a two-year term. Councillors also received the year-end reports from senior staff in each of the OAA’s service areas, as well as updates from the OAA Committees and executive.

The full agendas, minutes, and meeting packages for this and past meetings can be found of the OAA Website.

Planning Session

Following the regular board meeting, Councillors and senior OAA staff participated in a series of workshops geared toward planning for 2026—the final year outlined in the Association’s current Strategic Plan. The sessions were facilitated by Kathy McLaughlin, an expert in strategy, governance, and organizational development.

Executive Director Kristi Doyle and Registrar Christie Mills outlined the various accomplishments of the past year in relation to the Strategic Plan, while also previewing the established initiatives and programs for the near future. You can see a high-level overview of the 2025 achievements and progress by clicking here.

Lawyer Jean-Claude Killey (Paliare Roland) then led a refresher on good governance in the OAA’s professional self-regulatory context, exploring not only Council’s role in relation to fiduciary duty, but also the intersection of the Architects Act with other prevailing legislation like the Human Rights Code and the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).

The following day, attendees focused on potential for modernizing aspects of the Architects Act with respect to governance terminology and clarifying the additional objects it sets out. More information will be shared about this prospective initiative in the months to come.

Next Council Meeting

The next Council meeting will take place on Thursday, March 5 at the OAA Headquarters in Toronto. For those interested in attending the open session virtually, contact the Association’s Tina Carfa for more information.