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Call for Nominations

Are you interested in serving on OPPI Council or as an OPPI Representative? 

The Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) Governance & Nominating Committee invites individuals like you to step up and make a difference by serving on OPPI Council. We're seeking dynamic and committed professionals to fill several pivotal roles, including Director positions, a Student/Candidate representative, and a dedicated Public Interest Representative. Additionally, we’re on the lookout for talented individuals to represent OPPI on the Professional Standards Board (PSB), on their Board of Directors or as a member of their Professional Education & Exam Committee (PEEC). Director positions commence at the adjournment of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the fall of each year. The PSB Appointed Rep positions will commence in July at the Professional Standards Board (PSB) Annual General Meeting (AGM). 

The Professional Standards Board (PSB) establishes the standards for the planning profession across Canada. Additionally, it administers the certification process for candidates and accreditation process for planning programs at several universities across Canada. Like OPPI, the PSB is managed by a Board of Directors and relies on committees to undertake this important work on behalf of the planning profession in Canada.   Two unique opportunities are available for an OPPI-appointed representative, due to the expired terms of incumbents.  There is a Director position open on the PSB Board and a Committee member position open on the Professional Education & Exam Committee (PEEC).  OPPI will submit up to three candidates for each position to provide PSB the flexibility to confirm a Board that is diverse in every way.

The Governance & Nominating Committee works diligently to ensure that the OPPI Council is diverse in every way possible to ensure broad representation for the profession. Disclosing your personal identities is entirely optional. OPPI recognizes that there are real and perceived risks in self-identifying and disclosing this information. These responses are kept confidential and are used solely for the purpose of ensuring a greater representation of lived and professional experiences amongst members of OPPI Council. We strongly encourage applications from members of Indigenous, racialized, marginalized communities and/or other equity-deserving groups. 

Completed nominations packages must be submitted by April 18, 2024.

Available Positions

POSITION ELIGIBILITY TERM
Director 
Three (3) positions available
(10 total on Council)
Full OPPI member (excluding Life, and Non-practicing members) Two-year term with option to renew for a second two-year term
Candidate/ Student
One (1) position available
Currently a Candidate or Student member Two-year term. Not renewable. 
Public Representative
One (1) position available
(Two (2) total on Council)
Must be a resident of Ontario with at least seven (7) years of experience in a field other than planning, with some knowledge of planning and a general
understanding of the governance and management processes of a professional association
Two-year term with option to renew for a second two-year term




 
PSB Appointed  Representatives on
1.  Professional Standards Board Member

Learn more
2. Professional Education & Exam Committe (PEEC)
Learn more
 
OPPI members in good standing
  • Bring governance experience with managing policy.
  • Be Innovative - someone with strong governance implementation leadership skills.
  • Be adaptable and willing to understand the PSB model for certification as well as be open to new ideas.
PSB Board Members serve a four-year term with an option of a second four-year term.
PEEC Members  serve a four-year term with an option of a second four-year term.

How to ApplY

For Director  and Candidate/ Student Positions  For Public Interest Representative Position For PSB appointed  Representative on External Committees
  1. Review the self-assessment questionnaire to assess your readiness for OPPI Council.
  2. Review the OPPI Council competency profile  and highlight your strengths in your nomination package. 
  3. Review the OPPI Council demographics charts with a focus on demographic gaps.
  4. Contact communications@ontarioplanners.ca to receive your nominations package.
  5. Completed nominations packages are due by April 18, 2024
  1. Review the OPPI Council competency profile  and highlight your strengths in your nomination package. 
  2. Review the OPPI Council demographics charts with a focus on demographic gaps.
  3. Contact communications@ontarioplanners.ca to receive your nominations package.
  4. Completed nominations packages are due by April 18, 2024.
  1. Contact communications@ontarioplanners.ca to receive your nominations package.
  2. Completed nominations packages are due by April 18, 2024.

LEARN MORE

The priority of Council is to guide the organization through its strategic and governance responsibilities. It provides oversight and guidance in several core areas such as finance, risk management, and stakeholder relations. It empowers staff and volunteers to implement the strategic plan.
 
OPPI has a full-time Executive Director who reports to Council through the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is made up of the Chair, Chair-Elect, Secretary Treasurer, and a member at large. The Executive Committee meets a minimum of four times a year, between regular Council meetings, to provide important guidance on strategic and planning matters.
 
The Executive Director manages a staff team of eleven individuals including a leadership team of four, the Registrar & Director of Special Projects, the Director of Finance & Administration, the Director of Strategy & Communcations, and the Senior Manager of Education & Events. The Registrar maintains the register of members and manages OPPI's complaints and discipline process.

OPPI Council convenes for an in-person meeting at OPPI headquarters (at the Yonge-Sheppard Center in Toronto) four times per year, quarterly. The meeting schedule is agreed to and published one year in advance. In-person meetings begin on a Thursday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. with a strategic discussion or workshop followed by a dinner, and then Council business is dealt with on Friday until approximately 12:00 p.m. Transportation, accommodation, meals, and/or travel reimbursement are provided based on OPPI's Travel Policy.

If an OPPI Council member is unable to travel to a meeting, a Teams option to join the meeting will be available. Additionally, if government protocols prevent in-person gatherings, the quarterly meetings will be held via Teams. There is a possibility that additional Teams meetings may be scheduled throughout the year to deal with important matters. These meetings tend to be scheduled for 1.5 hours and are focused on one or two specific agenda items. 

In the fall of each year, OPPI Council members also attend OPPI's annual conference and participate in the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The 2024 conference is taking place in Hamilton, ON September 24-28. The 2025 conference will take place in Toronto, ON during the month of July and will be in partnership with the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP). 

OPPI Council members are also asked to participate in workshops focusing on leadership skills, governance, and strategic planning. 

In addition to their role on Council, OPPI Council members are invited to participate on one standing or program committee.

The roles and responsibilities of OPPI Council members ensure effective governance of OPPI. The general responsibilities of Directors, as well as restrictions on candidacy, are outlined in the By-law. First and foremost, Directors must fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities:
 

  • Duty of care: acting as a reasonably prudent person would under similar circumstances.
  • Duty of diligence: fully informed as reasonably possible and exercising attention and care.
  • Fiduciary duty: position of trust so acting in the best interests of the corporation.
  • Duty to avoid conflicts of interest: avoid conflicts of interest (extending to where relatives, friends, or coworkers would benefit).

 
OPPI Council members must adhere to a Code of Conduct and sign a Confidentiality Agreement annually. Each new OPPI Council member is provided with an orientation session and governance training to ensure there is complete understanding of these responsibilities, especially as it relates to OPPI.

The Governance & Nominating Committee (G&N Committee) is responsible for managing the nominations and elections process for OPPI. A call for nominations will be published to invite candidates to submit their nominations package. A convenient self-assessment questionnaire has been prepared to help you assess readiness for a position on OPPI Council.
 
If you submit a nominations package, you can expect the following actions to be taken by the G&N Committee:
 

  • Confirmation of your status to submit for the position.
  • Confirmation from your nominators that they endorse your candidacy.
  • A thorough review of your nominations package by the full G&N Committee.
  • An invitation to attend an interview with a minimum of two members of the G&N Committee, followed by a phone call: either indicating whether or not your candidacy is being considered, or that your candidacy is not being considered at this time.
 
*Reasons that your candidacy may not move forward during this nominations cycle are varied and will be fully explained to you at the time of the phone call.

REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

OPPI Council Nomination Resources
Self-Assessment Questionnaire
Competency Profile
Demographic Charts

OPPI Council Resources
About OPPI Council

OPPI Resources
OPPI Act
OPPI General By-Law
OPPI Professional Code of Practice
INSPIRE: OPPI Strategic Plan 2025

Questions? 

Contact communications@ontarioplanners.ca