March 2018 Issue

In the March meeting, OPPI Council will discuss a variety of strategic issues and topics to guide OPPI through policy decisions and provide direction.

Here are some of the topics that will be discussed at the March meeting:

• Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Indigenous Perspectives in Planning
• INSPIRE OPPI Strategic Plan 2020 Progress
• Strategic Framework for Policy & Public Affairs
• 2017 Financial Audit
• Professional Standards Committee reports and the five-year review
• Registered Professional Planners Act (Bill 122)

OPPI Council meets four times a year. Council approved agendas and minutes are available upon request to the OPPI office.

The goal is to engage members in shaping the direction and initiatives of OPPI, and continue to deliver on our INSPIRE OPPI Strategic Plan 2020. Members are encouraged to speak up and get involved, and stay in touch throughout the year through OPPI's many communication channels.

---

OPPI's District Leadership Team Chairs and Vice-Chairs meet annually with Strategy Group Chairs, OPPI President and President-Elect at the District Strategy Forum to share experiences and identify actionable priorities for the next year.

Starting to plan for 2019, this year's Forum on March 22nd will discuss INSPIRE OPPI, priorities in key strategic areas and explore District co-creation ideas to develop a realistic District action plan that provides relevant and meaningful services to our members.

For 2018, stay tuned for co-creation ideas focusing on:

• Increasing webinars or in-person events
• Rural workshops on topics such as climate change and resiliency
• School closures
• Museum and walking tours
• Light-rail and transit expansion
• Diversity in planning

Stay tuned for more information throughout the year. These District events are opportunities for members to learn more about the work happening in your local District and to get involved. Members can always check our Events webpage to see what is happening in your local District!

OPPI would like to thank its members for their responses on our recent survey on changes to planning legislation in Ontario.

The feedback you provided has been compiled and is being shared with various volunteer OPPI committees and other stakeholders to determine the best methods to provide you with relevant, timely and practical learning resources designed to benefit you.

Watch for more information coming soon on a livestream webinar about the Building Better Communities and Conserving Watersheds Act (Bill 139).

---

Later this month, OPPI Council will meet with Ojibway Elder, Duke Redbird, Dr. Sheri Longboat from the University of Guelph's School of Environment Design and Rural Development and Calvin Brook, Principal of Brook McIlroy to discuss Indigenous perspectives and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's (TRC) Calls to Action.

The goal of this discussion will be to define OPPI's role in the Calls to Action, and determine how OPPI can support its members as they engage and work with Indigenous peoples and incorporate Indigenous perspectives into their professional practice. Check out Calvin Brook's post on our Planning Exchange blog if you missed it that speaks to Truth and Reconciliation.

In addition, OPPI members have a few days to go to share their opinions to help inform Council's discussion by filling out our survey. Act quickly as the survey closes on March 5th.

In this month's Planning Exchange, Sara Epp, PhD Candidate in the Rural Studies program at the University of Guelph, takes a look at the importance of ensuring farmland is available, and measuring the existing land base and determine the quantity of land being lost to development.

Farmland in Ontario is under immense pressure from development associated with population growth and urbanization. In many communities, farmland is sacrificed for residential subdivisions, commercial developments and aggregate operations, among others. The future sustainability of agriculture in Ontario is dependent on a stable land base and precise understanding of the availability of farmland.

---

OPPI recently submitted comments on the Proposed Methodology for Land Needs Assessment for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

As the voice of the planning profession, OPPI offers advice and counsel to government. OPPI brings together members with particular expertise to respond to proposed provincial legislation, regulations, guidelines and other initiatives.

With this submission, the Planning Issues Strategy Group (PISG), and specifically the Municipal Affairs Working Group within PISG, led by Patrick Kennedy, RPP, assisted with the development of our response.

The Municipal Affairs Working Group focuses on planning-related policy initiatives and legislative changes pertaining to the Planning Act, the Municipal Act and the Environmental Lands Tribunal Ontario. In addition, they monitor the activity of the Ministries of Municipal Affairs and Housing,
and other government agencies. PISG strengthens the voice of OPPI by scanning the planning profession and helps identify relevant planning issues that OPPI should focus on and to help inform choices and inspire communities.

More information and previous OPPI policy submissions can be found on the OPPI Submissions webpage. If members are interested in joining the Municipal Affairs Working Group or the Planning Issues Strategy Group, please email us at submissions@ontarioplanners.ca.

Last Call for Student Scholarship Applications and Student Delegate Nominations
Today (March 1st) is the deadline for student scholarship applications and student delegate nominations. Don't wait, visit the OPPI website for more information and get your application and/or nomination in today!

OPPI Council Nominations open until April 3rd
OPPI's Governance and Nominating Committee is looking for a few good people to join OPPI Council as Directors. Full Members have until April 3rd to put their name forward for a Director position and make a contribution to the planning profession. Visit OPPI's website for information on the nomination process.

Source Protection Information Atlas (SPIA)
The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) has release a newly-enhanced Source Protection Information Atlas (SPIA). This interactive mapping tool has been improved to:

• Display over 1,100 wellhead protection areas, intake protection zones and highly vulnerable aquifers
• Easily search a property or lot and concession to determine if it falls within a vulnerable area
• Quickly link to lists of activities that could pose a significant risk to drinking water and the policies that apply at that location
• See layers of information, including jurisdictional boundaries
• Understand how a spill would travel along a body of water
• Upload and view your own datasets on top of provincial layers

For more information on the SPIA and upcoming training sessions, please contact the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change at source.protection@ontario.ca.

2018 LandPRO Conference
OPPI is an educational partner of the 2018 LandPRO Conference taking place in Vaughan, Ontario on March 28. Members may be able to claim CPL learning units by attending. In addition, use the discount code "OPPI18" to get 10 per cent off the regular price of registration (can't be combined with other offers). For more information and to register, visit landproconference.com.

Are you on social media - do you follow OPPI?
Did you know OPPI recently joined Instagram? Or that we have accounts on Twitter and LinkedIn? If you are on social media, here are a few things you can do:

• Follow OPPI on each channel and share our news with your friends and network of followers
• Share your news and mention or tag us in it and use the hashtag #OntarioPlanners and #RPP
• Include your RPP designation in your bio and/or after your name with pride and tell your followers you are a Registered Professional Planner in Ontario!

Advertise your available planning positions with OPPI's Job Postings. There is no better way to reach qualified planning professionals.

---

Targeted to planners, search the OPPI Job Ads to save you time and effort when looking for a new position.

Search Now

Please see the current active postings below:

• Senior Planner - Bruce County (full-time)
• Immediate Policy Planner - City of Brantford (full-time)
• Planner I - Town of Niagara on the Lake (contract)
• Planning Administrator - Municipality of Callander (full-time)
• Director of Policy Planning & Environmental Sustainability - City of Vaughan (full-time)
• Planning Student - Township of King (contract)
• Planner 1 - Municipality of Brighton (full-time)
• Community Development Planner - Town of Caledon (full-time)
• Supervisor of Transit Planning & Scheduling - City of Burlington (full-time)
• Planner - Local Planning Appeal Support Centre (LPASC) (full-time)
• Planner I - Development - City of Hamilton (full-time)
• Senior Policy Planner and Planner - Development - Town of Georgina (full-time)
• Manager, Development South - City of Mississauga (full-time)
• Team Lead - Planning - Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Ministry of Housing (full-time)
• Planner - Fotenn Planning + Design (full-time)
• Senior Project Manager - PMG Planning Consultants (full-time)
• Director, Development Services - Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville (full-time)
• Planner II, Heritage - City of Pickering (full-time)
• Secretary/Treasurer to CofA/Planning Technician - The Corporation of Town of Aurora (full-time)
• Heritage Planner - City of London (full-time)
• Environmental Planner - Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (full-time)
• Senior Planner - GSP Group Inc. (full-time)
• Planner - UrbanSolutions Planning & Land Development Consultants Inc. (full-time)
• Waterfront Plan Update - City of Cornwall (RFP)

• Public Health and Planning 101: An Online Course for Public Health and Planning Professionals to Create Healthier Built Environment
• Ontario Traffic Council Transportation Modelling Symposium - March 2
• City Building Expo 2018 - March 3
• Lakeland District - 2nd Annual International Women's Day (SOLD OUT) - March 8
• ED Kingston Social at Tango Nuevo - March 13
• Southwest District Fourth Annual Movie Night - March 20
• LD 8 Ball Challenge Social - March 22
• Western Lake Ontario District Pecha Kucha Night - March 22
• LandPRO Conference 2018 - March 28