Skip to Main Content

Call for Nominations

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

The OPPI Governance & Nominating Committee is calling for nominations from individuals who wish to contribute to the planning profession by joining OPPI Council as Chair-Elect or a Director. Additionally, we are recruiting an OPPI Representative for an external committee. Chair-Elect and Director positions commence at the adjournment of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the fall of each year. 

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 15, 2024.

Available Positions

POSITION ELIGIBILITY TERM
Director 
Three (3) positions available
(13 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 with the option to renew for a second two-year term
Public Representative
One (1) position available
(Two 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




 
OPPI-Appointed  Representatives on
1.  Professional Standards Board
2. Professional Education & Exam Committe

Two (2) external position available 
Learn more
 
OPPI members in good standing Two (2) calendar year term. Following the expiry of the Initial Term, Committee members may renew for another two (2)
calendar year term of office

How to ApplY

For Director  and Candidate/ Student Positions  For Public Interest Representative Position For OPPI-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 which is important to ensure a diverse Council.
  3. Review the OPPI Council demographics charts with a focus on demographic gaps.
  4. Contact communications@ontarioplanners.ca to receive your nominations package.
  5. Nominations packages are due by April 15, 2024
  1. Review the OPPI Council demographics charts with a focus on demographic gaps.
  2. Review the OPPI Council competency profile which is important to ensure a diverse Council.
  3. Contact communications@ontarioplanners.ca to receive your nominations package.
  4. Nominations packages are due by April 15, 2024.
  1. Contact communications@ontarioplanners.ca to receive your nominations package.
  2. Nominations packages are due by April 15, 2024.

LEARN MORE

OPPI is led by a volunteer Council elected by the OPPI membership. Members of OPPI Council are guided by OPPI’s Act, By-Law, Strategic Plan, as well as an annual operational plan and budget prepared by staff and approved annually by Council. 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 President, President-Elect, and Secretary Treasurer. 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 Education, the Director of Finance & Administration, the Director of Strategy & Communcations, and the Director of Diversity and Social Justice. 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 generative 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 Zoom option to join the meeting will be available. Additionally, if government protocols prevent in-person gatherings, the quarterly meetings will be held via Zoom. There is a possibility that additional Zoom 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).

OPPI Council members are also asked to participate in workshops focusing on leadership skill building, 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 info@ontarioplanners.ca